Iowa
Certified Translation Services in Iowa
Certified translation for Iowa costs $24.95 per page, where one page is up to 250 words of the source document, delivered in 2 to 3 business days as a PDF with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy from the qualified professional translator who completed or reviewed the work. The entire service is online. Upload your document, see the exact price before paying, and order from anywhere in Iowa with no appointment and nothing to mail. Translations are prepared for official use, including USCIS filings, courts, universities, and licensing boards.
Pricing
Exact prices, shown before you pay
Standard
$19.95 per page
3 to 5 business days
A professional translation with digital delivery.
Certified
$24.95 per page
2 to 3 business days
A certified translation accepted for official use.
Premium
$39.95 per page
1 to 2 business days
A certified translation, translated first.
One page is up to 250 words.
Filing locally
Where Iowa filings are handled
Your certified translation is delivered as a PDF you file yourself, so it works with every office below. Nothing needs to be picked up and there is no local counter to visit, because the whole service is online.
USCIS field offices
- Des Moines Field Office, Des Moines. Located in the Neal Smith Federal Building, 210 Walnut Street, Room 215, Des Moines. Serves most of Iowa; USCIS assigns many western Iowa ZIP codes to the Omaha Field Office in Nebraska.
State rules
Apostilles and notarization in Iowa
Apostilles and certifications in Iowa are issued by the Iowa Secretary of State through its Business Services Division in the Lucas Building, First Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines.
The fee is 5 dollars per apostille or certification, payable by check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover, per the state's official request form.
As of 2025, Iowa uses a Single Certificate format that certifies documents for any destination country, Hague member or not, with an indicator clarifying its status. The certificate is no longer issued on the office's gold seal paper, and receiving countries can verify the certification number with the office.
Iowa certifies only documents signed by an Iowa notary or Iowa elected official. The certification confirms the signer was commissioned or actively serving on the signing date, and it is issued as a separate page rather than a stamp on the document.
Same-day walk-in service is available 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and requests can also be mailed or submitted electronically through the state's Fast Track Filing system using the Paper Filing Upload option.
USCIS does not ask Iowa applicants for notarized translations. It requires a certified translation with the translator's signed statement of accuracy and competence to translate.
For documents headed abroad, the Iowa Secretary of State authenticates only signatures of Iowa notaries and Iowa elected officials, so a translation that will be apostilled in Iowa needs an Iowa notarization first. Federal documents must instead be authenticated by the US Department of State.
Iowa authorizes remote online notarization, with remote notarial acts performed by Iowa notaries under rules administered by the Secretary of State.
Documents
What Iowa customers translate most
Spanish is the most spoken non-English language in Iowa, with significant communities in Des Moines and in meatpacking towns such as Storm Lake, Marshalltown, Denison, and Perry. West Liberty is widely noted as Iowa's first majority-Hispanic town.
Iowa has well-known Dutch heritage communities in Pella and Orange City, both founded by Dutch immigrants and famous for their annual tulip festivals, which sustains demand for Dutch document work such as genealogy and Dutch civil records.
The Amana Colonies near Iowa City preserve the state's German immigrant heritage and are a National Historic Landmark.
Education and licensing
Universities and licensing boards
Universities receiving international documents
- University of Iowa, Iowa City
- Iowa State University, Ames
- University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls
- Drake University, Des Moines
- Grinnell College, Grinnell. Small college with a notably high share of international students.
Professional licensing
The Iowa Board of Nursing, under the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, requires foreign-educated nurse applicants to obtain a CGFNS Professional Report, such as a Credentials Evaluation Service report, VisaScreen certificate, or CGFNS certification, sent directly to the board. The CGFNS report replaces direct transcript submission from the nursing school, and an English proficiency test is also required for most applicants.
How it works
Order online from anywhere in Iowa
Step 1
Upload and get an instant quote
Send us your document, choose your languages, and see your price right away.
Step 2
A professional translator translates it
A qualified professional translator translates your document.
Step 3
Reviewed for accuracy and certified
Your translation is reviewed for accuracy and certified with a signed certificate of accuracy.
Step 4
Receive your certified translation
You receive your certified translation, ready for official use.
$24.95 per page, certified, delivered in 2 to 3 business days.
Questions
Iowa questions
- Who issues apostilles in Iowa?
- The Iowa Secretary of State Business Services Division in the Lucas Building at 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines. The fee is 5 dollars per apostille or certification. You can walk in for same-day service between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, mail your request, or upload it through the state's Fast Track Filing system.
- Why does my new Iowa apostille look different from older ones?
- As of 2025, Iowa issues a Single Certificate format that works for both Hague Convention and non-Hague countries, and it is no longer printed on the office's gold seal paper. The state confirms the plain-paper certificate is legitimate, and receiving authorities can verify the certification number with the Secretary of State.
- Which USCIS field office serves Iowa?
- The Des Moines Field Office in the Neal Smith Federal Building at 210 Walnut Street serves most of Iowa. USCIS assigns many western Iowa ZIP codes to the Omaha Field Office in Nebraska, so check your appointment notice for your assigned office.
- Does Iowa have an immigration court?
- No. The Executive Office for Immigration Review does not operate a court in Iowa. Iowa cases are generally heard at the Omaha Immigration Court in Nebraska, and foreign language documents filed with the court generally need certified English translations.
- Does USCIS require notarized translations in Iowa?
- No. USCIS requires certified translations, meaning the translator signs a statement attesting to the accuracy of the translation and their competence to translate. Notarization matters in Iowa mainly when a translated document will go through the state's apostille process for use abroad.
- Can Iowa apostille an out-of-state or federal document?
- No. Iowa certifies only documents signed by an Iowa notary or Iowa elected official. Documents from another state must be authenticated by that state's own authority, and federal documents such as FBI background checks go to the US Department of State in Washington, DC.
- How do foreign-educated nurses get licensed in Iowa?
- Through the Iowa Board of Nursing, which requires a CGFNS Professional Report, such as a Credentials Evaluation Service report or VisaScreen certificate, sent directly to the board. The CGFNS report replaces direct transcript submission from your nursing school, and most applicants also need an English proficiency test. Confirm current requirements with the board.
A translation error is ours to fix
If your certified translation is rejected because of a translation error we made, we correct it at no charge, and if the corrected translation is rejected again for that same error we refund what you paid for it. Our Refund Policy sets out the conditions and what it does not cover. Your documents are encrypted and kept confidential from start to finish.
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