Russian birth certificate translation
Certified and notarized English translation of birth certificates issued in the USSR, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and other countries that issue documents in Russian. $25 for a standard certificate from Russian or Ukrainian into English, ready in 1–2 days.
A translation USCIS will accept
We are a US-based team specializing in the certified translation of birth certificates from Russian into English. A certified translation is signed and dated by a professional translator.
Per USCIS requirements, a foreign document must include a translator's statement that the translation is complete and accurate — our translator certifies exactly that. This type of translation is often required for visas, immigration or getting a job in the United States.
Your birth certificate translation is certified and notarized. For a standard birth certificate translated from Russian or Ukrainian into English, a translation in PDF format is $25 and our turnaround time is 1–2 days.
Russian or Ukrainian → English. All other documents and languages: send them to us and we'll email you the exact price.
- Standard birth, marriage & divorce certificates
- For USCIS, NVC, state & federal courts, colleges
- Draft sent to you to check names and dates
- PDF by email in 1–2 days
- Hard copy by mail: Regular USPS +$13, Priority +$18, Priority Express +$39
See what your translation will look like
We have translated more than 4,000 birth certificates since 2007. Here are two of them — names, dates and numbers replaced with sample data.
- Layout mirrors the original, so officers can compare line by line
- Stamps and seals are described in brackets; signatures marked [Signed]
- Handwritten notes and illegible text explained in a translator's note
- Dates in U.S. format — month, day, year
- Names spelled exactly as in your U.S. documents
Four simple steps
Send your documents
Scan or photograph your document — we accept all file types. Email it to us or send it on WhatsApp.
Make a payment
We email the price, turnaround and payment details. Pay by card, PayPal or Zelle, and send the English spelling of names.
Review the draft
We send a draft so you can check that names, dates and details match your other documents.
Done!
Receive your certified, notarized translation as a PDF by email, or by mail with wet signatures and stamps.
You'll need it more often than you think
Whether you are getting married or filing for a divorce in the United States, you may be asked to show your original birth certificate along with its translation to government authorities, banks and insurance companies. A birth certificate is an important vital record: it serves as proof of identity and shows your date and place of birth, your relationship to your parents, and their ethnicities.
There are many times in life when you need your birth certificate: applying for immigration, registering your child for school, traveling by airplane, getting a driver's license for the first time, changing your name, getting married, filing for a divorce, applying for Social Security, claiming an inheritance or seeking child support services.
Your Russian birth certificate will not be recognized in the United States unless it is officially translated here. Once the translation is certified, it is accepted by USCIS, US courts, primary, elementary, secondary and high schools, universities, the U.S. Social Security Administration, US banks, insurance companies and hospitals.
Getting married or changing your last name? See our marriage certificate translation page. Need a school record translated too? See diploma and transcript translation.
Birth certificates we translate
Below are the most common types of birth certificates we translate for our customers.
Don't see your form? We translate birth certificates from every former Soviet republic — send us a photo for a quick answer.
Getting the names right
A birth certificate is often the first document in a chain — passport, Green Card, citizenship, school records. The spelling has to match across all of them.
Your passport spelling
Tell us how your name is spelled in your foreign passport, visa or Green Card and we'll use exactly that — even if a standard transliteration would differ.
Patronymics and parents
Both parents' full names — last name, first name and patronymic — are translated as written, so USCIS can confirm the parent–child relationship.
Old place names
Leningrad, Sverdlovsk, the Ukrainian SSR — Soviet-era names are kept as on the original, because that is what the document says.
Who asks for a translated birth certificate
USCIS requires a full English translation of every foreign-language document, with the translator's certification that it is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate. Our certified translation meets that requirement — and we notarize it at no extra charge.
- Green Card and family petitions — Forms I-130, I-485 and immigrant visas processed by the NVC
- Citizenship — Form N-400, and N-600 for children who became citizens through their parents
- U.S. passport — for a child born abroad to U.S. citizen parents
- Schools and universities — enrollment, age verification, financial aid
- Social Security and DMV — SSN card, driver's license, REAL ID
- Marriage, name change, inheritance — U.S. courts and county clerks
When you need a signed paper copy
A PDF is enough for online filings — USCIS online applications and NVC uploads. Order a signed, notarized paper copy if you will need your translation in one of these situations.
U.S. passport
Applying for a U.S. passport with a foreign birth certificate? The State Department asks for a translation with a notarized letter from the translator. Our notarization is included at no extra cost.
“Foreign language documents should include a professional English translation. The translator must provide a notarized letter about the accuracy of the translation and their ability to translate the document.”
Source — U.S. Department of State, Citizenship Evidence: travel.state.gov
Immigrant visa interview at a U.S. consulate
You upload scans to the NVC, but at the interview you must show the documents themselves. Bring the paper translation together with your original certificate.
“Every visa applicant … must bring … the original or certified copy version of all civil documents submitted to NVC.”
Source — U.S. Department of State, Interview Preparation: travel.state.gov
USCIS interview (Green Card, citizenship)
Photocopies are fine when you file, but the officer may ask to see the originals. Bring the signed paper translation to your interview.
“USCIS may, at any time, request submission of an original document for review.”
Source — 8 CFR 103.2(b)(5): www.ecfr.gov
Courts
Requirements vary by court. Many courts ask for a signed original translation, sometimes with a notarized translator's affidavit. Check with the clerk before you file — we can prepare either.
DMV and REAL ID
Your documents are checked in the original, so bring a paper translation too. Rules differ from state to state.
Paper copy by mail: Regular USPS +$13 · Priority (2–3 days, tracking) +$18 · Priority Express (1–2 days, tracking) +$39. Choose it when you order online.
Send us the English spelling of every name
With your documents, please send the last name, first name and patronymic of every person in them — exactly as spelled in your U.S. documents or foreign passport (Green Card, Social Security card, visa). This keeps your translation consistent with everything else you file. If a name has no English spelling yet, we'll transliterate it by standard rules.
The patronymic stays in
Many clients don't use a patronymic in the U.S. and ask us to leave it out. We can't: a certified translation must be complete and match the original, so if the document shows a patronymic (Sergeyevich, Ivanovna), the translation shows it too. This does not cause problems — officers expect it on documents from Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet countries.
Qualified linguists, not a translation app
Since 2007 we have translated more than 12,000 Russian and Ukrainian documents — over 30,000 pages — and not one of our translations has ever been rejected by USCIS.
Never rejected by USCIS
Every translation comes with a signed certificate of accuracy that meets USCIS translation requirements.
Court-certified interpreters
Our team includes California court-certified interpreters and Washington State certified translators.
Degreed linguists
Every translator holds a university degree in linguistics or foreign-language teaching.
Notarized at no extra cost
Accepted by USCIS, NVC, WES, ECE, U.S. courts, SSA, DMV, schools and employers.
Do I need an ATA-certified translator? No. USCIS, the NVC, WES, ECE and U.S. courts do not require ATA certification for document translations. They require a complete, accurate English translation with a signed statement that the translator is competent to translate — which is exactly what we provide.
Birth certificate translation questions
Will USCIS accept your translation?
Yes. Each translation comes with a signed certificate of translation accuracy stating that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate from Russian (or Ukrainian) into English — exactly what USCIS asks for. We also notarize it, which USCIS does not strictly require but many other offices do.
Is a Soviet (USSR) birth certificate still valid?
Yes. Birth certificates issued in the USSR remain valid civil status documents. We translate them regularly — from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other former Soviet republics, including old handwritten forms.
Do you need the original certificate?
No. A clear scan or phone photo of both sides is enough. Include the back side even if it looks empty — notes about citizenship, passports issued or corrections are often stamped there.
What about the citizenship stamp or insert?
Russian birth certificates of children often carry a citizenship stamp on the back or a separate insert (вкладыш о гражданстве). We translate it together with the certificate.
I lost my birth certificate. What can I do?
You can request a duplicate certificate (повторное свидетельство) or an archival birth record from the ZAGS office where the birth was registered. We translate both — and we can help you get documents from Russia.
Do I need an apostille?
For USCIS and most U.S. agencies — no, a certified translation is enough. An apostille may be needed for some courts or when a document is used outside the U.S. If you're not sure, tell us where you're submitting it and we'll advise.
Is a PDF copy enough?
Most of our clients order the PDF only — it's what you upload for online USCIS filings. If an office asks for a paper copy with wet signatures and stamps, choose mail delivery when you order.
Let's get in touch
We provide translation services in all major US cities, with certified translations of birth certificates done in Chicago, IL. Our translators are experienced, professional and highly qualified, and our translations of Russian birth records are accurate and reliable. All hard copies are mailed directly to you from our location in Chicago.
We answer on weekends, too
It's always a good time to drop us a line — we try to answer emails even on weekends and holidays, so don't be shy!
What our customers say
“Thank you for quick and accurate translation of my birth certificate. The manager asked all the right questions and helped me get the documents quickly, and the price was less than the other competitors. I highly recommend this service.”
“The translation of my power of attorney was done very well and fast. Their prices are very affordable. Do not be afraid to contact them. 100% positive company.”