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Hmong interpreters in Minneapolis, MN
Yes: we book Hmong–English interpreters in Minneapolis in person at $137.50–$143 an hour (two-hour minimum) or by video at $100–$104 an hour (one-hour minimum), plus $0.70 a mile of travel for in-person work, confirmed before you pay. Hmong carries the 25–30% limited-availability rate. A Hmong interpreter for a USCIS interview in Minneapolis, booked for the two-hour minimum, is $275–$286 plus travel. 70,535 people in the Minneapolis metro area speak Hmong at home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2024 1-year, table B16001 (language spoken at home, population 5 years and over), Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area.
In person in Minneapolis
$137.50–$143 an hour per interpreter, two-hour minimum, plus $0.70 a mile from the interpreter's location.
By video or phone
$100–$104 an hour, one-hour minimum, no travel. Zoom, Google Meet, Teams or a phone call.
70,535
People in the Minneapolis metro area who speak Hmong at home (U.S. Census Bureau).
A Hmong interpreter for a USCIS interview in Minneapolis
USCIS does not supply one for a green card or marriage interview: applicants who are not fluent in English bring an interpreter, who shows ID, takes an oath and interprets word for word (USCIS Policy Manual), and you both sign Form G-1256 in front of the officer. The interpreter should be a disinterested party, not your spouse or a witness in the case (G-1256 instructions).
Booked with us, a Hmong interpreter for a two-hour USCIS interview in Minneapolis is $275–$286; with a 30-mile round trip of travel, $296–$307. If the interview runs past two hours, the extra time is billed at the same hourly rate. What to expect at each kind of USCIS interview is on the page about interpreters for USCIS interviews.
70,535 people in the Minneapolis metro area speak Hmong at home
That is the count in the U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2024 1-year, table B16001 (language spoken at home, population 5 years and over), Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area. The other languages most spoken at home in the Minneapolis metro area, from the same table:
| Language | People who speak it at home |
|---|---|
| Spanish (Spanish interpreters) | 173,080 |
| Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages (Amharic interpreters, Somali interpreters) | 90,646 |
| Hmong | 70,535 |
| Chinese (incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (Mandarin interpreters, Cantonese interpreters) | 20,944 |
| Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or other languages of Western Africa (Yoruba interpreters, Twi interpreters, Igbo interpreters) | 19,092 |
| Vietnamese (Vietnamese interpreters) | 16,517 |
| Russian (Russian interpreters) | 13,740 |
| French (incl. Cajun) (French interpreters) | 13,647 |
| Swahili or other languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa (Swahili interpreters) | 12,944 |
| Arabic (Arabic interpreters) | 11,966 |
Where a Hmong interpreter is needed in Minneapolis, and who provides one
Some of these places must provide the interpreter themselves, and then you should not be paying for one. Where that is so, the official page is linked.
| Place | Who provides the interpreter |
|---|---|
| Fort Snelling Immigration Court (EOIR), Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Suite 1850 | The court provides the interpreter for the hearing, at government expense (ICPM 3.10). EOIR's control list gives it the non-detained cases of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Attorneys book their own for client preparation and witness meetings. |
| USCIS Saint Paul Field Office, 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 710, Minneapolis | The office named "Saint Paul" is in Minneapolis. For a green card interview the interpreter is provided by the applicant, who shows a government-issued ID, signs an oath and privacy release, and interprets word for word. |
| Hennepin County District Court and the other Minnesota courts | The court appoints a qualified interpreter for a civil litigant or witness who has difficulty with English, and the court pays; the Rules of Practice call for a certified interpreter from the statewide roster when one is reasonably available. These provisions do not mention depositions, which are arranged by the attorneys. |
| Minnesota boards, commissions and agencies holding hearings | The board, commission, agency or licensing authority appoints a qualified interpreter for a witness or principal party who needs one, and pays for it. |
| City of Minneapolis, Neighborhood and Community Relations | The City must provide an interpreter free of charge to people who speak little or no English, to reach City programs and services; requests go to NCR a week ahead and the department bears the cost. |
Hmong is a limited-availability language
There are comparatively few qualified Hmong interpreters working in the United States, and the ones there are get booked. That is why Hmong carries the 25–30% limited-availability rate, and why lead time matters more here than with a common language: a week is comfortable, two days is a gamble.
We would rather tell you that before you book a hearing date than after. If your date is fixed and close, say so when you enquire and we will tell you honestly whether we can staff it rather than accepting and hoping.
The standard-availability languages are: Spanish, Portuguese, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Russian, Korean, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Polish, Italian, German, Japanese, Hindi, Urdu, Persian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Tagalog, Bengali, Punjabi, Tamil, Armenian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Serbian, Bosnian, Somali and Nepali. Every other language we offer carries the 25–30% limited-availability rate, except the rare languages — Mam, K’iche’, Q’anjob’al, Tzotzil, Mixtec, Fuzhounese, Hakka, Hakha Chin, Kachin, Balochi, Bambara, Soninke, Tigre, Chaldean Neo-Aramaic and Assyrian Neo-Aramaic — which carry 75%. If a language is not on the standard list it is not because we cannot do it — it is because the pool of qualified interpreters in the United States is small enough that we will not promise a date without checking.
What a Hmong interpreter costs, worked out
These are the published rates multiplied out, at the limited-availability rate (25–30% over the base, so each figure is a range): $100–$104 an hour by video or phone, $137.50–$143 an hour in person, $0.70 a mile of travel.
| Booking | How it is worked out | Total |
|---|---|---|
| One-hour video or phone call | 1 hour × $100–$104 | $100–$104 |
| Two-hour video interview | 2 hours × $100–$104 | $200–$208 |
| Two-hour meeting in person, 20-mile round trip | 2 hours × $137.50–$143 + 20 miles × $0.70 | $289–$300 |
| Three-hour deposition or closing in person, 40-mile round trip | 3 hours × $137.50–$143 + 40 miles × $0.70 | $440.50–$457 |
| Full day in person (six hours), two interpreters in relay | 2 interpreters × 6 hours × $137.50–$143 | $1,650–$1,716 plus travel |
The quote confirms the interpreter, the exact travel figure and the total before you book; nothing is charged until you confirm.
How the travel charge works out
Travel is charged at $0.70 per mile from the interpreter's location, which means you can work it out rather than wait for a quote: a 20-mile round trip is $14, a 60-mile round trip is $42, a 150-mile round trip is $105. There is no separate call-out fee on top.
We will not pretend to know in advance where the interpreter will be coming from — that depends on the language, the date and the venue. What we do is confirm the interpreter and the exact travel figure before you book, so it is never a surprise on the invoice. Virtual assignments carry no travel charge at all, which is one reason most of what we do is virtual.
How booking an interpreter works
- You send the request with the form below: the language, the setting, the format, the date and how long it should last.
- We confirm before you commit: the interpreter, the exact price and the travel figure if there is one. We reply within minutes, four business hours at most, and no payment is taken at this stage.
- You confirm and pay, and the interpreter is booked for your date. The interpreter's name and credentials are sent to you once the booking is paid.
What to have ready
The more of this comes in the first message, the fewer exchanges before you have a price:
- The language, the date, the start time and how long it should run.
- Virtual or in person: the platform, or the city and the venue.
- The setting and the subject matter.
- How many people need interpreting for.
- Any credential the venue requires of the interpreter. We confirm before you book whether we can staff it; the interpreter's name and credentials follow once the booking is paid.
Request an interpreter
Tell us the date, the language and the setting and we will come back with the interpreter, the exact price and the travel figure if there is one — before you commit to anything.
Thank you — we have your request
We will reply within minutes, four business hours at most, with the interpreter, the exact price and the travel figure if there is one, before you commit to anything.
Sources
What this page says about Minneapolis was checked against these sources on November 3, 2026, and the USCIS rules on October 21, 2026. Rules change; the source is always the authority.
- U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2024 1-year, table B16001 (language spoken at home, population 5 years and over), Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 5
- USCIS, Form G-1256
- EOIR — Immigration Court List, Administrative Control (Fort Snelling Immigration Court)
- EOIR — Immigration Court Practice Manual, chapter 3.10, Interpreters
- USCIS — Field Office Locator (Saint Paul Field Office, Minneapolis)
- Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes — General Rules of Practice for the District Courts, Rule 8, Interpreters
- Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes — Minn. Stat. 546.42, Persons disabled in communication; interpreters
- Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes — Minn. Stat. 546.43, Proceedings where interpreter appointed
- Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes — Minn. Stat. 546.44, Qualified interpreter
- City of Minneapolis — Language Access Plan (2015 revision)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Hmong interpreter cost in Minneapolis?
$137.50–$143 an hour in person with a two-hour minimum, or $100–$104 an hour by video or phone with a one-hour minimum, plus $0.70 a mile of travel for in-person work. A two-hour USCIS interview in person is $275–$286; with a 30-mile round trip, $296–$307. The exact figure is confirmed before you pay.
Can I get a Hmong interpreter in person in Minneapolis?
Often, but not always: Hmong has comparatively few qualified interpreters in the United States. We tell you before you pay whether we can staff your date in person in Minneapolis; video, at $100–$104 an hour, is the other option.
Do I need to bring my own Hmong interpreter to a USCIS interview in Minneapolis?
Yes, for a green card or marriage interview. USCIS does not supply one for a green card or marriage interview: applicants who are not fluent in English bring an interpreter, who shows ID, takes an oath and interprets word for word (USCIS Policy Manual), and you both sign Form G-1256 in front of the officer. The interpreter should be a disinterested party, not your spouse or a witness in the case (G-1256 instructions).
Does the Fort Snelling immigration court provide an interpreter?
Yes, for the hearing, at government expense (ICPM 3.10). EOIR asks the respondent or attorney to request one no later than 30 days before the next hearing. Preparation meetings with your attorney are not covered.
Does Minnesota pay for a court interpreter?
In a civil action the presiding judicial officer appoints a qualified interpreter for a litigant or witness who has difficulty with English, and the court pays the fees; a board or agency holding its own hearing appoints and pays for one too (Minn. Stat. 546.43; 546.44).
Where is the USCIS office for Minneapolis?
The Saint Paul Field Office is at 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 710, in Minneapolis, according to the USCIS locator for the Minneapolis ZIP codes we tried (USCIS locator). Check the address on your appointment notice.
How much is a Hmong interpreter in Minneapolis?
Hmong is a limited-availability language: $137.50 to $143 an hour in person with a two-hour minimum, or $100 to $104 an hour by video with a one-hour minimum, plus $0.70 per mile of travel for in-person work, confirmed before you book.
Is the price per person or per interpreter?
Per interpreter, per hour, billed from the scheduled start time. One interpreter covers a meeting; a full-day hearing may need two working in relay.
What if the venue provides its own interpreter?
Then you should not be paying us. Immigration court provides one, and hospitals and school districts frequently must. Ask them first.
Can I see the interpreter's credentials before I pay?
Tell us the credential the venue or the other side requires when you request, and we confirm before you book whether we can staff it. The interpreter's name and credentials are sent once the booking is paid.
How is travel charged?
$0.70 per mile from the interpreter's location — a 20-mile round trip is $14. We confirm the exact figure before you book, and virtual assignments carry none.
Need a Hmong interpreter in Minneapolis?
Tell us the date, the venue and how long it runs, and we will confirm the interpreter and the exact price, travel included.