Under IRCC’s family-sponsorship guide, a Canadian certified translator does not need to provide an affidavit. When another eligible translator completes the work, that person must swear an affidavit. An Indian agency’s ISO certificate does not automatically make its translator a Canadian certified translator.
This article explains that distinction using the family-sponsorship guide. For Express Entry, study permits or another route, use the checklist and instructions for that application. Do not apply one programme’s document list to all Canadian applications.
Translation, affidavit and certified copy are separate items
A translation conveys the document’s content. An affidavit is a sworn statement by the person who translated it. A certified copy concerns the copy of the source document. The official IRCC sponsorship guide explains these separately and should be read alongside the application checklist.
Who signs the affidavit?
In that guide, the person who completed the translation swears to their language proficiency and the translation’s accuracy. Outside Canada, the guide identifies a notary public. Applicants and their family members must not translate the documents. An agency letterhead certificate alone should not be assumed to replace the required translator affidavit.
What to send with a translation enquiry
- The programme name and relevant checklist or request letter.
- The complete document in a readable scan.
- The required target language: English or French.
- Your deadline and whether the submission calls for physical documents.
- Any existing translation, so the provider can explain what needs replacing or supplementing.
Ask for a written list of deliverables. It is easier to compare two quotes when both specify whether they include the translation, translator affidavit and any separate copy certification. Avoid comparing only the price per page.
What about WhatsApp conversations?
The sponsorship guide also addresses translation of non-English/non-French proof of communication and sets a maximum of ten pages of that evidence. Follow the current checklist when selecting what to submit.
For translation preparation, keep screenshots in a clear sequence and make dates and speaker identities legible. Mark cropped or missing messages for discussion with your adviser rather than asking a translator to reconstruct a conversation. Translation should represent the selected evidence faithfully; it does not establish the relationship by itself.
Our WhatsApp translation service covers the translation enquiry. Your immigration adviser or the receiving authority should resolve questions about which evidence belongs in the application.
A practical check before you order
- Identify the correct programme instructions.
- Confirm the translator’s status and whether an affidavit is required.
- Check who will swear that affidavit.
- Separate source-copy requirements from translation requirements.
- Agree the delivery format and deadline before work starts.
For certificates and other records, see immigration document translation or marriage-certificate translation. Send your checklist with the documents so the quotation addresses the actual requirement.