Close Menu

The Role of Translation in Immigration

48 Replies

As U.S. President Barack Obama makes an executive move to push for the legalization of the immigration status of some five million undocumented citizens, the importance of immigration procedures is cast into the spotlight.

 

For about five million undocumented immigrants in the U.S., President Barack Obama’s move to push for their legalization through a “series of executive actions” spells hope of relief from threats of deportation and the stresses of hiding from the legal system.

 

The president’s actions involve expanding an “existing program to avoid targeting certain young people,” and a new program that will focus on undocumented parents of Americans. While it is still expected to meet some roadblocks from critics, this move highlights the significance and sensitivity of the U.S. immigration process.

 

The U.S. immigration process is a complex one that involves a number of steps including, but not limited to, submitting a petition, checking for priority dates, selecting an agent, collecting and submitting required documents, and undergoing interviews. According to the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs website, documentation may include the following:

 

  • Adoption documents;
  • Birth certificates;
  • Court and prison records;
  • Marriage certificates;
  • Marriage termination documentation;
  • Military records;
  • Petitioner documents;
  • Valid passport; and
  • Police certificates, among others.

 

A standard and strict requirement is that all documents not in English should be accompanied by certified translations. It must include a signed statement by the translator stating that the “translation is accurate” and that the “translator is competent to translate.”

 

According to Alfonso Martinez, The Spanish Group general manager, a wrong translation can delay or disrupt the process. “When applying for an immigrant visa, it is vital for applicants to prove their credibility and one way of doing so is by providing accurately translated documents,” he added. “Where immigration is concerned, it is always advisable to work with professional translators.”

 

The Spanish Group is a California-based Spanish translation services provider which specializes in professional translation services for personal, medical, marketing, legal, business, website, academic, and immigration documents. The group solely focuses on English to Spanish translation services, and vice versa.

 

According to a 2013 Pew Hispanic online article, the U.S. is the “world’s leader by far as destination for immigrants.” In 2011 alone, there were a total of 40.4 million migrants, legal and undocumented, which comprised 13 percent of the total U.S. population. Since the passage of “border-opening legislation” in 1965, migrant movement to the U.S. has been dominated by Latin Americans, at about 50 percent, and Asians, at 27 percent. Largely due to proximity, the largest source of U.S. immigration is Mexico.

 

“The U.S. has a large and continuously growing Hispanic population that will be affected by President Obama’s latest move on immigration,” Martinez said. “This is an opportunity for us, not just as a business entity, but as an organization, to use our expert Spanish translation services, to be a significant part of this change.

 

Lorenzo Saavedra is a San Francisco-based Colombian writer. He has a degree in Journalism and Economics from the University of Miami where he graduated with Latin honors. He is fluent in Spanish, English, Italian, and also speaks “some Arabic.”

 

 

During his time in the university, he wrote about Cuban-American population and relations, and the incorporation of Cuban-Americans into mainstream American society.

 

 

Lorenzo juggles his time between working as a freelance writer and travelling which is also a source of inspiration for many of his works. His favorite topics are politics and social issues, literary and film criticism, and business.

 

 

Lorenzo enjoys going to the beach and learning about new languages.

 

 

References:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/obama-legalize-five-million-undocumented-immigrants

http://www.pewhispanic.org/2013/01/29/a-nation-of-immigrants/

 

 

48 thoughts on “The Role of Translation in Immigration”

  8. лечение кариеса минск

    When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time
    a comment is added I get three emails with the same comment.
    Is there any way you can remove me from that service?
    Appreciate it!
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

  19. body tape for breast

    I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme.

    Did you design this website yourself or did you
    hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to create
    my own blog and would like to know where u got this from.

    cheers
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

  26. sadovnikinfo.ru

    After exploring a number of the blog articles on your web page, I honestly
    appreciate your way of writing a blog. I
    book-marked it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back
    in the near future. Please check out my website too and let me know how you feel.
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

  29. увеличение губ минск

    I absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be
    exactly I’m looking for. can you offer guest writers to write content available for you?
    I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating on many of
    the subjects you write with regards to here. Again, awesome website!
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

  32. установка кондиционера цена

    Very good blog you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any community forums that cover the same
    topics discussed in this article? I’d really love to be a part of community where I
    can get opinions from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest.
    If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks a lot!
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

  33. http://infocars24.ru/

    Your style is unique compared to other folks I have read stuff from.
    Thanks for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark
    this page.
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

  34. монтаж кондиционера Минск

    Hi excellent blog! Does running a blog like this require a
    massive amount work? I have very little understanding
    of coding but I was hoping to start my own blog in the near future.
    Anyway, if you have any ideas or tips for new blog owners please share.
    I know this is off topic nevertheless I simply needed
    to ask. Thanks!
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

  37. http://yes-cars.ru/

    Hi there everyone, it’s my first go to see at this website, and post is really fruitful in support of me, keep up posting these
    posts.
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

  40. карта мира на стену из дерева

    What i do not realize is actually how you are now not really much more well-liked than you may be now.
    You’re very intelligent. You recognize thus considerably on the subject of this matter, made me for
    my part consider it from so many numerous
    angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be fascinated unless it is something to
    do with Woman gaga! Your own stuffs outstanding.
    All the time maintain it up!
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

  48. http://masakra.ru/

    My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was entirely right.
    This post actually made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I
    had spent for this information! Thanks!
    44dbfb66f32fa4e548dcd0c547471ce3

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.