Passport Translation

[Jes]

Hi,

Since the processing time for the 2013 applications seem to be somehow faster then those of the previous years, I now think that there is a slim chance that my application (May 2013) may actually progress this year and I have to take the test.

From posts here I understood that the officers on the test day check current and previous passports for the application time period, and that the insist on having every thing translated. I would like to ask some one who went through this situation to verify my following assumptions:

(We lived in Europe before coming to Canada. I haven't left Canada in the first 4 years (left after application for 3 weeks). My wife and son were in a 7 weeks vacation at home (my son was under scholl age).

1- There are some stamps that have the words Arrival and Departure on them but the date is in an other language than English or French:
These all must be translated.

2- There are Visas with all lines/dates are in English but the Visa officer name is not.
Should be translated ?

3- we have multiple European visas and residence status date before our landing in Canada. Some of them are 3 pages with multiple lines
( Germany for citing the actual Act in the Visas). Those amount to about 24 full pages (about 300 lines) in the 3 passports.
I suppose these also have to be translated.

So, should I translate every thing in the passports and take it to the test, or just the stamps only?

Btw does anyone know a good certified German translator in the GTA?

 

[canadp]

If any of these documents consist of past 4 years from the date of your application, then probably you have translated all these document before sending your application because that's what basic requirement is.

If you have done that then at the time of interview or test or any time they require documents in future, it should be only ORIGINAL one.


Thanks

canadp

 

[Jes]

Hi canadp

Thx for the reply.

If any of these documents consist of past 4 years from the date of your application, then probably you have translated all these document before sending your application because that's what basic requirement is.

Most of the visas are within the past 4 years from the date of the application (some stamps are after), but I understood form the the Citizenship application guide (point 3) that only the Passports' biographical page(s) is required to launch the application. And since they have English lines anyway, I didn't translate any of them. Also, I thought that a full translation is only required in the case of a questionnaire.

My concern: from reading the experiences of poster in this forum, it seems that the officer on the test day will ask for the passport. If anything there is not in English or French, then 100% there will be a delay (RQ, request for documents ..). I thought to prepare for this moment, maybe I should bring certified translations of all the different visas (dated prior arrival to Canada but still within the 4 years) along with the passport.

I wanted to know if anyone has had similar circumstances (predated visas) and what happened.

Thx
Jes

 

[EasyRider]

Check answers in this thread about passport/stamp translations to get an idea of what's needed: https://secure.immigration.ca/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14574&title=urgent-question-about-stamps

Generally, you don't need to translate typical EU visas, EU entry/exit stamps or stamps before 4-year period.

1- There are some stamps that have the words Arrival and Departure on them but the date is in an other language than English or French:
These all must be translated.

Yes, dates in non-Arabic numbers (i.e. Persian) must be translated.

2- There are Visas with all lines/dates are in English but the Visa officer name is not.
Should be translated ?

Officer name doesn't matter. CIC agents should be able to get a clear picture what kind of visa is this (visit, work, permanent) and its validity dates. I suppose, most interviewing agents are familiar with the typical visas as they go through thousands of passports a month. They don't look to having anything and everything translated just for the sake of it.

3- we have multiple European visas and residence status date before our landing in Canada. Some of them are 3 pages with multiple lines
( Germany for citing the actual Act in the Visas). Those amount to about 24 full pages (about 300 lines) in the 3 passports.
I suppose these also have to be translated.

They don't generally interested in what had happened before you landed. I offered an agent a passport full of visas that had expired just before 4-year relevant period, and she refused to check it. If your visas in a relevant passport though, of course, it should be at least possible to understand visa validity period and its type.

So, should I translate every thing in the passports and take it to the test, or just the stamps only?

No, they don't require everything translated. Try putting yourself into an agent's shoes-- they have a responsibility to verify your travel dates, but they also have a vast experience in dealing with passports and stamps. There should not be anything confusing that may drop a shadow on your travel declaration, that's it. I had a visa and stamps in Spanish, for example, but I didn't translate them because it was clear that it was for a short visit, even if some words were in Spanish. For more cryptic and complicated visas use your discretion (by putting yourself into agent's shoes).