Frequently Asked Questions

MotaWord provides professional translation services, interpretation services and Academic Evaluation and EOL (expert opinion letter) services. You can access the full service list of MotaWord on our “services” page. MotaWord is especially a solid choice for individuals and immigration lawyers who need fast, certified translations for official use, especially for USCIS, academic applications, or personal legal documents.

Yes, MotaWord is a corporate member of the American Translators Association. The American Translators Association was established to advance the translation and interpreting professions and to foster the professional development of its members. ATA members are trusted across the globe for their expertise, commitment to quality, and ability to convey what only humans can. The ATA Member Number for MotaWord is “M-103021”. More details about ATA, and MotaWord’s ATA membership can be found at this link.

Yes, MotaWord is a corporate member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. ITI is the professional home and community for translators and interpreters in the UK. As a global translation platform, our ATA and ITI membership and activities allow MotaWord to support the translation profession globally and to work with the best the industry has to offer. MotaWord’s corporate ITI Membership number is “00028869”. More details about ITI and MotaWord’s ITI membership can be found at this link.

MotaWord relies upon technology and our network of globally distributed freelance translators. We always recruit professional translators to work on our platform and our language list grows every day. Currently, we have over 26,000 translators providing service in 120+ languages. You may see a list of languages MotaWord supports here.

Hello colleague. It is important for us as a global operator to make sure that we have enough talented translators for cross-languages before we display a language pair on our system (German into Thai, anyone?). If you would like to apply to work as a translator with MotaWord you may do so here.

We support a variety of file formats and the list grows every day. You may upload these file formats for an instant quote MS Office Legacy (.doc, .ppt, .xls), MS Office Modern (.docx, .pptx, .xlsx), Open Office (.odt, .odp, .odg), text-based (.txt, .pdf, .srt, .sbv, .xliff), programming (.html, .htm, .xhtml, .ini, .xml, .json, .php), DITA XML formats -.dita or .ditamap. To see the full list of the supported file formats, click here. For special file requirements you may contact us via our live-chat feature 24/7.

The documents you submit online are safe with us. MotaWord uses an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate, dedicated servers, and (most importantly) vetted translators who sign non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements. MotaWord also is the most secure translation provider with an active SOC 2 Type II certificate with ongoing pentests which allows us to handle documents online for highly sensitive industries such as finance, healthcare, military and government.

You may use any major credit card to pay for your translation service on MotaWord. You may also talk to us directly via our 24/7 available live-chat to explore payments via PayPal or wire transfer. Corporate account holders may get billed at the end of each month for the services performed. To learn more about MotaWord Corporate Account you may click here.

We love good company and welcome you to reach out to us with projects that may benefit us and our clients. We are proud of our partnerships with leading technology platforms such as Clio, VisaLaw.ai, DocketWise and associations such as American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Please email us at info@motaword.com.

MotaWord completes certified translation related files within 12 hours but that is an upper limit. Most certified translations of simple documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas or police clearance certificates are delivered within 4 to 6 hours. The speed advantages of MotaWord begin at the “instant quote” stage and continue with the 24/7 available distributed and global workforce to automated project management tools the system uses. In order to understand what makes MotaWord faster and superior to other translation services you may read this article.

MotaWord is trusted by many lawyers and clients for immigration purposes in the United States, UK and Canada and our certification is valid for all uses in these countries. MotaWord is a corporate member of the ATA (American Translators Association) and ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) in the UK. For all other countries you may reach out to us via our live-chat and ask us directly.

Your completed certified translation will be emailed to the address you used to order your project with us. Your Client Dashboard will also have your completed translation projects and you can download, review, share, reach out to us and get new projects started directly via your dedicated dashboard. This handy Client Dashboard Guide shows you all you can do in your MotaWord dashboard. For all questions or additional requests you may contact us via our live-chat function available 24/7.

On your dashboard, go to the "Projects" tab and select the project for which you need the invoice. Then, click on the invoice icon to view and download it. Our Client Dashboard Guide shows you all you can do in your MotaWord dashboard. For all questions or additional requests you may contact us via our live-chat function available 24/7.

To check your project's progress, go to the "Projects" tab on your dashboard. You'll be able to see the current status there. Once your project is completed, you will receive an email with a download link, and the project will be marked as "Completed" on your dashboard. Our Client Dashboard Guide shows you all you can do in your MotaWord dashboard. For all questions or additional requests you may contact us via our live-chat function available 24/7.

Yes, MotaWord can provide you with same day service for most your certified translation needs. Please get a quote like you would regularly do on MotaWord and reach out to us directly via chat to inquire whether we can accommodate your deadline. Get your same day certified translation project started by getting an instant quote here.

Yes, online translations are accepted by USCIS and they are much more convenient to access. MotaWord’s instant quote system allows you to order your translation projects instantly and get them in your inbox within hours. Saving you time and hassle. You can read the detailed USCIS translation instructions from this comprehensive guide; Navigating USCIS Certified Translation: Your Essential Guide.

MotaWord provides an academic evaluation for $65 within 72 hours. Same-day delivery is available for the same academic evaluation if ordered before 3 PM EST and costs $115. If your diplomas or transcripts are not already translated (which is a requirement for obtaining an academic evaluation) our automated system can quote you on the translation and academic evaluation at the time of order. To get an instant and no-obligation quote for your academic evaluation visit MotaWord’s quote page now.

We deliver basic academic evaluations within 72 hours. Same-day delivery is available for the same academic evaluation if ordered before 3 PM EST for an additional fee. Translation requirements for diplomas or transcripts can cause delays so make sure to order translations of your foreign language documents also.

Yes, same thing. Credential evaluation, diploma evaluation, foreign degree evaluation and academic evaluation all name a report that states what your foreign education equals in the US system. If the terminology trips you up, our guide to understanding diploma evaluation walks you through the whole process step by step.

If your diplomas or transcripts aren't in English, you'll need certified English translations, and with MotaWord you can order the certified translation and the academic evaluation together in a single order. Upload your documents through our evaluation quote form and we'll price the certified translation and the evaluation together, with the translation cost added to your total and your delivery time adjusted to match.

Already have certified translations? Upload them alongside clear copies of the originals and we'll attach them to your evaluation. Not sure what makes a translation certified? Our essential guide to certified translations for USCIS lays out exactly what the requirements are before you order.

A course-by-course evaluation does the conversion for you. It turns each grade into a US letter grade and calculates your cumulative GPA on the American 4.0 scale, so if admissions is your goal, ordering a course-by-course evaluation gives US schools a GPA they can compare directly with domestic applicants.

Most US schools ask for one when you apply with foreign transcripts, usually a course-by-course evaluation showing US credits, letter grades and GPA. Schools also use it to decide on transfer credit. Each school sets its own rules, so confirm which type they want before you order.

No, MotaWord is not a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) or AICE (Association of International Credential Evaluators). Many US colleges and universities prefer credential evaluations from agencies accredited by NACES or AICE, so we strongly recommend verifying with your prospective schools whether this membership is a requirement before ordering an evaluation from us.

Employers often want proof that your foreign degree meets the job's minimum education requirement, and federal agencies require foreign education to be evaluated. What each employer accepts varies, so ask which type they want; our academic evaluation for employment in the US is tailored for exactly that situation.

Oftentimes, yes. When your case rests on a foreign degree (H-1B, EB-2 and EB-3 petitions are the usual examples), USCIS expects an evaluation stating that degree's US equivalency. Our reports use AACRAO EDGE and follow USCIS requirements, and our education evaluation page for H-1B visa applications is the best place to start if that's your case.

An Expert Opinion Letter is a piece of supporting evidence prepared for employment-based visas. Each Expert Opinion Letter is written by a university professor or industry authority who has relevant expertise in the field of employment. Expert Opinion Letters can address a range of issues, including the beneficiary’s background, the position itself, or both, within the context of the complex requirements of visa categories such as H-1B, L-1, and O-1, providing the expert testimony needed to support the petition or counter an RFE/NOID.

MotaWord provides authoritative Expert Opinion Letters for employment-based visa applications, including H-1B, L1A, L1B, TN, EB-2, and NIW categories. Our EOLs are prepared by subject matter experts from accredited universities and address critical aspects of visa petitions.

Each letter is tailored to your specific visa category and case requirements. Please contact us directly to discuss your EOL needs, required documentation, timeline, and pricing.

Yes. Our experts address the usual challenge areas: specialty occupation, beneficiary qualifications, and managerial capacity. Upload the USCIS notice with your documents so the letter answers their specific concerns. Our guide to what to do after you receive an RFE walks through your next steps.

They answer different questions, which is why we offer them as complementary services. An academic evaluation converts your degree into its US equivalent, while an expert opinion letter adds a professor's assessment of the role or of experience-based equivalency. Our academic evaluation services cover the degree side, and our article on the role of academic evaluations in H-1B cases shows how the two fit together.

It depends on what approach you will use to translate your website and also on how many languages you need, size of your content and in certain cases, the number of visitors to your site. MotaWord Active Localization Tool starts free, covering 1 language and up to 5 pages. Starter costs $49.99 a month for 3 languages and 20 pages. You can try any plan free for 14 days through our website translation service, and we can always assist via our live chat to help you choose.

Yes, with MotaWord Active Localization Tool. It requires no coding, applies machine translation as a first pass, and lets professional translators post-edit whatever you want polished. New content you publish gets machine translated on its own, while post-editing can always be ordered by you whenever needed. Our guide to translating a website automatically with MotaWord Active Localization Tool walks through how the setup works in practice.

No. You can start with your highest-traffic pages and buy professional post-editing for those only, then expand when it pays off. Our breakdown of full versus partial website translation strategies helps you decide where to draw the line for your own site.

Yes, MotaWord Active Localization Tool applies the multilingual SEO practices Google lays out and creates a localized version of each page, so those pages collect impressions and traffic like any other. Multilingual SEO means optimizing each language version of your site so search engines show the right page to the right audience. You can verify them in Google Search Console and track them in tools like Semrush and Ahrefs. Our explainer on SEO localization goes deeper on how localization affects your rankings.

Yes we can but it requires a bit more work. Text on your pages gets translated automatically, but text embedded inside images doesn't. Our desktop publishing service can recreate those images in your target languages at an additional cost, and you then upload them to your pages. For videos, we offer localization with voice-over or subtitles.

Yes MotaWord Active Localization tool supports hreflang tags. Hreflang tags tell Google which language and regional version of a page to show a searcher, such as hreflang="es" for Spanish. Different versions of the same language, like US, UK, and Australian English, each need their own tags. Our article on why website localization takes more than translation explains how hreflang fits alongside target-language SEO and page speed.

You need a way to serve a translated version of every page and a plan to keep them updated. MotaWord Active Localization Tool handles both without coding on your side: our IT team helps you install a code snippet, and your site goes multilingual in a few minutes. You can publish right away or polish the translations first. If you'd rather map out the steps yourself, our guide to making a website multilingual in five steps walks you through the process.

The right choice depends on the size of your site, your budget, and how much human post-editing you want. MotaWord Active works with WordPress as well as Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, and Drupal, and it pairs machine translation with professional post-editing when you need it. Our comparison of MotaWord and WordPress translation plugins shows where the two approaches differ.

The price depends on your language pair, location, session length, and interpretation mode. It's calculated in real time when you book, so you see it before you confirm. Our guide to booking on-site interpretation services in the US walks through the booking process step by step.

In consecutive interpretation, one person speaks and the interpreter renders the message before the conversation continues. It suits depositions, clinical appointments, and school meetings. Simultaneous interpretation runs in real time with booths and receivers, which fits conferences and town halls. A third format, escort interpretation, keeps one interpreter with your group through facility tours, audits, and trade shows. Our guide to conference interpretation for corporate events goes deeper on simultaneous setups.

Yes. We match court-certified and state-registered interpreters when the matter requires them, and depositions and attorney-client meetings are common consecutive assignments. Our guide to court interpreter services for attorneys and legal support teams covers legal assignments in more detail.

On-site puts an interpreter in the room, which is the right call for high-stakes, physically complex conversations or anything that moves through a space, like a facility tour. VRI connects an interpreter by live video, so you keep visual context without the travel. OPI is audio only and works best for short, transactional calls that need to start in seconds. Our comparison of on-site, VRI, and OPI interpretation helps you choose for each assignment.

Pricing is calculated in real time from your language, session length, and session type, so you see the cost before you book. There are no RFQ email chains to wait on. You can get an instant quote through our video remote interpretation service by entering your language pair, date, and duration.

Yes. Our interpreters join on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Google Meet, and most EHR, LMS, and enterprise platforms that accept a participant link or dial-in. You add the meeting link to your session details, and the interpreter joins like any other participant. Our guide to corporate interpretation services for multilingual business communication covers how teams use interpreters in HR, training, and vendor meetings.

Our workflows are built to HIPAA standards, and we sign Business Associate Agreements with covered entities. MotaWord is also SOC 2 Type II certified. Our guide to VRI for healthcare providers and telehealth programs covers how it fits into patient visits.

No. A laptop, tablet, phone, or conference room system with a working camera, microphone, and stable internet is enough. Good audio matters more than expensive equipment.

Start by choosing your language pair and getting an instant quote for on-demand or scheduled phone interpretation, then confirm the booking. On-demand calls connect as soon as you dial the access number, while for scheduled calls the interpreter joins your dial-in at the booked time. You don't need anything special. A landline or a mobile phone does the job, and the interpreter can also join a conference bridge on Zoom Phone, Microsoft Teams, RingCentral, or Genesys. Our step-by-step guide to getting OPI services in the US goes further if you want every detail of the process.

On-demand calls typically reach a qualified interpreter within seconds for top-demand languages and within a minute or two for less common ones.

We cover 120+ languages, including commonly requested US languages like Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Arabic, and Haitian Creole, plus less common languages that many vendors struggle to source. For the rarer ones, scheduling ahead is the safer route.

Yes. It covers triage, scheduling, pharmacy call-backs, and follow-ups, with HIPAA-compliant workflows and interpreters credentialed through CCHI or NBCMI. Our guide to medical interpreter services for hospitals and clinics explains how they fit into patient-facing workflows.