Criminal record translation is the certified English translation of a police record, court disposition, background check, arrest record, clearance certificate, or criminal history document. Corpus Localization translates criminal records for 8¢/word or $19.99/page (whichever is lower) with standard 24-hour delivery for routine certified document orders after payment confirmation.
A criminal record translation must preserve names, dates, case numbers, charges, dispositions, stamps, seals, issuing authorities, and handwritten notes. For immigration, visa, court, licensing, school, and employment screening use, a summary translation is not enough. The receiving agency usually needs the full document translated with a signed certificate of accuracy.
Corpus prepares certified translations for official document use. We translate the record; we do not give legal advice about admissibility, expungement, background-check results, or how an agency will treat a criminal history.
Criminal record translation is a complete English translation of a foreign-language criminal history document, including all official text, stamps, seals, dates, and annotations.
The term covers several document types. A criminal record may be a national criminal history report, a police clearance certificate, a court record, an FBI Identity History Summary, a local police report, or a court disposition showing the final result of a case. Some documents state that no record exists. Others list arrests, charges, case numbers, convictions, dismissals, pending matters, or expungement notes.
For official use, the translation should match the source document closely. If a seal says “Ministry of Justice,” that seal should be translated. If a margin note lists a correction, that note should appear in English. If the document has a back page with instructions or authentication language, the back page should not be ignored.
Corpus keeps the translated record clear enough for the receiving party to read and compare against the original.
Corpus charges 8¢/word or $19.99/page (whichever is lower) for certified criminal record translation, with the certificate of accuracy included.
Most criminal record orders are priced by page, not by word. A one-page police certificate is usually one billable page. A multi-page court disposition, national background report, or police file is billed by the number of pages translated. If the document has a back side with official text, stamps, seals, or notes, include it when uploading.
| Document packet | Typical translated pages | Corpus price |
|---|---|---|
| One-page police clearance | 1 page | $19.99 |
| Criminal record certificate with back page | 2 pages | $39.98 |
| Court disposition packet | 3 pages | $59.97 |
| Multi-page criminal history report | 5 pages | $99.95 |
For routine certified document translation, standard delivery is 24 hours after payment confirmation. Hard-to-read scans, handwritten records, unusual formats, or very large files may need extra review before a firm delivery time is confirmed. See our certified translation pricing page for related document pricing details.
Criminal records often need certified translation when they are submitted to an immigration office, visa authority, court, licensing board, school, employer, or foreign government.
The receiving agency decides what it will accept. Corpus provides a certified English translation and signed certificate; the applicant, attorney, school, employer, or agency decides whether the document meets the filing requirement.
If the record is for a USCIS filing, read the USCIS translation requirements before submitting. USCIS generally requires a full English translation with translator certification for foreign-language documents. For broader filing context, see immigration document translation.
A criminal record translation must include every meaningful item on the source document, not only the main result or headline.
| Source field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Full legal name | Matches the applicant to the record |
| Date and place of birth | Confirms identity and avoids mix-ups |
| National ID or passport number | Helps agencies match records across documents |
| Issuing authority | Shows which court, police office, ministry, or agency issued it |
| Case number or record number | Lets reviewers trace the file |
| Arrest date or incident date | Establishes the timeline |
| Charge or offense text | Shows what the record says, without legal interpretation |
| Disposition or result | States dismissal, conviction, acquittal, no record, or other outcome |
| Sentence or penalty | Shows fines, probation, custody, or other listed result |
| Stamps, seals, and signatures | Proves the document’s official source and status |
| Handwritten notes | May change meaning or add key context |
| Back-page text | Often contains authentication or instructions |
The translation should not explain away a charge, soften wording, or make legal arguments. It should translate what the document says.
A criminal record is broader than a police clearance certificate. A police clearance often states whether a person has a listed record, while a criminal record may include case history, arrests, charges, dispositions, or court outcomes.
These terms overlap by country. One country may issue a “police clearance certificate” that says no record exists. Another may issue a “criminal record extract” from a ministry of justice. A third may provide a court disposition after a specific case. All of these can need certified translation when submitted to an English-speaking agency.
Related Corpus pages:
Use the document name on the source record when ordering if possible. If you are not sure which category fits, upload the file and we will quote based on the actual pages.
Criminal record translation covers the person’s criminal history document. Court record translation covers records from a specific court case, such as a judgment, docket sheet, disposition, sentence, or court order.
A single immigration or visa packet may need both. For example, an applicant may have a national police clearance plus a court disposition for an old case. The police clearance may show whether a record exists. The court disposition may show the final result of the case. Each document should be translated in full if it is in a foreign language and the receiving agency requires English.
Corpus does not interpret whether a charge is minor, serious, expunged, sealed, or immigration-relevant. We translate the official wording into English and include a certificate of accuracy. For legal effect, filing strategy, or admissibility questions, use an attorney or the receiving agency’s instructions.
An official-use criminal record translation should be complete, accurate, formatted clearly, and delivered with a signed certificate of accuracy.
For USCIS filings, the rule at 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) requires a full English translation and translator certification for foreign-language documents. Corpus prepares certified translations to follow that structure, but Corpus does not guarantee any immigration outcome or agency decision.
If a court, school, employer, licensing board, or consulate has its own formatting rule, send that instruction with your upload.
Many criminal record translations do not need notarization, but the receiving agency decides.
USCIS generally asks for a certified English translation, not a notarized translation. Some courts, foreign consulates, banks, employers, or licensing boards may ask for notarization, apostille-related documents, or a hard copy. Do not buy extras just because a document looks official. Check the recipient’s instructions first.
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Certified translation | The translator or company signs a statement that the translation is complete and accurate |
| Notarized translation | A notary verifies the identity/signature of the person signing, not the translation quality |
| Apostille | A government authentication of a public document, often for use abroad |
For a deeper explanation, use Corpus’s guide to certified vs notarized translation.
For official filings, self-translation is risky and often rejected by the receiving party.
A criminal record is a high-stakes document. It may contain legal terms, abbreviations, seals, code references, handwritten notes, and country-specific record language. Even when a person is fluent in both languages, an agency may prefer or require a translation certified by someone other than the applicant or beneficiary.
If an attorney or agency tells you that self-translation is acceptable for a specific use, follow that instruction. If you need a certified third-party translation, Corpus can prepare it.
Upload the clearest scan or photo of every page that may need translation, including blank-looking backs if they contain stamps, seals, instructions, or handwriting.
If the record uses a non-Latin alphabet, upload any passport, prior translation, or official spelling reference if name spelling must match another document. This is especially useful for Arabic, Russian, Farsi, Chinese, Korean, Ukrainian, Hindi, and other scripts where transliteration can vary.
Corpus follows a document-preservation process: identify every visible text element, translate the record into English, preserve key formatting, then issue the certificate of accuracy.
Corpus charges 8¢/word or $19.99/page (whichever is lower) for certified criminal record translation. The certificate of accuracy is included.
Routine certified criminal record translations are usually delivered within 24 hours after payment confirmation. Large, handwritten, or hard-to-read records may need extra review.
Yes. Corpus translates police clearance certificates, police certificates, criminal records, FBI background checks, and court records for official document use.
USCIS requires foreign-language documents to have a full English translation with translator certification. Corpus prepares certified translations for USCIS use, but no translation company can guarantee an immigration decision.
USCIS usually requires certified translation, not notarization. Courts, consulates, schools, employers, or licensing boards may have different rules, so check the recipient’s instructions.
Yes, if the back page has stamps, seals, instructions, signatures, or handwritten notes. Official markings can matter even when the main record appears on the front.
Yes. Corpus translates FBI background checks and other background documents. If the record also needs an apostille or consular authentication, confirm that requirement separately with the receiving authority.
No. Corpus translates the document and certifies the translation. We do not advise on criminal law, immigration eligibility, expungement, admissibility, licensing decisions, or agency strategy.
