Should I keep the original foreign-language document with the translation?
Last reviewed: August 24, 2026
General information only. Follow the current translation requirements of the agency or court receiving the document.
Yes. Keep the complete foreign-language document together with its English translation and the translator's certification required by the receiving agency or court. The translation should not replace or become the only surviving copy of the source document.
Use matching identifiers so the relationship is obvious: for example, Exhibit-12_original_ar.pdf, Exhibit-12_translation_en.pdf, and Exhibit-12_translator-certification.pdf. Preserve scans of all pages, including stamps, seals, backs of pages, or handwritten material when relevant.
EOIR currently requires documents filed with immigration court to be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Its Policy Manual also specifies certification requirements. Preserve the exact version that was filed rather than later replacing it with a revised translation without keeping the earlier version.
Official sources
- DOJ EOIR — Documents and certified translations: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-2-3
- DOJ EOIR — Certificate of Translation: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-VII/appendices/f
- USCIS — Form I-589: https://www.uscis.gov/i-589
For a particular filing, recheck the current receiving-agency instructions.