Passport translation: when you need one and how to do it

Why most data pages are already readable

Passports follow ICAO Doc 9303. Where the issuing country's language is not English, French or Spanish, each printed caption is followed by a slash and the same caption in one of those three languages[1]. Where the language is one of the three, the country should add one of the other two[1].

Names are covered too. If the national characters are not Latin-based, the data page also shows the name transcribed or transliterated into Latin characters[1]. Numbers in a script other than Arabic numerals come with a version in Arabic numerals[1].

So the data page of most passports is already readable by a US officer. The caveat is the choice of second language. A passport may pair its captions with French rather than English, which still leaves a foreign language on the page.

What still needs translating

• Captions shown only in the national language and French or Spanish[1].
• Optional data, which may be entered entirely in the national script and language[1].
• Endorsements, observations and amendment pages, such as a name change or a note about a child.
• Entry and exit stamps and visas in a foreign language.
• Any page with handwriting or a seal in a foreign language.

For USCIS, the test is simple. Any document containing foreign language that you submit gets a full English translation, certified by the translator as complete and accurate, with a statement of competence[2]. If you file copies of passport pages that carry foreign text, translate those pages in full.

Can I translate my own passport?

The USCIS rule names a translator who certifies accuracy and competence and no credential[2]. ATA notes that you or a family member could certify your translations and calls it risky, because USCIS could question them or consider them biased[3]. A bilingual friend who reviews a draft and signs is the common middle path.

How to translate a passport with LoreAI

1. Scan the pages you will file. The data page and every page with a stamp, visa or endorsement you are submitting.
2. Upload and choose English. LoreAI reads the scan with OCR, including stamps and handwriting, and detects the source language.
3. Download the Word file. Names come back romanized and dates and passport numbers as written, in the order of the page.
4. Certify it. The signer reviews the file and signs the statement from the certificate of translation template.

Keep the spelling of your name identical across every translation in one filing, matching the Latin-script line printed on the passport itself.

Where LoreAI fits

LoreAI is not a certified translation service. It produces the English draft, and the person who signs makes it a certified translation. Your first document is free, up to 3 pages. A driver's license translation follows the same steps, and the USCIS translation guide covers the full rule.

Questions people ask