UK Certified Translation for a Spouse Visa: What UKVI Needs

GOV.UK asks for a certified translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh. The detailed rules are in paragraph 39B(f) of Part 1 of the Immigration Rules. Appendix FM-SE paragraph 1(j) uses the same wording for financial evidence. You send the original document and a full translation. The translation must be dated and include:

• confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the document
• the full name and signature of the translator, or of an authorised official of the translation company
• the translator's or translation company's contact details

If you apply for leave to remain (for example an extension from inside the UK) or for indefinite leave to remain, the translation must also be certified by a qualified translator, with details of the translator's or translation company's credentials.

All figures and rules were checked on GOV.UK on 4 October 2026. Rules can change, so confirm on GOV.UK before you apply.

Where the rule comes from

Three GOV.UK pages cover this:

1. The family visa page ("Information and evidence you must provide") says you must provide "a certified translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh". It links to the GOV.UK page on certifying a document.
2. The certifying a document page says the translator should confirm in writing that it is "a true and accurate translation of the original document". The translator also adds the date of the translation and their full name and contact details.
3. Part 1, paragraph 39B(f) of the Immigration Rules is the detailed rule (Appendix FM-SE paragraph 1(j) repeats it for financial evidence). It says the translation must be one that "can be independently verified" by the Entry Clearance Officer, Immigration Officer or the Secretary of State. This is why the translator's name and contact details matter: the Home Office must be able to contact them.

Applying from outside the UK vs extending inside the UK

The basic requirements are the same for everyone. Paragraph 39B(f) adds one more requirement for some applications made from inside the UK.

So if you got a translation for your first spouse visa, check it again before an extension. A translation that met the rules then may not include the qualification and credentials needed later. Our guide to spouse visa extension documents covers the other documents for that stage.

Which documents often need a translation

The family visa page asks for a translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh. For a spouse or partner visa, these are often issued in another language:

• Marriage or civil partnership certificate
• Birth certificates for children included in the application
• Divorce or dissolution documents, or a former spouse's death certificate, if either partner was married before
• Bank statements, payslips and employer letters, if the income or savings are held or earned outside the UK
• Relationship evidence, such as letters, tenancy agreements or bills addressed to you both
• Chat messages or letters in another language, if you send them as relationship evidence

Some documents have both English and another language on them. GOV.UK asks for a translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh.

What "full translation" means in practice

Paragraph 39B(f) asks for "a full translation". That means the whole document, not a summary or the parts you think are important. When you order a translation, ask the translator to include:

• every page of the document, in the same order as the original
• names, dates and numbers exactly as written
• stamps, seals and handwritten notes, or a note that says where they appear
• the back of a page, if it has any text on it

Check names and dates against your passport before you upload. If a name is spelled differently in the translation and in your passport, ask the translator to explain the spelling difference.

What the finished translation should look like

A translation that is easy to check usually has:

1. The translated text, clearly showing which document it is a translation of
2. A statement from the translator that it is a true and accurate translation of the original document
3. The date of the translation
4. The translator's full name and signature, or those of an authorised official of the translation company
5. Contact details: address, phone number or email
6. For leave to remain or ILR (applying inside the UK): a statement that the translator is qualified, with details of their credentials, for example the professional body they belong to

Many translation companies put this on their headed paper as one page at the end of the translation. GOV.UK does not set a layout. What matters is that every point above is included.

A certified translation is not a certified copy

These are two different things on GOV.UK:

• A certified translation is the translator confirming the translation is accurate.
• A certified copy is a professional person (for example a solicitor, teacher or bank official) writing "Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me" on a photocopy, then signing and dating it.

The family visa page asks for certified translations, not certified copies.

Putting translations in order

GOV.UK says you will be told how to provide your documents when you apply. Whatever the method, keep each translation directly after its original. This makes it clear which translation belongs to which document.

A simple way to do this:

• Scan the original and the translation as one PDF, original first. Or keep them as two files with matching names, for example marriage-certificate-original.pdf and marriage-certificate-translation.pdf.
• Keep the translation in the same section of your package as the original. A translated bank statement belongs with your financial documents, not in a separate "translations" folder.
• Check that every page is readable after scanning, including stamps and signatures.

For how the rest of the package fits together, see how to organise your UK spouse visa documents.

Checklist

• List every document that is not fully in English or Welsh
• Original document kept, ready to send with the translation
• Full translation of every page, not a summary
• Translation dated
• Statement that it is an accurate translation
• Translator's (or company official's) full name and signature
• Translator's or company's contact details
• For leave to remain or ILR (applying inside the UK): certified by a qualified translator, with credentials
• Names and dates match your passport
• Each translation stored directly after its original

Frequently asked questions

Does UKVI need a certified translation for a spouse visa? Yes, for any document that is not in English or Welsh. GOV.UK asks for the original document and a full translation that is dated and includes the translator's confirmation of accuracy, full name, signature and contact details.

Does the translator need to be qualified? For leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain, paragraph 39B(f) of Part 1 of the Immigration Rules asks for certification by a qualified translator and details of their credentials. For entry clearance from outside the UK, that extra point is not listed.

Do I need to send the original document too? Yes. Paragraph 39B(f) asks for the document in the original language together with the full translation.

Can a family member translate my documents? The rules do not name who may translate, and they do not say a family member can or cannot. They ask for the translator's or translation company's name, signature and contact details, so the translation can be independently verified by the Home Office. The GOV.UK rule that a relative cannot certify applies to certified copies, not translations.

Does the translation need a solicitor or notary stamp? The GOV.UK pages checked do not ask for one. They ask for the translator's own written confirmation and details, plus the qualified translator certification for in-UK extensions and settlement.

How Stratovisa helps

The hard part with translations is keeping track: which documents need one, which translations have arrived, and which original each one belongs to. On Stratovisa, documents that can need a translation have a place for it next to the original, so they stay together. You can see what is uploaded and what is still missing, and when everything is in place you download one organised package for the online application. See how it works for the spouse and partner visa.