US services do not keep a list of approved translators. They require a complete, accurate translation with a signed statement of accuracy from the translator, which our deliveries carry, alongside the expert's stamp and accreditation number. Budget 12,000 FCFA per page, 72 hours standard or 24 hours with the rush option.
American files follow their own logic. Where Canada draws a sharp line between translation and credential assessment, and the United Kingdom prescribes exact wording on the translation itself, the United States asks above all for completeness and a signed declaration. Our office arranges these translations with experts accredited by the Court of Appeal of Abidjan.
Three profiles dominate among our clients: diversity visa entrants, whose documents must be ready very quickly once selected; students joining a US university, who usually pass through a credential evaluation body; and families in a reunification procedure, where civil status records and court decisions are examined line by line.
Which documents are usually required?
- Recent birth certificate
- Marriage certificate, and divorce decree where applicable
- Police clearance certificate (bulletin n°3)
- Degrees and transcripts, for study files
- Employment certificates and proof of means
- Passports and any supporting identity documents
Diversity visa: prepare before you are selected
Selected entrants get a short window to assemble a complete file. Those who wait for the notification before starting on translation and legalisation find themselves under real pressure, especially since Ivorian legalisation alone takes five to ten working days. Having your birth certificate and police clearance translated in advance costs a few tens of thousands of francs and avoids losing a rare opportunity.
Universities: translation first, evaluation second
Most institutions ask for a certified translation, then an evaluation by a body belonging to a recognised association, which converts your Ivorian record into a US equivalent and a GPA. The evaluator works exclusively from the translation, so its quality feeds directly into the result. Note what we do not do: we never convert marks into a GPA. That is assessment, not translation, and a translator offering a "certified GPA conversion" is stepping outside their role.
Consistency is what officers actually check
US services systematically cross-check dates and spellings across every document in a file. A surname spelled one way on the birth certificate and another on the marriage certificate does not read as a typo, it triggers a request for further evidence. Have all your documents translated in one order, in one place: spelling and terminology then stay identical throughout.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a translator approved by the US Embassy?
No. US services do not maintain a list of approved translators: they require a complete and accurate translation accompanied by a signed statement attesting to the translator’s competence and to the accuracy of the work. Our deliveries carry that statement, plus the expert’s stamp and accreditation number.
My diversity visa entry was selected, how fast can you deliver?
Within 24 hours using the rush option, for a surcharge quoted in advance. Send every document at once on WhatsApp and state your deadline. If it is not achievable, we will tell you straight away rather than let you hope.
What does a complete family file cost?
12,000 FCFA per page in English. A typical family file, two birth certificates, one marriage certificate, two police clearance certificates, comes to five or six pages. Send the list on WhatsApp for a firm overall price.
Is credential evaluation included?
No, and nobody should sell it to you as part of a translation. Evaluation is carried out by a designated organisation in the United States. We produce the certified translation that the evaluator then works from.
Continue
- French and English translation How certification works and what each delivery contains.
- Files for Canada Why an officially bilingual country still asks for certified English translations.
- Pricing Full price list, inclusions and exclusions, worked examples.