Last couple of questions before sending it in

[np08]

Hi, all!

We're sending our application next week and I just wanted to ask a couple more questions before we do.

We're doing an inland application so our letters from family and friends don't need to be notarized (we still have one notarized just in case). One of them is from a family member who doesn't speak English so it's written in their native language. Since this isn't an official document and it's one of the five letters we have (all the others are in English, one notarized), is it okay for us to simply translate it (I'm the applicant and it's my family member so it's written in my native language) or does it have to be officially translated? I'm asking cause I seem to remember seeing sponsors and applicants being allowed to translate certain things, but I can't remember what it was.

For the photos, what did you write in the back of each one? As we understand it, each photo has to have the name and date of birth of both the applicant and the sponsor, the way you have to put those on additional sheets of paper and the like. But for the photos themselves, did you list everyone in them? If there's a dozen people in the photo, do you go, "From left to right, [name], [name], etc," or is it more like, "At [place] with sponsor's family celebrating sponsor's birthday," for example.

Thank you!

 

[jordo]

1. Only official government documents need to be translated by a certified translator (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc)... but yes, otherwise, you can translate other items yourself such as your family letters.

2. Yes, we identified everyone in the photo, but we also chose photos where it wasn't a crowd. We also scanned our photos and then used MS Word to insert the digital photo which gave a lot of space for a description. So, the "back of the photo" was the blank space on the piece of paper under the photo.

 

[np08]

1. Only official government documents need to be translated by a certified translator (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc)... but yes, otherwise, you can translate other items yourself such as your family letters.

2. Yes, we identified everyone in the photo, but we also chose photos where it wasn't a crowd. We also scanned our photos and then used MS Word to insert the digital photo which gave a lot of space for a description. So, the "back of the photo" was the blank space on the piece of paper under the photo.

Thank you!

That's a relief, that I can translate the letter. And we were thinking about doing what you did with the pictures (I think we even started working on it), but then weren't sure if it's allowed. Most of our pics aren't crowded, but we included one from my wife's work Christmas party that has more than twenty people in it (a group shot of everyone) so it would be difficult to fit all the names there (we don't even know all the full names of all the partners lol). I'm guessing in the case of that one it's okay to say that it's a work party with coworkers and their partners, and maybe just point out her boss or something.

Thank you!

 

[jordo]

I'd identify those you can and just say "other work colleagues" for the rest lol.