Do we transaltes stamps only OR stamps and visas
- Thread starter agmaa
- Start date
Instructions are clear: documents containing information that is in a language other than one of Canada's official languages needs to be accompanied by a properly authenticated translation. This instruction is repeated many times (see guide for citizenship applications) and it is also an almost universal instruction for submitting documents to IRCC in almost all transactions with IRCC.
It is NOT about "stamps" or "visas" or this or that in a document being presented to IRCC, but simply about language in a document that is not in one of the official languages. If someone happened to write a cake recipe in the comments section of a document that is presented to IRCC, and it is not in either French or English, the instructions say a translation is needed.
THAT SAID: enforcement of this instruction is uneven. IRCC does NOT engage in GOTCHA games. The mere failure to follow this or that instruction will often NOT have any negative impact.
Thus, many, many people have gone through the process without properly presenting a translation for incidental information in documents they present. Including in passports; including stamps or other entries in passports. Been there. Done that. No problem.
Unfortunately too many in forums like this extrapolate a rule from such experiences, concluding "I did it and it was OK, thus it is OK, no translation is needed." That reasoning, to be polite, I'll say is unfounded.
That is NOT how it works. Best, most prudent approach is to follow the instructions. Even if enforcement of this or that instruction tends to be lax.
I generally steer away from giving advice or recommendations. But I do recommend "If in doubt, follow the instructions; otherwise, yep, follow the instructions."
And yeah, I do not always do what I preach. I did not have some Spanish terms in stamps in my passport translated. Those were few stamps, outside the eligibility period, and easily understood without a translation, and I had overlooked that there was language not in French or in English in some stamps in my passport. I had no problem. It would not have surprised me, however, if I was asked to provide a translation. I did not follow the instructions. I was glad it was OK. I took the oath less than 48 hours after my PI Interview (I was test exempt, even back then).
How it will go for someone else is largely dependent on the particulars in their situation. My sense, the more information is in the other language, or the more important the information is, or the more difficult it is to discern what it says is, or if there are other reasons for concerns related to travel history, all those things and others likely raise the risk that IRCC will want a translation.
To be clear, though, the instructions are to provide a translation. Whether failing to do so will result in a specific request for a translation, or perhaps even invite some questions if not doubts, probably depends on the individual case.
