Should an Interpreter Sign My Forms?

A lot of the forms required to be filled up in immigration, including the green card application, have an interpreter section that asks for an interpreter’s signature. Although this is not a mandatory part of an immigration application, it may be crucial for specific applicants.

When You Need an Interpreter to Sign Off on Your Immigration Forms

An applicant who fills up an immigration form warrants that they have read and understand all its contents. But this can be easier said than done for applicants that don’t use English as their mother tongue or second language. Immigration forms consist of high-level English, an interpreter is often required to explain the contents to the foreign national.

If an applicant is unable to read the form and understand everything on it, that’s when they need an interpreter to translate it in their language and interpret every question to the best of their ability. The interpreter then fixates their signature on the form to that effect.

Why It’s Important to Have an Interpreter Sign Off on Immigration Forms

Whether or not an interpreter is crucial in an immigration case will come up in the interview conducted by an immigration officer. If they notice that the applicant can’t speak any English but doesn’t have an interpreter’s signature on their forms, they will question if the applicant read and understood all its contents.

This can bring doubt and raise a red flag for the immigration officer. It may lead them to wonder what else the applicant is hiding and whether or not they were truthful and forthcoming in their application. This is not a position that an applicant wants to be in as it can cause problems in their case or break their chances of getting approved for a U.S. green card.

Any applicant who doesn’t speak English well or use it as their second language should use an interpreter and have them sign off on the immigration forms. This not only ensures that they understand what they’re getting themselves into but also makes the immigration officer conducting their interview more confident that they have provided truthful information and completed all the steps in the process correctly.