Do award documents need to be translated?

Yes, as a general rule. If the award documents that support your recognition are not in English, they must be translated so that the O-1 adjudicator can understand the content and relevance of each distinction.

The USCIS standard is that the translation be complete and certified: prepared by a competent translator and accompanied by a signed statement attesting that the English version is a faithful rendering of the original document. A summary or informal translation is not sufficient.

This care prevents an important achievement from being misread or disregarded due to lack of clarity, which could delay the review or weaken the overall evidence package.

Because formatting requirements can vary and change, it is worth confirming the current requirements with USCIS or with a specialist, and relying on certified translators to ensure the documentation meets what is expected.

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.