An applicant preparing a PNP-based PR filing asked how to get a birth certificate translated so it's acceptable. The thread covered more than translation:
- First check whether you need it at all. Members reported that a birth certificate is often not requested: one family submitted documents after an Ontario NOI and it wasn't asked for, and an Alberta PNP applicant a few years earlier wasn't asked either. Some PNPs may want it, so check your specific stream's checklist before spending on translation.
- If you have only a birth registration copy, upgrade it. One member spotted that the attached form was a registration copy, not a certificate — get an actual birth certificate issued by the municipal authority (paying the applicable fee). A certificate from a municipal corporation (the example given was Kolkata Municipal Corporation) is "100% compatible everywhere."
- Translation process that worked for a member:
- Use any
authorized translation firm to translate the document into English.
- Get the translation
notarized — in India, a public notary can apply a stamp marked valid for overseas/embassy use.
- Submit the original-language document together with the notarized translation.
- If the certificate is already in English (as municipal corporation certificates often are), no translation is needed — the certificate itself suffices.
General IRCC practice also expects a translator's affidavit for non-certified translators — check the current instructions for your stream.