Translation of Documents - Advice/Help

[Nunuc]

Hi,

Just a quick question on translating documents - I am aware that official documents such as birth certificates etc. require professional and certifiable translation.

However my wife and I are including a bunch of other documents such as our doctor reports on our IVF attempts. Can we translate these or do they also have to be translated and certified? I have read on this forum that people translate letters from family and friends or their emails proving their relationship and I was wondering whether this extends to all other documents that are not specifically mentioned requiring certified translation.

Thanks to all in advance.

 

[Kayaker]

I guess it depends on how important you think this document is to prove your relationship.

It's not a requirement. But is this what proving your relationship hinges on? Or do you see it more as additional, supplementary evidence? If you think this is one of your most important proofs, then I'd get a certified translation. If not, I'd just attach a translation by myself.

 

[Nunuc]

It is not really crucial - we just want to show how long we've been trying to have a child before becoming parents and that the fact that the treatment in our home country was cheaper than in the West was one of the reasons we did not move to Canada sooner. Basically it is part of my sponsor's letter about why she came back to her country from Canada, why she wants to return to Canada with me and our daughter and how she plans to re-establish herself.

Maybe the whole thing is unnecessary but we are trying to be as detailed as possible - we have been living together for 7 years, married for 4 and have a 10 month baby.

 

[Kayaker]

If you've been together that long and have a baby already, maybe I wouldn't bother with a certified translation, but just translate it myself. Maybe it's more important to write a detailed explanation of your relationship in your essay/personal statement/cover letter and just mention that the doctor's note is included for reference.

Where are you from (which VO are you going through)? I ask because some VOs seem more likely to ask for an interview than others.

 

[Nunuc]

We are from the Western Balkans, applying through the Vienna office.

It is exactly what we are doing - writing long letters about our relationship and plans to re-establish in Canada. We are including a lot of photos to support the relationship letters and for re-establishment, my wife wrote a couple of paragraphs why she left Canada (her mother died, father sufferred heart attack, then met me before she could return and stayed) and she just wanted to note that she always planned on going back but that our IVF and our careers kept postponing the decision. Now that we have a daughter (who is also a Canadian citizen), we have are ready to take a step back in regards to careers and focus on relocating to Canada. Some of the documents she is including are on international forms (e.g. mother's death certificate) but some require translation. None of these are requested, we are just sending them in to corroborate our letters.

From what I see on the Vienna forum, they don't really request interviews very often but I sometimes wish they did because it would all be easier to do than assembling, gathering, drafting, translating etc. all these letters and supporting documents

 

[Kayaker]

I think, with really detailed and well-written statements (letters, essays, whatever you call it) it should be alright. A child together is great proof on its own, and why you guys decided to stay where you are until the baby was born makes perfect sense. I think you guys are fine - you sound thorough and convincing. Even in the limited scope of these forums, you can tell which people are going to have strong applications and which people are going to have weaker ones.

Good luck!

 

[Nunuc]

Thanks a lot - we are very confident and our case looks pretty straightforward...but once you start looking at all these generic questions, guides etc. the confidence starts to ebb away a bit

Thanks for the help and the encouragement.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thanks a lot - we are very confident and our case looks pretty straightforward...but once you start looking at all these generic questions, guides etc. the confidence starts to ebb away a bit

Thanks for the help and the encouragement.

Don't stress about your proofs. Having lived together for 7 years, been married for 4 and with a baby, your burden of proof is pretty low.