Immigration

Immigration files are the case where translation requirements come from the specific agency, not the country. Canada’s IRCC accepts two formats: a translation by a certified translator — a member in good standing of a provincial body such as ATIO or OTTIAQ — or a translation with an affidavit, the translator’s sworn statement of accuracy signed before a notary. A Polish voivodeship office handling a karta pobytu application, by contrast, only recognizes a sworn translator from Poland’s Ministry of Justice register. There is no universal rule, which is why the guides in this section are built around institutions’ requirements rather than generic immigration translation.

Some traps are shared, though. IRCC explicitly rejects translations done by the applicant or their family members, even professional translators — a conflict of interest. The document is translated in full, including stamps, seals, and the reverse side: one missed stamp means an officer’s request and weeks of delay. And police clearance certificates age quickly — order them close to submission, and translate the current version.

We have been assembling immigration packages for over 12 years: Express Entry, spousal sponsorship, and study permits for Canada, karta pobytu documents for Poland. Send us your program’s document checklist — we will tell you what needs translating and which certification format your agency expects, with a quote within 15 minutes.