Do I need to translate my experience documents?

Generally, yes. For the H-1B, documents that support your education and work experience and are not in English must be submitted with a certified translation into English.

A certified translation, in this context, means the translator provides a written statement declaring fluency in both languages and confirming that the English version is complete and accurate relative to the original document. This gives immigration authorities confidence that the information has been correctly interpreted.

Taking this step carefully helps avoid common issues:

• Documents in another language submitted without a translation, which may be rejected.
• Incomplete or inaccurate translations, which can trigger requests for clarification.
• Processing delays caused by formal non-compliance.

Because formatting requirements can change, confirm the accepted translation format with the official source (USCIS) or a specialist before assembling your document package.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.