Certified Spanish to English document translation in Houston, Texas

No such thing exists in the United States. No American state licenses, swears in or certifies translators. What the rules ask for is a translation that comes with a signed certification: the translator states that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate the language. That is what USCIS publishes at uscis.gov, and that is what we sign. Anyone who tells you they hold a Texas translator license is describing something that does not exist.

It costs $25 per page. The total is the number of pages times $25, and we confirm it once we have seen the document, before any work starts. Send a photograph of every page or bring it in. The apostille is issued by the Texas Secretary of State, not by us, so it is not part of this price. If the translation has to be notarized, we include the notarial fee in the same total, before any work starts.

Most translations are ready in 2 to 3 days. It depends on the number of pages: a long document takes longer. We give you the delivery date together with the total, before any work starts.

The rule asks for a translator who certifies both that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate the language. Many offices will not take a translation signed by the person whose document it is. Ask the office that will receive it before you spend time on it.

A document that is not in English, with no certification attached, is not initial evidence USCIS can read. Its own rules let that go two ways: it may deny the request for lack of initial evidence, or it may write to you asking for the missing piece within a deadline it sets. If you miss that deadline, the request may be denied as abandoned. Nobody, here or anywhere, can tell you which way it goes or how long it takes. Sending the translation with the packet the first time is what keeps the question from being asked.

Not for USCIS. Its rule asks the translator to certify that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate the language. It says nothing about a notary, and it does not ask for one. A Texas apostille is a different matter: before it will apostille a translation, the Secretary of State does require the translator's statement to be signed and properly notarized. Tell us where the document is going, and we will tell you which of the two you are in. When it has to be notarized, you receive it notarized: Claudia translates and signs the translator's statement, and another notary public notarizes it, because in Texas the same person cannot do both.

An apostille is not a translation. It is a certificate issued by the Texas Secretary of State that authenticates a Texas public document so another country will accept it. The Secretary of State issues it. A notary does not, and neither do we. What we can do is provide the translation already notarized, as the Secretary of State asks before it will apostille a translation: Claudia translates and signs the translator's statement, and another notary public notarizes it, because in Texas the same person cannot do both. We also point you to the official page where the apostille is requested. Whether your document needs an apostille is decided by the authority abroad that is asking for it, and we do not decide that for you.

Yes, and the Texas statute says so in as many words. Texas Government Code section 406.017(a-1): a person does not violate this section by offering or providing language translation or typing services and accepting compensation. Claudia Perez Vila is a Texas commissioned notary public. She is not an attorney, she may not give legal advice and she may not accept fees for legal advice, and this site says so on every page.