Which Italian Documents Need to Be Translated?
If you are planning to move from Italy to Canada, one of the first things you will discover is that immigration involves a lot of paperwork.
Depending on your immigration program and personal circumstances, you may need to provide Italian birth certificates, marriage certificates, police certificates, university documents, employment records, and other official documents.
And if those documents are in Italian, you will generally need to provide a certified English or French translation with your application.
This guide explains which Italian documents you may need to translate for Canadian immigration, what type of translation is required, and some of the common mistakes Italian applicants should avoid.
Important: Canadian immigration requirements can change, and the documents you need depend on your particular immigration program and circumstances. Always check the current requirements and personalized document checklist provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) before submitting your application.
What language do documents need to be in for Canadian immigration?
Unless IRCC tells you otherwise, supporting documents must generally be in English or French.
If an Italian document is not in English or French, IRCC requires the appropriate translation and supporting documentation. The exact requirements can vary depending on the application.
For Express Entry applications, for example, IRCC currently states that documents in another language must be accompanied by a certified English or French translation and the required original or certified copy. The translator’s certification must be demonstrated according to IRCC requirements.
This means that simply scanning an Italian document and uploading it to your application is generally not enough if the document is required and is written in Italian.
Which Italian documents might need to be translated?
There is no single list that applies to every person moving to Canada. Your required documents depend on your immigration program, family situation, education, employment history, and other factors.
However, Italian applicants may commonly encounter the following documents.
1. Italian birth certificates
A birth certificate may be required for you or for family members included in an application.
Depending on the document and the Italian authority that issued it, you may encounter different types of Italian civil-status documents. Make sure the translation accurately reflects the document you actually received.
2. Marriage certificates
If you are married, your marriage documentation may be required as part of your immigration application.
If your marriage certificate or other relevant Italian documentation is in Italian, you may need an English or French translation.
3. Divorce and separation documents
Applicants who are divorced or legally separated may need to provide documentation establishing their marital status.
This can include divorce judgments, certificates, or other legal documents, depending on the circumstances and the requirements of the particular application.
Legal documents can be especially important to translate accurately because names, dates, legal terminology, and court information need to correspond precisely to the original.
4. Italian police certificates
A police certificate can be an important part of a Canadian immigration application.
IRCC specifically states that a police certificate that is not in English or French must be translated, and its guidance indicates that a certified translator should be used.
Italian police certificates are always two: the police clearance certificate and the pending charges certificate.
For this reason, an Italian police certificate should not simply be translated informally by a friend or family member.
5. University diplomas and degrees
If you studied in Italy, you may need documentation relating to your education.
Depending on the immigration program, this can include:
- University diplomas
- Degree certificates
- Academic transcripts
- Certificates of examinations
- Other educational documents
Express Entry applicants may need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for education obtained outside Canada, depending on the circumstances. IRCC also lists proof of education and ECA documentation among the documents applicants may need.
It is important to distinguish between having your diploma translated and having your foreign education assessed. A translation does not replace an Educational Credential Assessment when an ECA is required.
6. Employment and work-experience documents
Some immigration programs require evidence of previous work experience.
Depending on your application, this may include employment reference letters, contracts, certificates, or other supporting documents.
If the relevant documents were issued in Italian, check your program’s requirements to determine which ones need to be translated.
7. Documents relating to children
If you are immigrating with children, you may need documents establishing their identity, birth, relationship to you, or other relevant circumstances.
For example, Express Entry applicants may need to provide birth certificates when declaring dependent children.
8. Other supporting documents
Your personalized IRCC checklist may request additional documents depending on your circumstances.
For this reason, it is better to start with your actual IRCC document checklist rather than translating every document you have ever received in Italy.
Does every Italian document need to be translated?
No.
You should not assume that you need to translate every Italian document you possess.
The documents you need depend on your particular immigration application. IRCC provides a personalized document checklist for certain applications, and applicants should follow the current requirements for their specific program.
A good approach is:
- Determine which Canadian immigration program you are applying under.
- Review the current IRCC document requirements.
- Make a list of the Italian documents you are actually required to submit.
- Determine which of those documents are not already in English or French.
- Arrange the appropriate translations before submitting your application.
This can save you both time and money.
Does the translation have to be certified?
Yes, in most cases.
For current Express Entry applications, IRCC recognizes translations completed by certified translators who meet its definition of a certified translator. IRCC states that a certified translator is a member in good standing of a professional translation association in Canada or abroad, with certification confirmed by a seal or stamp showing the translator’s membership number.
If a certified translator cannot be used, IRCC provides an alternative involving an affidavit from the person who completed the translation.
Is an Italian “sworn translation” the same as a Canadian certified translation?
Not necessarily.
The Italian and Canadian systems use different terminology and have different requirements.
In Italy, you may hear terms such as:
- traduzione giurata
- traduzione asseverata
- traduzione certificata
- traduttore giurato
In Canada, IRCC uses specific requirements concerning certified translators, certification, affidavits, and supporting copies of original documents.
The important question is therefore not simply:
“Is this a sworn translation?”
The better question is:
“Does this translation meet the requirements of the Canadian immigration application I am submitting?”
If you are having documents translated in Italy for a Canadian immigration application, tell your translator exactly what the documents are for. A professional translator familiar with Canadian immigration requirements can help you determine what documentation needs to accompany the translation.
Do I need to translate stamps and seals?
Yes, this is an easy detail to overlook.
IRCC’s current Express Entry instructions state that stamps and seals that are not in English or French must also be translated.
This is particularly relevant to Italian official documents, which may contain:
- Government stamps
- Municipal stamps
- Court stamps
- Notarial stamps
- Handwritten annotations
- Official seals
- Certification statements
A translation should not simply reproduce the main printed text while ignoring relevant official markings.
Can I translate my own documents?
No.
IRCC does not accept translations completed by the applicant themselves. Family members are also not permitted to translate the applicant’s documents for immigration purposes.
Using a professional translator is therefore important, particularly when dealing with official documents containing legal, administrative, educational, or civil-status terminology.
Do I send the original Italian document too?
You should follow the document requirements for your particular application.
For Express Entry, IRCC currently requires the translation together with a scan of the original document, or in certain circumstances a certified photocopy of the original document that the translator worked from.
This is another reason to avoid treating a translation as a standalone document. The original Italian document and the translation form part of the documentation submitted to IRCC.
What if my document is in Italian but also contains some English?
If an official document contains Italian text, you should not assume that the English portions mean that no translation is necessary.
Official documents can contain a mixture of languages, stamps, seals, handwritten notes, and standardized terminology.
If you are unsure, check the requirements for your application and ask a translator experienced in Canadian immigration documents.
Common mistakes Italian applicants make
Waiting until the last minute
Translations can become one more thing to deal with when you are already preparing a large immigration application.
If you know which documents you will need, arranging translations early can make the process much easier.
Translating documents that you don’t actually need
You may have decades’ worth of Italian paperwork. You probably don’t need to translate all of it.
Start with the IRCC requirements for your application.
Forgetting stamps and seals
Official stamps, seals, and annotations can contain important information and may also need to be translated.
Using a friend or relative who speaks English
Being bilingual does not necessarily make someone an appropriate translator for immigration documents.
Immigration documents require accuracy, consistency, and familiarity with official terminology.
Confusing translation with credential assessment
If you are using an Italian degree for Canadian immigration purposes, translating the diploma is not necessarily the same thing as obtaining an Educational Credential Assessment.
These are separate processes.
How much does it cost to translate Italian documents for Canadian immigration?
The cost depends on the document, its length, formatting, number of pages, and the type of certification required.
A one-page Italian civil-status document will generally be much simpler to translate than a university transcript, court judgment, or lengthy employment document.
When requesting a quote, it is helpful to send the translator:
- A clear scan or photograph of the complete document
- The type of Canadian application you are preparing
- The language you need the translation in
- Any specific instructions you have received from IRCC
A translator can then determine what is required and provide an accurate quotation.
Preparing your Italian documents for Canada
If you are planning to immigrate to Canada from Italy, don’t wait until the final stage of your application to think about your documents.
Start by identifying the immigration program you are applying under and reviewing the current IRCC requirements. Then make a list of the Italian documents you need to provide and arrange the appropriate translations.
The rules can vary between immigration programs, so always check the current IRCC instructions before submitting your application.
Need an Italian-to-English certified translation for Canadian immigration?
If you have Italian documents that need to be submitted as part of a Canadian immigration application, I provide Italian-to-English certified translations of official documents, including civil-status documents, police certificates, educational documents, and other supporting documentation.
Send me a clear scan or photograph of your document for a quote and to confirm the appropriate translation requirements for your situation.
Please note: A translation service can translate your documents, but cannot determine whether you qualify for a particular Canadian immigration program. For immigration eligibility and application requirements, always consult the current information provided by IRCC or a qualified Canadian immigration professional.
Official Canadian immigration resources
For the most current requirements, consult the official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website and the document checklist for your specific application.