Back to Visas, Immigration and Citizenship
Provide English translations of documents
All non-English supporting documents must be accompanied by English translations.
Both the original version and the translation must be provided.
Failure to provide translations at time of application will delay the processing of an application.
Necessary translations
- Only documents that contribute to understanding the applicant’s general personal, academic and professional circumstances in their home country and their incentive to return to their home country should be attached to an application and translated into English. As such, the documents to be attached to an application (and their accompanying translations) will vary according to the individual circumstances of each applicant.
- Bank statements and annual income tax declarations, where information is clear, do not need to be translated.
Who can translate your documents
Translations completed in Australia must by a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).
For translations done in Brazil, the following applies:
- For officially issued primary documents (e.g.: marriage certificates, birth certificates, child custody documentation and National ID cards) translations must be completed by a sworn translator (TRADUTOR JURAMENTADO);
- Secondary documents (e.g.: GTE statements, employment references, employment books and general evidence to support the existence of a partner/spouse relationship) only need to be accurate translations. ‘Accurate translations’ do not need to by sworn translators, but must accurately reflect the content of the document. The Department will not accept translations which are inaccurate or poor quality (e.g. those done by free online computer tools such as Google Translate or by an applicant seeking to undertake an English course in Australia).
Where there is doubt as to whether the document should be accompanied by a translation from a sworn translator or just with an ‘accurate translation’, a sworn translation should be provided.
Page Last Updated: 19 April 2018