People who move from Latin America bring medical papers in Spanish: a vaccination card, lab results, surgery reports, a specialist’s summary. This guide explains what needs translating, for whom, and what the rules in force in 2026 say.

The vaccination card

CDC says only written documentation counts as evidence of a previous vaccination. It also says vaccines given outside the United States can generally be accepted as valid if the schedule is similar to the one recommended here (CDC, special situations). Whether a dose counts is up to the doctor or clinic.

A good translation of the card keeps everything exactly as written:

  • the date of every dose;
  • the name and brand of every vaccine;
  • lot numbers;
  • seals and signatures, which our translation shows in brackets.

For school in Florida. The school immunization certificate (form DH 680) is completed by a Florida-licensed physician or advanced practice registered nurse, or by the county health department (Florida Department of Health). Whether a translation is required varies by county. Sarasota, for example, only asks for translation of records written in a non-Latin alphabet. Call your county health department first.

For USCIS. If the card goes to the I-693 medical exam, the I-693 instructions say to bring your vaccination records to the first appointment. If that Spanish document is submitted to USCIS, 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(3) requires a full English translation certified as complete and accurate.

Medical records for a U.S. doctor

A new doctor, a second opinion, an insurance or disability claim: these are the moments when it helps to bring your records translated. The translator interprets nothing the doctor wrote. Lab values, doses and diagnoses are copied exactly.

Free machine translators are risky with this kind of text. The federal Section 1557 rule itself says that if a provider uses machine translation for critical information, a qualified human translator must review it (45 CFR 92.201).

What to send us: every page in full, with legible stamps, including the lab pages. We count pages of up to 500 words.

Section 1557 in 2026, for clinics and practices

Many people heard that language rules in healthcare are gone. That isn’t accurate:

  • A federal court struck down parts of the 2024 Section 1557 rule in 2025. On June 2, 2026, HHS published the vacatur notice. The list covers only the gender-identity provisions, and the notice says the other provisions remain in force (Federal Register, June 2, 2026).
  • The language-access section, 45 CFR 92.201, is not on that list. It requires covered providers to give meaningful access to people with limited English proficiency, free of charge, accurately and in a timely way. When translation is needed, it calls for a qualified translator.
  • The notice of available help (45 CFR 92.11) goes out in English and the 15 most common languages in the state, alongside documents such as discharge papers and consent forms. It is a notice that help exists, not an order to translate every document.
  • Separately, the Department of Justice withdrew its 2002 limited-English-proficiency guidance in March 2025, but said the obligation to comply with Title VI continues.

This is an informational summary, not legal advice. Each practice should confirm its obligations with counsel or with the HHS Office for Civil Rights.

What we deliver

Jorge Cardona translates and signs, with a double review and verification. You get one PDF with the signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy, a translation that mirrors the original’s layout, and a copy of the original. A vaccination card is usually 1 page: $29. Each additional page in the same order is $25, and we deliver 1 to 3 pages in 1–2 business days. If the receiving office asks for a notary, notarization adds $30 per order.

For clinics and hospitals. A patient’s records are priced per page, as above. The practice’s own materials, such as consent forms, discharge instructions, patient guides or notices, are quoted per word: from 9 cents a word, depending on volume, subject matter and deadline. If you update them often, recurring work is priced by volume. Always with a formal quote before we start. To see our work, we translate and certify the first 2 pages of one real document free, once per business or institution. Request the free sample. See more about medical document translation.

Sources

Fidelis Certified Translations is an independent translation service. It is not affiliated with USCIS, HHS or any U.S. government agency. This content is for information only; it is not medical or legal advice.

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