The translation of police clearance records may be required by immigration officials. In the USA, Green Card applicants are asked submit official documents with their request, which must be translated and certified. Certified, translated documents are also required by Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS, formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service – INS). If a police record or police clearance is not in English, it must be translated into English and its translation certified before it will be accepted by immigration authorities in the US. (Canada has similar requirements.)

If you’ve recently moved to the United States or Canada, or if the official language of your native country isn't the same as the country you've moved to, there is every likelihood that you've run into situations where you've been asked to have your 'official' (i.e. personal) documents translated.

When official police clearances or police records are in a language other than English (or, in Canada, other than Spanish or English), you will be required to have the document(s) translated before a determination can be made as to whether or not you meet immigration requirements of the country you are applying to. In all likelihood, the translation will require certification by a duly authorized translator. See Certified Translation Service.

The following generic guidelines for the translation of and certification of police clearance and police records would usually apply:

• All translations need to be prepared using a layout and format that mimics the original document;
• All of the information appearing on the document(s) must be translated;
• The translation must be verbatim (literal);
• No interpretation or evaluation of the information on the documents is permissible;
• The translation must be typed, signed, and dated by the translator and must list the translator's contact information (including address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address if available) and certification credentials.