Real Stories From Individuals Who Faced Visa Delays and Rejections Due to Bad Translations

From missing originals and poor-quality translations to wrong document versions and embassy miscommunications, we’ve compiled real stories from people whose applications were affected due to avoidable translation mistakes. 

Learn from their experiences and avoid these costly mistakes.

“My PR application was cancelled because my birth certificate wasn’t translated. I admit it was my oversight, but I expected to be asked for the correct document rather than having the entire application rejected. In the end, I had to start from scratch, refill all the forms, and wait for the next draw. I lost a whole month.” Athena Grant
 

“I recently applied for a UK visa and submitted all required documents, including translations done by a professional translator. Unfortunately, my application was refused because the translation of my payslips contained errors, which led to discrepancies between the payslips and my bank statements.” Ravi Panikkar
 

“Our PR application under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) was canceled because we submitted only the English-translated version of our marriage certificate. The IRCC stated that the original document must be submitted along with the translation. Now we’re trying to figure out our next steps, as our work permit is set to expire soon.” Howard Han
 

“I applied to NALCAP through the DC consulate, and after I mailed my application, it was radio silence for a whole month. I didn’t submit a translation of my apostille. I emailed and called multiple times, but there was no response. The only sign of life was the USPS delivery confirmation. Since I live 20 minutes away, I decided to go in person. One worker casually mentioned my application would be sent to the embassy the next morning at 9 a.m., and that’s when I panicked. I had to get my apostille translated the same day to avoid outright rejection. 

Moral lesson: Translate everything, and send your application via certified mail with tracking.” Evan Buckley

“I submitted all documents, including certified translations for my spouse's paperwork, and received an email after a month saying the application has been rejected as we are missing a translation of a police certificate. So far, I have been emailing via the portal requesting an appeal and asking for a re-review of the case. I have had one refusal (not acknowledging the content of my email), saying a decision had already been made. A second email response (when I tried again) asked me to upload the relevant document. I have had no response since.” Eddie Diaz
 

“My PR application has just been canceled and marked as incomplete. I went through the BC PNP and then applied via Express Entry. After creating a new EE account, I saw a message saying, “Waiting to confirm your PNP nomination.” I waited for three weeks, wondering what was going on. Apparently, the reason for the cancellation was an issue with my criminal record document. The translation didn’t meet Canadian standards. What’s confusing is that I used the same English version issued by my government that others have submitted without any problems.” Bobby Nash
 

“My boyfriend needed some documents translated and legalized for a minor embassy-related process. We chose a legal translator from the official list provided by the embassy. Unfortunately, the result proved otherwise. The translation was into my native language, so I could tell immediately how bad it was. It was barely understandable, completely inaccurate, with part of the original text even left untranslated. I was so speechless.” May Grant

Don’t let a bad translation rob you of your dreams. Work with certified translators who get it right the first time from Translayte. 

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Disclaimer: Names have been changed to protect individuals' privacy and maintain confidentiality.

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