Skip to content

RFE objection "no certified translation": how it was answered

Key answer

Even otherwise relevant evidence will not count without a proper certified English translation. Attach a full certified translation of each non-English document with a correct translator certification.

The objection belongs to the "Judging" criterion. Below is what the community did to close it: the order of steps, the documents that were attached and the wording that went into the answer.

Steps that closed it

  1. Prepare a full translation of all judging or expert evaluation documents: invitations, confirmations of participation, programs, jury lists, letters from organizers, and certificates.
  2. Certify the translation through an authorized translator, notary, or certified translation agency, depending on the filing requirements.
  3. Make sure the translation contains the translator's signature, seal, or statement certifying the accuracy of the translation and the translator's qualifications.
  4. Attach the original and certified translation as one file or side by side in the evidence section.
  5. Highlight in the translation the applicant's role as a judge, expert, reviewer, or jury member, as well as the level of the event and the selection criteria.
  6. Add a brief explanation that the prior denial was based only on the lack of a certified translation, not on the absence of the evidence itself.

What was attached

  • Original foreign-language documents.
  • Certified translations of all documents.
  • Letter or statement from the organizer describing the applicant's role.
  • Event program or page showing the jury composition.
  • Confirmation that the applicant evaluated the work, participants, projects, or applications of other professionals.

How the answer was worded

The applicant submitted the original documents confirming participation in expert evaluation, along with their complete certified translations. The translations confirm the applicant's role as an expert, the nature of the evaluation, and the professional level of the event.

A pattern, not a template to copy: the wording only works with your own facts behind it.

Where to check this

Other objections on this criterion

Reference information and community experience, not legal advice. The AAO figures are lessons from appeals, not approval odds; fees and timelines change - verify on uscis.gov.