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Certified Translation for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) is for a young person in the United States, unmarried and under 21, whom a state juvenile court has found cannot be reunified with one or both parents because of abuse, neglect, abandonment or a similar basis under state law, and for whom returning to their country is not in their best interest. The case has three steps: the court's order, Form I-360 with USCIS, and the green card when an EB-4 visa is available. Much of the youth's evidence comes from the home country, in its language: the birth certificate, and any records from home that are filed with the court. USCIS asks for a complete English translation, with the translator's certification that it is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate it (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)); the state court applies its own rules.
A state court, then USCIS
The juvenile court makes its findings under state law; USCIS alone decides Form I-360. The green card is decided by USCIS or, in removal proceedings, by the immigration court.
Before turning 21
Form I-360 is filed before the youth turns 21; some state courts only take youths under 18.
Documents from home
The birth certificate or another proof of age, and the records and letters from home filed with the court.
At a glance
| SIJS | |
|---|---|
| Who files | The young person, on Form I-360 with USCIS: under 21 at filing, unmarried, in the United States, and with a juvenile court order in effect. The order comes first, from a state court that decides on the custody or care of juveniles, such as a juvenile, family, dependency, guardianship or probate court. |
| Who decides | The state court makes its findings under state law. USCIS alone decides the I-360; it does not reweigh the court's evidence, but may ask for the factual basis of its findings. The green card follows on Form I-485 when an EB-4 visa is available; a youth in removal proceedings can seek it before the immigration court. |
| What has to be shown | A juvenile court order that declares the youth dependent on the court, or places them in the custody of a state agency or of a person or entity the court appoints; that finds reunification with one or both parents not viable because of abuse, neglect, abandonment or a similar basis under state law; and a finding that returning to the youth's or the parents' country is not in the youth's best interest (8 CFR 204.11). If the youth obtained the order while in HHS custody, and the order changed that custody or placement, HHS must consent. |
| Usually in another language | The birth certificate, passport or national ID that proves the age, or the baptismal, school, hospital or vaccination records that can stand in for them; and, for the court, records from the home country and statements from relatives. |
| Translation rule | At USCIS, every document with text in another language needs a complete English translation, with the translator's certification that it is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate it (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)); the USCIS page on SIJS asks for a certified English translation of the evidence of age where it applies (USCIS). The state court applies its own rules on translations. |
| Page count | Small for USCIS: one or two pages for the birth certificate. The court record can add more: a statement from a relative or a school or medical record runs to a few pages. |
Documents that usually need translating
Which documents go to the court and to USCIS is decided with your attorney or accredited representative; we translate what is chosen, completely, with every stamp, seal and handwritten note. In SIJS cases, the documents in another language are usually these:
- For the state court: whatever is filed under state law and the court's rules, which can include documents from the home country: the birth certificate, a parent's death certificate, school records, medical records, and letters and statements from relatives. A parent's death alone is not a basis similar to abuse, neglect or abandonment.
- For Form I-360: the evidence of age, such as the birth certificate, the passport or an identity document issued by a foreign government, such as a cartilla or a cédula; when those are missing, baptismal, school, hospital or vaccination records. The court order is usually in English; one in another language needs a translation like any other document. If it does not show the facts behind the findings, USCIS may ask for documents from the court proceedings.
- For the green card, Form I-485: the birth certificate, an identity document, and certified police and court records of any juvenile delinquency finding, charge, arrest or conviction. See translations for Form I-485.
Who reads the translations
The state court reads what is filed with it, under its own rules: in family and civil cases, some courts ask for a translator's affidavit or a sworn certification (see translation rules of state courts). USCIS reads the I-360 and everything filed with it; the rule for every translation is 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3).
USCIS takes no action that requires the youth to contact the person who abused, neglected or abandoned the youth, or that person's family. At an interview, officers avoid asking about the details of the abuse, because the juvenile court has dealt with them. For interpreting in the court and at USCIS, see interpreters for SIJS cases.
How many pages to expect
One sheet of the original is one page, whatever its word count; a sheet printed on both sides is two pages, a two-sided ID card is one, and blank pages do not count. A birth certificate is usually one page; a school record, a medical record or a letter from a relative a few. An SIJS file usually has few documents in another language.
Most orders are delivered within a few hours, and one to three pages within 24 hours at most; expedited delivery takes about half the time.
Official sources
Every requirement on this page was checked against these sources on November 5, 2026.
- 8 CFR 204.11, special immigrant juvenile classification (ecfr.gov)
- Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part J, Chapter 2, eligibility requirements (uscis.gov)
- Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part J, Chapter 3, documentation and evidence (uscis.gov)
- Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part J, Chapter 4, adjudication (uscis.gov)
- Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part F, Chapter 7, special immigrant juveniles (uscis.gov)
- Special Immigrant Juveniles (uscis.gov)
- Form I-360 instructions, edition 01/20/25 (uscis.gov)
- 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), translations (ecfr.gov)
Frequently asked questions
Does the state court need certified translations?
Each state court has its own rule on documents in another language. Our page on state court translation rules compares California, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Texas for family and civil cases; a juvenile, dependency or probate court can follow its own rules.
Can the same translation of the birth certificate go to the court and to USCIS?
A certified translation of the same document can be filed again, as long as it meets each one's rules: some state courts ask for a sworn statement from the translator that USCIS does not need.
Do the translations need to be notarized?
Not for USCIS: 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) asks for the translator's certification, not a notary. Some state courts ask for a translator's affidavit (see state court translation rules). If a notarization is needed, it is $34.90 per order.
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