Brazilian Documents for USCIS: A Translation Guide

Common records include:

### Cartório

“Cartório” should not be translated mechanically with one universal English word.

Brazilian registry/notarial offices perform different functions. The appropriate English rendering depends on whether the document comes from civil registry, notarial services or another registry function.

### Averbação

An averbação is a registry annotation recording a later event, correction or change associated with an existing record.

Its translation should reflect the content and documentary function rather than delete it as “administrative text.”

### Inteiro teor

An inteiro teor certificate can reproduce a fuller narrative or complete registry content compared with a standard certificate format.

It may contain extensive historical registry language and later annotations.

Brazilian records can be issued through federal or state systems and may include:

A translation should preserve the distinction between what the authority certifies and what it does not.

Typical documents:

Academic terminology such as carga horária, disciplina, nota and conceito requires context-sensitive translation.

Translation should not convert grades or declare U.S. degree equivalency unless a separate evaluation service is actually being performed.

Possible records:

The exact underlying evidence is case-specific.

Brazilian records can include:

Currency and values should remain faithful to the source unless the project explicitly requires a separate conversion methodology.

Brazilian corporate evidence can include:

A translation should distinguish corporate legal terms rather than force U.S. entity terminology where there is no exact equivalence.

Brazilian documents commonly use DD/MM/YYYY.

The translation must clearly render dates for an English-speaking reader without accidentally swapping day and month.

Names must remain consistent with the source and related documents. Differences across records should not be silently “fixed.”

If a Hague Apostille or authentication page is attached and will be submitted, send the entire package for translation review.

Whether the document must be apostilled for a specific immigration filing is separate from the translation service.

The same federal translation rule applies: full English translation plus translator certification of completeness, accuracy and competence.