Certified Translation Services for Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo residents can order certified translations from Apostille Authentications starting at $65 per page, with most finished in 1 to 2 business days. We are based in Lake Oswego, in the Portland, Oregon area, and serve Fargo remotely: documents come in through our quote form and go back to you by email or mail. Below you will find the Cass County offices, courts and school rules that shape what kind of translation you need, plus the apostille route from Fargo.
Upload your document below as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file, or call (971) 514-3743 for a quote.
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Languages in Fargo
Fargo is North Dakota’s largest city. Census Reporter’s American Community Survey profile puts the population at 138,059 and the foreign-born share at about 8.7 percent, above the statewide figure of about 5.3 percent.
School data shows the range of languages. A Fargo Public Schools report to the state legislature in April 2018 counted 916 enrolled English learner students as of October 2017 and about 60 languages among current and former English learners. The largest groups were Nepali at 18 percent, Arabic at 12 percent, Somali and Spanish at 11 percent each, and Creole or Pidgin at 8 percent.
We translate 100 languages. Our most requested are Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Czech. For Nepali, Somali or any language not on that list, ask us before ordering and we will confirm whether we can take the document.
How to order from Fargo
Upload a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word copy of the document through the quote form. You get a price and a delivery date, then the finished translation with a signed certificate of accuracy, sent electronically or mailed to your Fargo address. There is no Fargo office to visit; phone (971) 514-3743 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. if you want to talk it through first.
Cass County records: marriage and divorce documents
- Marriage licenses. Cass County issues marriage licenses at the Cass County Courthouse, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The fee is $65. Both applicants apply together with photo ID such as a driver’s license, ID card or passport.
- Previous marriages. If you were married before, the county wants a certified copy of the divorce decree or a copy of the death certificate. It stresses that divorce papers must be a certified copy, not a regular copy. Its page does not say how it treats decrees written in another language, so ask the office before you apply.
- Certified copies. Certified copies of a marriage license bought in Cass County cost $10 each from the Cass County Finance Office and can be picked up at the courthouse. If the license was bought in another North Dakota county, that county issues the copy.
- Birth and death records. These come from North Dakota Vital Records in Bismarck, not from Cass County. A certified birth copy is $15 on the state request form.
State and federal courts in Fargo
The Cass County Courthouse at 211 9th St. S., Fargo, ND 58103 houses the district court of the East Central Judicial District. The Clerk of District Court is on the second floor, phone (701) 451-6900, open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. Certified divorce judgments from Cass County cases come from this clerk.
Federal cases are heard at the Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Courthouse, 655 1st Ave. North, Fargo ND 58102, phone 701.297.7000.
In state court, interpreters are arranged through the clerk and are free in criminal, juvenile, mental health, guardianship, protection order and divorce cases. The North Dakota court system has also translated some of its own forms and rights statements into Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Nepali, Chuukese, Bosnian and French. Written translations of your own evidence are a separate matter that the published rules do not address; confirm the judge’s expectations with the clerk or counsel.
NDSU and foreign academic records
North Dakota State University asks international applicants with university coursework from outside the United States to request a course-by-course evaluation report from World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or SpanTran. First-year applicants upload unofficial academic documents with the online application and mail official documents after acceptance. Each evaluation agency publishes its own requirements for English translations, so check those before ordering a translation of a transcript or diploma.
Immigration paperwork
Whatever office handles your case, the translation rule is federal. 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) says any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS shall be accompanied by a full English language translation which the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and by the translator’s certification of competence. Our certificate of accuracy is written to cover those points. Acceptance is always decided by the agency.
Getting a North Dakota apostille from Fargo
Apostilles are issued only by the Secretary of State in Bismarck, so from Fargo the usual route is mail. Send the original certified or notarized document, a letter naming the destination country, and payment of $10 per authentication, plus $5 for each unique notary signature to be searched, to 600 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept 108, Bismarck ND 58505-0500. Include a prepaid shipping label if you want expedited return. Processing usually takes 3 business days once the request arrives in good order.
The office authenticates documents notarized by a North Dakota notary public. So when your translation must be notarized for North Dakota use, including an apostille, we hire a notary commissioned in North Dakota to notarize the translator’s statement.
Related services for Fargo
- North Dakota document translation services: the statewide rules for courts, notaries, vital records and driver licensing
- North Dakota apostille service
- All document translation services
Fargo translation questions
Apostille Authentications handles Fargo orders remotely from the Portland, Oregon area. Pricing starts at $65 per page and most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days.
Mail the document, a letter naming the destination country and the fee to the North Dakota Secretary of State in Bismarck. The fee is $10 per authentication plus $5 per unique notary signature.
The Cass County Courthouse is at 211 9th St. S., Fargo, ND 58103. The federal Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Courthouse is at 655 1st Ave. North.
Cass County charges $10 for each certified copy of a marriage license that was purchased in Cass County, available from the Cass County Finance Office.
NDSU requires a course-by-course credential evaluation from WES, ECE or SpanTran for university coursework completed outside the United States. The evaluation agency sets the translation requirements.
A Fargo Public Schools report from April 2018 listed about 60 languages among current and former English learners, led by Nepali, Arabic, Somali and Spanish.
Sources
The local details on this page come from these official sources.
- Cass County: Marriage Licenses
- Cass County: Certified Copies of Marriage License
- North Dakota Courts: Cass County
- U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota: Fargo
- North Dakota Courts: Court Interpreters
- NDSU: International Students, Apply
- Fargo Public Schools English Language Learner Program report, April 2018 (ND Legislature)
- North Dakota Secretary of State: Apostille and Certification
- 8 CFR 103.2 (eCFR)
- Census Reporter: Fargo, ND profile
Get your Fargo 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.