Who can be an interpreter for a USCIS interview?
Technically, an interpreter must be at least 18 years old, fluent in both English and the applicant’s language, and able to interpret impartially. But is that all?
Most of the “qualifications” focus on language skills — not on empathy, presence, or the ability to guide someone through emotionally charged moments.
Yet one of the most rewarding parts of interpreting for USCIS interviews is not just the words themselves.
People come to such interviews tense and anxious. They have a case to defend, but they’re unsure whether they can express what they truly mean.
And that’s precisely why they hire you – to be understood.
The moment you see them breathe easier, smile, and start speaking freely is the pinnacle of the interpreting experience.
It’s the moment of empathy.
The English word empathy is surprisingly recent: first used in the early 20th century as a translation of the German Einfühlung, meaning “feeling into.”
It is formed from the Greek prefix en- (ἐν), meaning “in, within,” and pathos (πάθος), meaning “feeling, suffering, or experience.”
Empathy means taking someone else’s pathos — their suffering — upon yourself.
You lighten their burden. They relax.
They may feel “pathetic” when they first arrive, but as you “feel into” their pathos, they suddenly feel lighter.
No machine can produce empathy, because machines cannot feel – much less “feel into.”
