How to get a Salvadoran partida de nacimiento
El Salvador's national registry of natural persons, the RNPN, lists Certificación de Partidas en El Salvador among its online services, handled through the government portal Simple SV[2]. For people living abroad it offers Certificación de partida en el exterior, and it runs a separate lookup of birth record information at consulta.rnpn.gob.sv[2].
Order a recent certified copy rather than translating an old photocopy. A new certificación carries the current margin notes, such as a later recognition of paternity or a name correction, and those belong in the translation.
What is on the partida
A partida is a certified transcript of the entry in the Registro del Estado Familiar of the municipality where the birth was recorded. Older ones are typed or handwritten as running text, newer ones follow a printed layout. The entries are the same either way.
| On the partida | What it is | In the translation |
|---|---|---|
| Partida número, folio, libro, año | Where the entry sits in the register | Entry No., Page, Book, Year, with the numbers copied |
| Nombre del inscrito | The registered child's full name | Name of registered person, both surnames kept |
| Fecha y hora de nacimiento | Day and time of birth, often spelled out in words | Date and time of birth, with the month in words |
| Lugar de nacimiento, municipio, departamento | Hospital or address, municipality and department | Place of birth, Municipality, Department |
| Madre, padre | Parents' names, ages, occupations and identity documents | Mother, Father, with DUI numbers kept as written |
| Informante or compareciente | The person who reported the birth | Informant |
| Registrador del Estado Familiar | The municipal registrar who signs the entry | Registrar of Family Status |
| Marginaciones | Later changes noted in the margin | Marginal notes, each one translated, or None |
| Sello, firma, Alcaldía Municipal | Seal, signature and issuing municipal office | [Seal], [Signature], Municipal Office of |
Rules for translating it
- Translate everything on the page, including stamps, the certification paragraph and the margin notes. USCIS asks for a full English translation[1].
- Keep names exactly as written, with both surnames and every accent. A married woman's name such as María López de Hernández stays in that form.
- El Salvador is divided into departments, so write Department of La Libertad, not State. Keep the names of departments and municipalities in Spanish.
- Older partidas write dates in words, as in el día catorce de junio de mil novecientos ochenta y ocho. Write June 14, 1988 in the translation.
- Copy identity numbers such as the DUI digit for digit, and describe what cannot be translated in brackets, such as [illegible signature].
How to translate a Salvadoran birth certificate with LoreAI
- Scan or photograph the certificación. Use the PDF or the paper copy, front and back if the back carries a stamp or a note.
- Upload it and choose English. Type your email at the top of this page and enter the 6-digit code. Your first document is free, up to 3 pages and 3 MB.
- Download the Word file. LoreAI reads typed and handwritten partidas, translates them from Spanish and keeps names, numbers and dates as written, in the order of the original.
- Add the signed certification. The translator signs a statement of completeness, accuracy and competence. The certificate of translation template has the wording.
Who can sign, and is an apostille needed?
The USCIS rule asks for a translator who certifies the translation as complete and accurate and certifies their competence to translate from Spanish into English[1]. It names no license and says nothing about a notary[1]. A bilingual relative or friend can read LoreAI's Word file, correct anything they wish and sign.
El Salvador has been a party to the Apostille Convention since May 31, 1996[3]. An apostille concerns the Salvadoran certificate itself, not the translation, and you need one only when the receiving office asks for it. LoreAI is not a certified translation service.
Questions people ask
Can I order a Salvadoran birth certificate online?
Yes. The RNPN lists Certificación de Partidas en El Salvador as an online service through Simple SV[2].
Do I translate the marginaciones?
Yes. USCIS asks for a full English translation[1], and the margin notes record later changes to the entry.
Can I translate my own partida for USCIS?
The rule asks for a translator who certifies competence and accuracy[1]. Many applicants ask a bilingual friend or relative to review the LoreAI file and sign.
Is LoreAI's translation certified?
No. LoreAI gives you the English Word file. A person who knows Spanish and English signs the certification.
Sources
- 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), Translations, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, accessed November 6, 2026
- RNPN El Salvador: Guía de servicios (Spanish), accessed November 6, 2026
- HCCH: Status table, Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, accessed November 6, 2026
By Matt Mountain ·