Certified Translation Services for Iowa City, Iowa
Apostille Authentications translates documents for people in Iowa City at prices from $65 per page, and most translations are done in 1 to 2 business days. Each one includes a signed certificate of accuracy. We are based in the Portland, Oregon area and serve Iowa City remotely, so documents are uploaded through the quote form and returned electronically or by mail. Read the University of Iowa section first if your document is an academic record, because the university sets its own rule on who certifies translations.
Upload your document below as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file, or call (971) 514-3743 for a quote.
Upload Your Documents For Translation
University of Iowa: check who must certify the translation
The University of Iowa’s instructions for international undergraduates say academic records that are not in English must be accompanied by a complete, literal English translation certified by the issuing institution. Records must also bear the original stamp or seal of the school and the signature of a school official.
The Tippie College of Business uses similar wording for graduate applicants: documents not in English must come with official English translations certified by the issuing institution, and photocopies without that certification are not treated as official.
In practice this means a translation from an outside translator may not satisfy those admission requirements on its own. Before ordering a transcript or diploma translation for a University of Iowa application, ask the admissions office handling your file whether it will accept one, or whether your school must issue or certify the English version. A certified translation is still commonly requested for other purposes, such as immigration filings, credential evaluators and employers, each of which sets its own rules.
How to order from Iowa City
- Step 1. Upload a scan or photo of the document through the quote form as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file.
- Step 2. Receive a quote. Translation starts at $65 per page.
- Step 3. Get the certified translation, usually within 1 to 2 business days, electronically or by mail.
- Contact. (971) 514-3743, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office is at 5 Centerpointe Drive, Suite 400, Lake Oswego, OR 97035. We do not have a location in Iowa.
Johnson County records and courts
Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County. These are the local offices that issue or receive the documents people most often have translated.
| Johnson County Recorder | Johnson County Administration Building, 913 S Dubuque Street, Iowa City, IA 52240. Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone 319-356-6093. |
|---|---|
| What the Recorder issues | Certified copies of birth, death and marriage records, and marriage license applications. The office states that it does not issue passports. |
| Certified copy fee | $20. Applications must be notarized and include a copy of valid photo ID. Copies are available only to entitled parties such as parents, children, spouses, siblings and grandparents. |
| Birth record years | Records from 1983 forward can be obtained through any Iowa county; 1880 to 1982 records must be requested from the county where the birth occurred. |
| State district court | Iowa District Court for Johnson County (Judicial District 6), 417 South Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA 52240. Clerk: 319-356-6060. |
| Federal court | Johnson County is in the Davenport division of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, whose courthouse is at 131 East 4th Street, Davenport. |
Translations in Iowa court cases
Chapter 47 of the Iowa Court Rules governs court interpreters and translators statewide. For written translations ordered by a court, it gives first priority to translators certified by the American Translators Association or the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators, then to certain certified court interpreters, then to other qualified translators with a four-year degree and sufficient experience. A person with limited English proficiency, or that person’s attorney, applies in writing using the Judicial Branch’s Application for a Written Translation of Court-Related Material. Requirements for exhibits you supply yourself are set by the court, so check with the Johnson County clerk or your attorney.
USCIS translation requirements
Students, scholars and families in Iowa City who file with USCIS follow 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). It requires a full English translation of any document containing a foreign language, certified by the translator as complete and accurate, together with the translator’s certification of competence in both languages. We prepare a certificate of accuracy to accompany each translation for that purpose. Whether a filing is approved is up to USCIS.
Languages spoken in Iowa City
Census Bureau QuickFacts (2020 to 2024 American Community Survey) puts the share of Iowa City residents age 5 and older who speak a language other than English at home at 18.2%, and the foreign-born share at 12.2%. The Iowa City Community School District reports that over 20% of its students speak a language other than English at home, and it offers language services in Spanish, French, Arabic, Swahili, Chinese and Portuguese.
We handle 100 languages. Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Czech are requested most. Please ask about any other language.
Iowa apostilles: Iowa City to Des Moines
An apostille for an Iowa document is issued only by the Iowa Secretary of State, whose office is in the Lucas Building in Des Moines. It confirms that the Iowa notary or elected official who signed the document held that authority when signing. The charge is $5.00 for each apostille or certification.
Submit the Apostille or Certificate Request Form by mail to 321 E 12th Street, Lucas Building, First Floor, Des Moines, IA 50319, by PDF upload in the Fast Track Filing system, or in person on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., when the office offers same-day service.
For a translation headed abroad, the translator’s statement is notarized before the apostille request. When that notarization is needed for Iowa, we hire a notary commissioned in Iowa to notarize the translator’s statement.
Related services for Iowa City
- Iowa document translation services: the statewide rules for courts, notaries, vital records and driver licensing
- Iowa apostille service
- All document translation services
Iowa City translation questions
Apostille Authentications provides certified translations to Iowa City customers remotely from the Portland, Oregon area. Translations start at $65 per page and include a signed certificate of accuracy.
The university’s international undergraduate instructions call for a complete, literal English translation certified by the issuing institution. Ask the admissions office before ordering an outside translation for an application.
Most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days. They are returned electronically or by mail.
The Johnson County Recorder at 913 S Dubuque Street issues certified copies for $20 to entitled parties. The application must be notarized and include a copy of photo ID.
From the Iowa Secretary of State in Des Moines, for $5.00 per document. Requests can be mailed, uploaded through Fast Track Filing, or handled as a walk-in on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), USCIS requires a full English translation certified as complete and accurate by a translator who also certifies competence to translate from the foreign language into English.
Sources
The local details on this page come from these official sources.
- University of Iowa: completing admission for international students
- Tippie College of Business: transcripts
- Johnson County Recorder
- Johnson County Recorder: birth records
- Iowa Judicial Branch: Johnson County
- Southern District of Iowa: counties by office
- Iowa Court Rules, Chapter 47
- 8 CFR 103.2
- Iowa City Community School District: language access services
- Census QuickFacts: Iowa City
- Iowa Secretary of State: Apostilles and Certifications
- Iowa apostille request form
Get your Iowa City translation started
Upload your document for a quote, or call (971) 514-3743 and tell us where the translation is going. We confirm the level of certification you need before any work begins.