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Police and criminal-record documents are especially country-specific. One jurisdiction may issue a “police certificate,” another a criminal-background certificate, a clearance letter or a record from a judicial authority.
Common names for these documents
English descriptions can include:
Spanish-language records may use terms such as:
Brazilian records may include federal or state-issued antecedentes criminais and electronically validated certificates.
Translate the actual issuing authority
Do not normalize every record to “police department” if the source was issued by a ministry, federal police authority, court, attorney general's office or another body.
The issuing authority is part of the documentary evidence.
Electronic validation can matter
Modern records often include:
The QR graphic itself is not translated as text, but the visible verification language around it may be part of the translation.
Positive, negative and conditional wording
Criminal-record terminology requires precision.
Phrases indicating:
should not be flattened into a generic phrase.
The translation must reflect what the issuing document actually certifies.
Do not confuse translation with document eligibility
Whether a particular police certificate is the correct one for a filing is separate from whether it has been translated accurately.
USCIS, the Department of State, an immigration attorney or the applicable filing instructions may define which underlying record is required.
F2 translates the record supplied; it does not determine legal sufficiency.
Official sources
Source references
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers about this topic
Do electronic police certificates need translation?
If the record contains foreign-language content and is being submitted, have the complete certificate reviewed for translation.
Do you translate “no criminal record” certificates?
Yes, subject to document/language review.
Can you translate Brazilian antecedentes criminais?
Yes.
Should the validation page be included?
If it is part of the official record or contains relevant foreign-language verification content, send it with the certificate for review.
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