Do I need to translate entry/exit stamps on my passport?

[razerblade]

I know it’s a bit irrelevant to this thread, but is there any option to submit FP at the moment of application submission?

There's no point. They'll ask for it again. Has happened several times.

 

[PIBHE]

There's no point. They'll ask for it again. Has happened several times.

Thanks man!

 

[spyfy]

thank you very much guys.
what I find strange is the fact that if I didn't check this forum I wouldn't have any indication that I need to have those entry/exit stamps translated. basically no where in the citizenship application checklist, nor the 'notice to appear' checklist talks about having entry/exit stamps translated so how people out of this forum would even know about this?
I also spoke to two friends of mine who got their citizenship already and they said they didn't submit any translation and they were fine (they did have non-english entry/exit stamp).
so my question is for those who already went through interview, did any of you got in their checklist a request to translate entry/exit stamps?
Thanks again guys

One of the many reasons this forum exists is the - sorry - incompetence of many IRCC staff. You are totally right that of course IRCC should tell you to have the stamps translated and not just expect you to know by divine inspiration (or an online forum) to have them translated but unfortunately, and I think we all agree on that, IRCC is lightyears away from an efficient and well-run agency.

Truth be told, at least 50% of my motivation to apply for citizenship is coming from the prospect of never having to deal with IRCC after ever again.

You might very well be fine without the translations like your friends. Or you might be less lucky.

But look at it this way: Having those stamps translated will probably cost you not more than 2-ish hours of work and a rather small amount compared to the whole immigration/citizenship process. So I would say that it's worth the piece of mind.

In other words: I'd rather have a document in my pocket that they didn't ask for in the end than the other situation: Them asking for a document that I didn't have.

 

[asifmehmood]

One of the many reasons this forum exists is the - sorry - incompetence of many IRCC staff. You are totally right that of course IRCC should tell you to have the stamps translated and not just expect you to know by divine inspiration (or an online forum) to have them translated but unfortunately, and I think we all agree on that, IRCC is lightyears away from an efficient and well-run agency.

Truth be told, at least 50% of my motivation to apply for citizenship is coming from the prospect of never having to deal with IRCC after ever again.

You might very well be fine without the translations like your friends. Or you might be less lucky.

But look at it this way: Having those stamps translated will probably cost you not more than 2-ish hours of work and a rather small amount compared to the whole immigration/citizenship process. So I would say that it's worth the piece of mind.

In other words: I'd rather have a document in my pocket that they didn't ask for in the end than the other situation: Them asking for a document that I didn't have.

I agree with spyfy, I was asked to translate stamps in interview.

 

[asifmehmood]

I assume that they rely on PP stamps for residency calculation and check with CBSA only if the information is not in PP (one of my entry was through Toronto where I scanned PP/PRC), the VO said he will send email to CBSA to verify (a one day process).

I believe the decision making process heavily rely on the basis of documentation provided by the applicants, I don't think they confirm each and every applicant details with CBSA, CRA.

It is wise to have PP stamps translated to save some time.

 

[dpenabill]

what I find strange is the fact that if I didn't check this forum I wouldn't have any indication that I need to have those entry/exit stamps translated. basically no where in the citizenship application checklist, nor the 'notice to appear' checklist talks about having entry/exit stamps translated so how people out of this forum would even know about this?

[notice] does not ask for translation of the stamps in my passport

Reminder: the instructions clearly, explicitly state that proper translations are
are required: FOR ANY DOCUMENT THAT IS NOT IN ONE OF THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

Passports are documents.

If a passport being presented to IRCC contains information (in stamps or otherwise) which is not in one of the official languages, it is a document which requires a proper translation.

There is no specific instruction about providing a translation for passport stamps because the general instructions are explicit enough. YES, information IN ANY DOCUMENT which is not in one of the official languages requires a translation UNLESS the instructions or checklist explicitly say otherwise.

The only time an applicant is given a specific instruction to provide a passport stamp translation is WHEN THE APPLICANT HAS FAILED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS and at the interview does not have the required translations for passport stamps in a language other than one of the official languages.

As oft noted in this forum, however, IRCC does not strictly enforce this. Many applicants who fail to follow the instructions (myself included), by failing to bring to the interview a translation of information in a passport which is not in English or French, report it was NOT a problem. IRCC (CIC in my case, since it was before the transition to IRCC) did not insist on a translation. But, in contrast, there are many others who report that IRCC (and before that, CIC) did enforce the requirement, delaying the process while the applicant obtained and submitted proper translations.

Contrary to claims otherwise, the difference (between who is versus who is not delayed so a translation can be submitted) is not likely a matter of chance, not a matter of luck, not a matter of the personal preferences of the interviewer, but far, far more likely depends on factors related to the nature and quantity of the stamps involved (information in languages which do not use the Latin-alphabet appear more likely to trigger strict enforcement of requirement to provide a translation), as well as factors related to how confident the processing agent is about how accurate and complete the applicant's travel history is.

Reports by forum participants who assert this or that will happen because that is what happened to them lack credibility. That logic is seriously flawed. (Way, way too much of this in the forum. Notwithstanding overwhelming evidence that the only credible, reasonable conclusion supported by an individual anecdotal experience is that this is something which MIGHT happen, as evidenced by what has happened to someone.)

For reference, among more than a dozen times required translations are referred to in the instruction guide, in the part of the guide specifically about required translations the instruction actually states the following:

"You must send the following for any document that is not in English or French, unless otherwise stated on your document checklist . . . "

It then goes on to state the requirements for what constitutes an acceptable translation.



Re Interview Notice:

IT IS REPORTED and POSSIBLE that the notice for the interview, the one actually received by some applicants, does NOT include a similar instruction. However, it is my impression that most reports that the notice did not instruct the applicant to bring a translation of passport stamps are based on the absence of an instruction specifically referring to passport stamps in particular, BUT otherwise the notice DID INCLUDE THE GENERAL INSTRUCTION (to bring a translation for any document not in English or French).

I remain unclear why some think that passport stamps are not covered by the general instruction to provide a translation for ANY document (again: ANY DOCUMENT) which has information not in English or French.



Otherwise:

As oft noted elsewhere: providing a translation is a near universal requirement when submitting documents to IRCC containing substantive information for IRCC examination. The rule is almost universal. The exceptions are few if not rare. As a general rule, if a document being submitted to IRCC, for IRCC's examination of its contents, contains information that is not in one of the official languages, A TRANSLATION IS REQUIRED. Again, this is the general rule, again this is the rule that almost always applies, this is the rule repeated often throughout IRCC instructions in almost every context, and explicitly so in the instructions for citizenship applications, and it is very unusual for this rule to not apply.

Thus, if for almost any reason you are submitting a document to IRCC and that document contains any information which is not in English or French, it is safe to assume a translation is required, since almost always a translation is required . . . albeit recognizing that IRCC does not necessarily strictly enforce this requirement.

 

[lofoten82]

you can save some money if you ask a friend to do the translations and sign in form of a commissioner of oath.

Citizenship applications: Translation of documents
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada staff. It is posted on the Department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

This section is about the policy and procedures for the translation of documents that accompany citizenship applications submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) through consular missions abroad by persons living outside Canada and citizenship applications submitted directly to IRCC by persons living in Canada and the United States (U.S.).

Policy
Any document that is not in English or French must be accompanied by

• the English or French translation; and
• an affidavit from the person who completed the translation, if required.

Translations by family members are not acceptable. A family member is defined as being a parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, grandparent, child, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew or first cousin.

Note: An affidavit is a document on which the translator has sworn, in the presence of a commissioner authorized to administer oaths in the place where the affidavit is sworn, that the contents of the translation are a true translation and representation of the contents of the original document. Translators who are certified members in good standing of one of the provincial or territorial organizations of translators and interpreters of Canada do not need to supply an affidavit.

Original documents may be requested later in the process by an officer.


https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/canadian-citizenship/admininistration/general-file-processing/applications-translation-documents.html

 

[crazyberns]

As for the enter/exit stamp translation, does the name of the city or country not written in english needs translation? Last year we went to Europe and we entered and exited Warsaw, Poland but "Warszawa" was stamped instead. The entry/exit were just illustrated as in and out arrows with numerical dates. Thank you!

 

[dpenabill]

As for the enter/exit stamp translation, does the name of the city or country not written in english needs translation? Last year we went to Europe and we entered and exited Warsaw, Poland but "Warszawa" was stamped instead. The entry/exit were just illustrated as in and out arrows with numerical dates. Thank you!

I would not bother. Based on this specific example. It seems very unlikely that an IRCC processing agent or interviewer will have any questions or concerns about a stamp such as this. And it would be unusual for IRCC to strictly enforce the rule to require a translation unless there is some question or concern.

Problem is, many applicants interpret their passports based on their understanding rather than making a concerted effort to objectively consider the perspective of a total stranger bureaucrat. It is not about what the applicant knows and understands. It is about how the evidence will be perceived by a total stranger bureaucrat.

The rule is to provide a translation of ANY DOCUMENT which is not in one of the official languages. That is the rule. That rule is not imposed or enforced merely for the sake of the rule. The rule, after all, is about shifting the burden to the applicant to provide clear evidence of meeting the requirements.

In contrast, for example, the rule specifying 1095 days present in Canada within five years, that rule is strictly imposed and enforced, because it is mandated by law; one day short, application MUST be denied.

Almost all reports indicate that if the interviewer is comfortable concluding there are no reasons to further examine travel history or visa history, IRCC is actually quite lenient in not enforcing the rule to provide a translation. If, however, there are questions or concerns related to travel or visa history, it appears IRCC will be more strict about requiring the applicant to comply with the translation rule.

It appears that the only downside to gambling, to go without a translation, is being formally, explicitly instructed to submit a translation of all pages in a passport, which can cause some delay in being scheduled for the oath. That seems to be the worst case scenario. And the impact of this appears to be proportionate to extent of IRCC concern; many report a quick favourable DM outcome following submission of the copy with translation, while those who do not see this tend to be those with a case IRCC has more serious concerns regarding. In other words, the delay is not lengthy unless there are substantive concerns, concerns quite likely to cause some significant delays even if the applicant provided the translation at the interview.

 

[benjis_monikuss]

I had asked this question a couple of times and never really got a response. I decided to look it up and do it anyway. I picked a translator from the STIBC website that was close enough to my house that if I needed to meet with her I could. She is registered with STIBC meaning it's a one-shot deal, her translations have her affidavit, signature, and seal so no other legal documentation required. I can scan her my stamps and e-transfer her ($5 per stamp) once she's done. I'd way rather pay the $20 for the assurance than go in and for whatever reason be asked. You'll never be wrongly judged for being over prepared anyway.

 

[crazyberns]

I would not bother. Based on this specific example. It seems very unlikely that an IRCC processing agent or interviewer will have any questions or concerns about a stamp such as this. And it would be unusual for IRCC to strictly enforce the rule to require a translation unless there is some question or concern.

Problem is, many applicants interpret their passports based on their understanding rather than making a concerted effort to objectively consider the perspective of a total stranger bureaucrat. It is not about what the applicant knows and understands. It is about how the evidence will be perceived by a total stranger bureaucrat.

The rule is to provide a translation of ANY DOCUMENT which is not in one of the official languages. That is the rule. That rule is not imposed or enforced merely for the sake of the rule. The rule, after all, is about shifting the burden to the applicant to provide clear evidence of meeting the requirements.

In contrast, for example, the rule specifying 1095 days present in Canada within five years, that rule is strictly imposed and enforced, because it is mandated by law; one day short, application MUST be denied.

Almost all reports indicate that if the interviewer is comfortable concluding there are no reasons to further examine travel history or visa history, IRCC is actually quite lenient in not enforcing the rule to provide a translation. If, however, there are questions or concerns related to travel or visa history, it appears IRCC will be more strict about requiring the applicant to comply with the translation rule.

It appears that the only downside to gambling, to go without a translation, is being formally, explicitly instructed to submit a translation of all pages in a passport, which can cause some delay in being scheduled for the oath. That seems to be the worst case scenario. And the impact of this appears to be proportionate to extent of IRCC concern; many report a quick favourable DM outcome following submission of the copy with translation, while those who do not see this tend to be those with a case IRCC has more serious concerns regarding. In other words, the delay is not lengthy unless there are substantive concerns, concerns quite likely to cause some significant delays even if the applicant provided the translation at the interview.

Hi dpenabill, thank you for your lengthy reply and thoughts.

I had asked this question a couple of times and never really got a response. I decided to look it up and do it anyway. I picked a translator from the STIBC website that was close enough to my house that if I needed to meet with her I could. She is registered with STIBC meaning it's a one-shot deal, her translations have her affidavit, signature, and seal so no other legal documentation required. I can scan her my stamps and e-transfer her ($5 per stamp) once she's done. I'd way rather pay the $20 for the assurance than go in and for whatever reason be asked. You'll never be wrongly judged for being over prepared anyway.

Hi benjis_monikuss, I'm from BC too. If you don't mind, can I have her contact info so I can inquire? Yes, I agree that it's not gonna hurt to have this translation done even if it's just one word. It's better to be prepared ahead of time than regret it later. Thank you!

 

[benjis_monikuss]

Hi dpenabill, thank you for your lengthy reply and thoughts.



Hi benjis_monikuss, I'm from BC too. If you don't mind, can I have her contact info so I can inquire? Yes, I agree that it's not gonna hurt to have this translation done even if it's just one word. It's better to be prepared ahead of time than regret it later. Thank you!

If you go to STIBC you can find someone that is closest to you, just use the search bar down the left side, I just used the Source (Spanish) and Target (English) as my criteria and it popped up a page of translators, then I chose one closest to me and emailed them. They were fast to reply, fast to help, and I just received my copies in the mail today. I used Patricia Castrillon and she was great.

 

[crazyberns]

If you go to STIBC you can find someone that is closest to you, just use the search bar down the left side, I just used the Source (Spanish) and Target (English) as my criteria and it popped up a page of translators, then I chose one closest to me and emailed them. They were fast to reply, fast to help, and I just received my copies in the mail today. I used Patricia Castrillon and she was great.

I was able to find someone and used the STIBC website that you mentioned. I just got the translation in PDF with handwritten signature via email this morning. I'm thinking of just printing the attached PDF. Do you think it's good enough or does it have to be the original translation? Thank you!

 

[gopr]

I also have a similar question to crazyberns - I am translating my Germany Visa(Schengen) from German to English and the certified translator gave me the scanned pdf with his seal and signature. The original of the translation was not sent on time, so most likely it wont reach me before my test. Can I take the print of the scanned pdf of the visa translation?

The stamp on my passport upon entry to germany is fine, as it just have the airport plus date (Frankfurt - dd.mm.yy). I am just worried about the visa translation.

Thank you!

 

[benjis_monikuss]

I was able to find someone and used the STIBC website that you mentioned. I just got the translation in PDF with handwritten signature via email this morning. I'm thinking of just printing the attached PDF. Do you think it's good enough or does it have to be the original translation? Thank you!

Mine has a seal on it so I needed it mailed to me (she emailed me the PDF so I could verify all info was correct) and it only took a few days to arrive by mail since I chose the one that lived closest to me. It may not make a difference, and honestly, the office may not even ask for it, but I like to be safe than sorry. You can always ask your translator if they can send the original to you as well?