Exorbitant cost to translate all of my bank account statements

[Zoide]

Hi,

The bank refused to provide me with a single-page letter summarizing the average balance of my six accounts over the past six months. Instead, they provided me with 36 pages worth of statements (1 monthly statement * 6 months * 6 accounts), for which they charged me ~$100.

My intention was to translate the monthly statements and write a Letter of Explanation with a nice table where I average the monthly balance of each account and show that they add up to an amount that is over the minimum Proof of Funds requirement.

However... I just got a quote back from a translator estimating that it will cost an additional $500 to translate all 36 pages

Is this normal? Are there any alternatives?

Thanks

 

[Gini1484]

Can you translate everything yourself (make the translated documents look EXCATLY the way they look in original, tables and everything aligned) and then get a translator to confirm the translation? I did this once with some school transcripts and that was A LOT cheaper than giving a translator the pages for him to translate.

Or, can you go a few levels higher up at this bank? I find it ridiculous that they wouldn't issue you such a letter. I got it from my bank free of charge, it said since when I am a customer, what my accounts are and the total balance and CIC had no issues with it.

 

[jpv2212]

Hi,

The bank refused to provide me with a single-page letter summarizing the average balance of my six accounts over the past six months. Instead, they provided me with 36 pages worth of statements (1 monthly statement * 6 months * 6 accounts), for which they charged me ~$100.

My intention was to translate the monthly statements and write a Letter of Explanation with a nice table where I average the monthly balance of each account and show that they add up to an amount that is over the minimum Proof of Funds requirement.

However... I just got a quote back from a translator estimating that it will cost an additional $500 to translate all 36 pages

Is this normal? Are there any alternatives?

Thanks

Mostly the bank will not provide any letter mentioning average bank balance in your account. Rather, they do provide the final balance certificate.
I guess, you are saying about statements of bank account for last 6 months. Then why do you need to translate those if they are in English?

I mean, can't you scan all those docs in your scanner and upload all the docs as PoF? I think it'll be an easier way.
If your scanned copy is > 4 mb in size, then you should decrease the pixels.

 

[Zoide]

Mostly the bank will not provide any letter mentioning average bank balance in your account. Rather, they do provide the final balance certificate.
I guess, you are saying about statements of bank account for last 6 months. Then why do you need to translate those if they are in English?

I mean, can't you scan all those docs in your scanner and upload all the docs as PoF? I think it'll be an easier way.
If your scanned copy is > 4 mb in size, then you should decrease the pixels.

It is my understanding that a final balance for the latest month is not good enough for showing PoF since you could have just injected money into the account all of a sudden once you realized that you got an ITA (e.g. family loan). As far as I know, that is why IRCC asks for the 6 month average.

The bank statements are not in English, they are in Spanish.

Where does the 4 MB limit you mention come from? Are you sure that is the absolute maximum?

Thanks

 

[DelPiero07]

It is my understanding that a final balance for the latest month is not good enough for showing PoF since you could have just injected money into the account all of a sudden once you realized that you got an ITA (e.g. family loan). As far as I know, that is why IRCC asks for the 6 month average.

The bank statements are not in English, they are in Spanish.

Where does the 4 MB limit you mention come from? Are you sure that is the absolute maximum?

Thanks

Yes, 4mb is the maximum.

I paid $300 for 16 pages, also from Spanish to English so $500 doesn't sound too bad.

 

[Zoide]

Yes, 4mb is the maximum.

I paid $300 for 16 pages, also from Spanish to English so $500 doesn't sound too bad.

Did you also translate all monthly statements and aggregate them in a table within an LoE? Aside from figuring out if the cost is reasonable, I'm trying to determine if this method of showing PoF is acceptable to IRCC.

Thanks

 

[DelPiero07]

My bank letter included the average balance of the past 6 months so I didn't have to provide bank statements.

You can create a table if you feel like it but it is not necessary.

 

[Zoide]

My bank letter included the average balance of the past 6 months so I didn't have to provide bank statements.

You can create a table if you feel like it but it is not necessary.

I see. My intention would be to make life easier for the IRCC examiner, because I don't think he/she would look kindly upon aggregating 36 monthly balances (6 months * 6 accounts) and accounting for different currencies manually

BTW, how did you do currency conversions? Did you just use the latest conversion rate and use that for all historial data? Did you have to provide proof beyond a web URL (e.g., link to an online exchange rate page)?

Thanks

 

[DelPiero07]

I see. My intention would be to make life easier for the IRCC examiner, because I don't think he/she would look kindly upon aggregating 36 monthly balances (6 months * 6 accounts) and accounting for different currencies manually

BTW, how did you do currency conversions? Did you just use the latest conversion rate and use that for all historial data? Did you have to provide proof beyond a web URL (e.g., link to an online exchange rate page)?

Thanks

I went to bank of Canada's website and took a screenshot of the exchange rate of the date when I received my bank letter.

 

[Zoide]

I went to bank of Canada's website and took a screenshot of the exchange rate of the date when I received my bank letter.

OK, that sounds simple enough, thanks.

BTW, I just realized that the instructions for PoF say that I should provide the "dates each account was opened". Unfortunately, that information is not included in my bank account statements. Does anyone know if this is a *must*?

Also, I was unable to find any mention of a 4 MB limit in the online the document checklist. Could someone point me to the official guideline for that?

Thanks

 

[karthik2479]

OK, that sounds simple enough, thanks.

BTW, I just realized that the instructions for PoF say that I should provide the "dates each account was opened". Unfortunately, that information is not included in my bank account statements. Does anyone know if this is a *must*?

Also, I was unable to find any mention of a 4 MB limit in the online the document checklist. Could someone point me to the official guideline for that?

Thanks

If the bank letter is not available with that information, then write a letter of explanation and which is why you are attaching the 6 months statement to show that funds were available since quite some time. I second your idea of making the table - it is easy for them to read and shows a concise summary of the balances. Let me understand, even it your bank statement is in Spanish, the numbers are there and they can easily read them. Do you really need to translate each page and besides they don't want to know all transaction details.

 

[Zoide]

If the bank letter is not available with that information, then write a letter of explanation and which is why you are attaching the 6 months statement to show that funds were available since quite some time. I second your idea of making the table - it is easy for them to read and shows a concise summary of the balances. Let me understand, even it your bank statement is in Spanish, the numbers are there and they can easily read them. Do you really need to translate each page and besides they don't want to know all transaction details.

Yes, I understand that common sense dictates they should not need a translation of every little detail However, I am very worried that they may reject my application due to anything they don't agree with, so I want to be on the safe side with all of my documents.

Does anyone know if including the date when each account was opened is essential?

Thanks

 

[karthik2479]

Yes, I understand that common sense dictates they should not need a translation of every little detail However, I am very worried that they may reject my application due to anything they don't agree with, so I want to be on the safe side with all of my documents.

Does anyone know if including the date when each account was opened is essential?

Thanks

It is not essential - which is why I mentioned you can explain it in the letter and say you are supporting with 6 months bank statement - that will help alleviate their concern. Good luck! Agree with you that you don't want to risk the application just for the translation - more info is better than no or less info at this stage

 

[Zoide]

It [the account creation dates] is not essential

Are you 100% sure?

 

[karthik2479]

Are you 100% sure?

I don't see any reason it will not work. Besides, let me put it this way - what will you do if your bank is not giving the letter you requested for with the account opening date. I am in the same boat with one of my banks - and there is no way to prove the date or write one down - so I will submit 6 monthly statements possible to show the money was already in the account along with a letter of explanation. If you go through the forum, you will find other such cases also.

The experts can confirm if this is incorrect.