If Mam, K’iche’, Q’eqchi’ or another Mayan language is the language you understand best, the US system has written rules about interpreters that can protect you, but the rule changes with the place. In immigration court, EOIR arranges the interpreter and the government pays. For an affirmative asylum interview and for a NACARA interview at USCIS, the rules say you bring and pay for your own. In health programs covered by the federal Section 1557 rule, the regulation says language help must be free. This page explains each rule, how to ask the immigration court for a Mayan-language interpreter, and how to describe your language variant using data from Guatemala’s Academia de las Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala (ALMG).
Quick summary: Immigration court: interpreter at government expense; ask no later than 30 days before the hearing, by oral motion at a master calendar hearing, written motion or written pleading, naming the language, spelling variants, dialect and the places where it is spoken (EOIR Practice Manual 3.10 and 3.14). USCIS affirmative asylum interview: you bring a competent interpreter, 18 or older, at no expense to USCIS (8 CFR 208.9(g)(1)); for the asylum merits interview after credible fear, the officer arranges one (208.9(g)(2)). NACARA: bring and pay for your own. Your own interpreter at USCIS: Form G-1256, signed in front of the officer. Covered health programs: language help free of charge; they may not make you bring or pay your own interpreter, and may rely on a minor child only as a temporary measure in an emergency involving an imminent threat to safety or welfare, when no qualified interpreter is immediately available, with the qualified interpreter who arrives confirming or supplementing what the child said (45 CFR 92.201).
This page is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your own case with an immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative.
Who provides the interpreter, place by place
| Where | Who arranges the interpreter | Who pays | How to ask / what to bring | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immigration court (EOIR) | The immigration court (staff, contract or telephonic interpreters) | Government | Oral motion at a master calendar hearing, written motion or written pleading, no later than 30 days before the hearing | EOIR Practice Manual 3.10 and 3.14 |
| USCIS affirmative asylum interview | You | You (at no expense to USCIS) | A competent interpreter fluent in English and your language, at least 18 | 8 CFR 208.9(g)(1) |
| USCIS asylum merits interview after a positive credible fear finding | The asylum officer | — | — | 8 CFR 208.9(g)(2) |
| USCIS NACARA interview (Form I-881) | You | You | A competent interpreter fluent in English and a language you speak fluently | Form I-881 instructions; USCIS NACARA page |
| Other USCIS interviews where you bring your own interpreter | You | — | Form G-1256, signed at the interview | USCIS Form G-1256 page and instructions |
| Health programs of a covered entity (Section 1557 rule) | The covered entity | Free of charge to you | You may not be required to bring or pay your own | 45 CFR 92.201 |
Sources: EOIR Immigration Court Practice Manual sections 3.10 and 3.14, eCFR (8 CFR 208.9, 45 CFR 92.201), USCIS Form G-1256 and I-881 instructions, all read on 16 October 2026.
Immigration court: the right and how to ask
The EOIR Immigration Court Practice Manual, section 3.10, says: “Interpreters are provided at government expense to individuals whose command of the English language is inadequate to fully understand and participate in removal proceedings”. It adds that “The immigration court will arrange for an interpreter both during the individual calendar hearing and, if necessary, the master calendar hearing”. The manual lists staff interpreters “employed by the immigration court, contract interpreters, and telephonic interpretation services”.
The interpreter takes an oath. Under 8 CFR 1003.22, any person acting as an interpreter in a hearing “shall swear or affirm to interpret and translate accurately, unless the interpreter is an employee of the United States Government”, in which case no oath is required (8 CFR 1240.5 has the same rule for hearings before an immigration judge under that part).
A note on section numbers: in the live manual, interpreters are section 3.10, and section 4.11 now covers decisions. The quotes on this page come from the live text.
Step by step: asking the court for a Mayan-language interpreter
- Find your next hearing. You need its date to count the 30 days. Our guide to checking your immigration court case explains how to check an EOIR case.
- Ask early. Section 3.10 says: “The respondent or the respondent’s attorney / practitioner of record should request an interpreter no later than 30 days before the next hearing where the interpreter services will be needed”.
- Choose how to ask. Section 3.14 says the party should request an interpreter “either by oral motion at a master calendar hearing, by written motion, or in a written pleading”. The manual says a written motion should be filed with a cover page labeled MOTION TO REQUEST AN INTERPRETER and should comply with the deadlines and requirements for filing.
- Give the language details the manual requires (next section). Section 3.14 says every request, oral or written, must contain them.
- At the hearing, the interpreter is sworn unless they are a US government employee (8 CFR 1003.22).
On waivers: EOIR Policy Memorandum PM 25-20 says that “many aliens, especially those with representation, may either not need language access services at all or may choose to waive them, particularly at a master calendar hearing, as long as the waiver is appropriate”. Our suggestion, not a rule from the manual: if you do not fully understand English, talk to your attorney or accredited representative before agreeing to go ahead without an interpreter.
What your request must say about your language
Section 3.14 lists what a request must contain:
- “the name of the language requested, including any variations in spelling”
- “the specific dialect of the language, if applicable”
- “the geographical locations where such dialect is spoken, if applicable”
- “the identification of any other languages in which the respondent or witness is fluent, if applicable”
- “any other appropriate information necessary for the selection of an interpreter”
For a Mayan-language speaker, the useful details are the ones from home: the language (for example Mam or K’iche’), the spellings you know it by, and the municipality and department in Guatemala where your variant is spoken. The ALMG language pages name those places. Do not guess a dialect label; give the place names.
Three Mayan languages and their speaker counts (ALMG data)
| Language | Speakers (ALMG, citing the 2018 INE census) | Where ALMG says it is spoken |
|---|---|---|
| Mam | 842,252 | Municipalities in Huehuetenango, Quetzaltenango, Retalhuleu and San Marcos (see below) |
| K’iche' | 1,680,551 | See our languages of Guatemala guide |
| Q’eqchi' | 1,370,007 | See our languages of Guatemala guide |
Source: ALMG pages for Mam, K’iche’ and Q’eqchi’, read on 16 October 2026.
ALMG writes “hay 842,252 habitantes que hablan el idioma Maya Mam” for Mam; “hay 1,680,551 habitantes que hablan el idioma Maya K´iche´” for K’iche’; and “hay 1,370,007 habitantes que hablan el idioma Maya Q´eqchi´” for Q’eqchi’. For Mam, ALMG writes: “Dicho idioma se habla principalmente en los municipios de Cuilco, La Libertad, La Democracia, Ixtahuacán, San Pedro Necta, Santiago Chimaltenango, Colotenango”, and in San Marcos “exceptuando Sipacapa todos los demás municipios del Departamento de San Marcos” (that is, every San Marcos municipality except Sipacapa).
These ALMG figures count people who speak each language. Our languages of Guatemala guide uses census counts of the language people learned to speak first, which measure something different, so the numbers do not match. That guide also covers all 22 Mayan languages and where each is spoken.
The EOIR pages we read do not say which Mayan languages each court has interpreters for, so ask early and give full details.
USCIS interviews: the rules are different
Affirmative asylum interview
Under 8 CFR 208.9(g)(1), “an applicant unable to proceed with the interview in English must provide, at no expense to USCIS, a competent interpreter fluent in both English and the applicant’s native language or any other language in which the applicant is fluent”. The same rule says “The interpreter must be at least 18 years of age” and warns: “Failure without good cause to comply with this paragraph (g)(1) may be considered a failure to appear for the interview for purposes of § 208.10”. Talk to an attorney or DOJ-accredited representative about your asylum case.
Asylum merits interview after a positive credible fear finding
For interviews under 8 CFR 208.2(a)(1)(ii), 208.9(g)(2) says that “if the applicant is unable to proceed effectively in English, the asylum officer shall arrange for the assistance of an interpreter in conducting the interview”.
NACARA interview
The Form I-881 instructions say “you must bring a competent interpreter with you to the interview” if you cannot proceed in fluent English, and that “USCIS will not pay for the interpreter”. The USCIS NACARA decision page says the same: “you must bring at your own expense, an interpreter who is fluent in English and in the language you speak”.
Form G-1256, when you bring your own interpreter
USCIS describes Form G-1256 as the form to “Record the presence of an interpreter that you have provided for your USCIS interview”. The USCIS page says: “Do not sign the form before the interview” and “You and the interpreter must sign the form in the presence of the interviewing officer”. The edition date USCIS lists is 08/10/15.
The G-1256 instructions say the interpreter must be fluent in English and in a language the interviewee understands, competent and impartial, and that “The interpreter also must be at least 18 years of age and cannot be a witness in the interviewee’s case”. If USCIS does not accept your interpreter, the instructions say you will be offered three options: continue with another acceptable interpreter, reschedule to find one, or continue voluntarily without an interpreter.
For the English test at the naturalization interview, the sources gathered for this page do not cover interpreter rules; see our N-400 guide.
Hospitals and health programs
The Section 1557 regulation, 45 CFR 92.201, says: “A covered entity must take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to each individual with limited English proficiency (including companions with limited English proficiency) eligible to be served or likely to be directly affected by its health programs and activities”. It adds that language assistance “must be provided free of charge, be accurate and timely, and protect the privacy and the independent decision-making ability of the individual with limited English proficiency”.
Among the things the regulation says a covered entity must not do in its health programs:
- “Require an individual with limited English proficiency to provide their own interpreter, or to pay the cost of their own interpreter”
- rely on a minor child to interpret, except as a temporary measure while finding a qualified interpreter in an emergency involving an imminent threat to the safety or welfare of a person or the public, when no qualified interpreter is immediately available, and the qualified interpreter who arrives confirms or supplements what the child communicated.
This is what the regulation says; the sources gathered for this page do not address how it is being enforced.
The policy background (2025-2026)
- Executive Order 14224 (March 1, 2025) says “English is the official language of the United States” and revokes Executive Order 13166 on limited English proficiency. The same order says “nothing in this order, however, requires or directs any change in the services provided by any agency”, and “Agency heads are not required to amend, remove, or otherwise stop production of documents, products, or other services prepared or offered in languages other than English”.
- DOJ’s limited English proficiency page (updated July 17, 2025) says “the Department of Justice has temporarily suspended the operations of lep.gov, pending an internal review”.
- EOIR Policy Memorandum PM 25-20 (effective February 6, 2025) says “Accordingly, DM 23-02 is rescinded and cancelled”, but also that EOIR “is committed to providing professional interpretive services in all appropriate cases”. It notes: “EOIR’s prior Language Access Plan is currently undergoing revision”.
As of our 16 October 2026 check, the court-interpreter wording in Practice Manual section 3.10 quoted above is live.
Interpreter or translator? The Guatemala side
An interpreter works with spoken language at a hearing or interview. A translator works with documents. If you need Guatemalan documents (birth certificates, police records) translated for a US case, that is a different service; see our guide to sworn translators in Guatemala.
Related
- How to check your immigration court case (EOIR)
- US citizenship for Guatemalans: Form N-400
- Languages of Guatemala: is Spanish enough?
- Sworn translator in Guatemala
- All diaspora guides
- All guides
Sources
- EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Immigration Court Practice Manual, 3.10 Interpreters: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-3-10 (fetched 16 October 2026)
- EOIR Immigration Court Practice Manual, 3.14 Master Calendar Hearing: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-3-14 (fetched 16 October 2026)
- 8 CFR 1240.5 (eCFR, current to 14 October 2026): https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-10-14/title-8.xml?part=1240§ion=1240.5 (fetched 16 October 2026)
- 8 CFR 1003.22 (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-10-14/title-8.xml?part=1003§ion=1003.22 (fetched 16 October 2026)
- 8 CFR 208.9 (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-10-14/title-8.xml?part=208§ion=208.9 (fetched 16 October 2026)
- USCIS Form G-1256 page: https://www.uscis.gov/g-1256 (fetched 16 October 2026)
- USCIS Form G-1256 instructions: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/g-1256instr.pdf (fetched 16 October 2026)
- USCIS Form I-881 instructions: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-881instr.pdf (fetched 16 October 2026)
- USCIS, NACARA 203: The Decision-Making Process: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum/nicaraguan-adjustment-and-central-american-relief-act-nacara-203-the-decision-making-process (fetched 16 October 2026)
- EOIR Policy Memorandum PM 25-20: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/media/1388776/dl (fetched 16 October 2026)
- Executive Order 14224, Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2025/03/06/2025-03694.txt (fetched 16 October 2026)
- DOJ Civil Rights Division, Limited English Proficiency: https://www.justice.gov/crt/limited-english-proficiency (fetched 16 October 2026)
- 45 CFR 92.201 (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-10-14/title-45.xml?part=92§ion=92.201 (fetched 16 October 2026)
- ALMG, idioma Mam: https://almg.org.gt/idioma_mam/ (fetched 16 October 2026)
- ALMG, idioma K’iche’: https://almg.org.gt/idioma_kiche/ (fetched 16 October 2026)
- ALMG, idioma Q’eqchi’: https://almg.org.gt/idioma_qeqchi/ (fetched 16 October 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay for a Mam or K'iche' interpreter in US immigration court?
No. The EOIR Immigration Court Practice Manual (section 3.10) says interpreters are provided at government expense to people whose command of English is not enough to fully understand and participate in removal proceedings. The manual lists three kinds: staff interpreters employed by the court, contract interpreters and telephonic interpretation services.
When do I have to ask the immigration court for an interpreter?
The manual says the respondent or the respondent’s attorney or practitioner of record should request an interpreter no later than 30 days before the next hearing where the interpreter will be needed. The court arranges the interpreter for the individual calendar hearing and, if necessary, the master calendar hearing.
How do I ask, and what do I have to say about my language?
Section 3.14 of the manual says you can ask by oral motion at a master calendar hearing, by written motion (cover page labeled MOTION TO REQUEST AN INTERPRETER) or in a written pleading. The request must give the name of the language including spelling variations, the specific dialect if applicable, the places where that dialect is spoken, any other languages you are fluent in, and any other information needed to select an interpreter.
Does USCIS give me an interpreter for my asylum interview?
For an affirmative asylum interview, 8 CFR 208.9(g)(1) says an applicant who cannot proceed in English must provide, at no expense to USCIS, a competent interpreter fluent in English and in the applicant’s native language or another language the applicant is fluent in. The interpreter must be at least 18. Failing to comply without good cause may be treated as a failure to appear. The exception is the asylum merits interview after a positive credible fear finding, where 8 CFR 208.9(g)(2) says the asylum officer arranges the interpreter.
What is Form G-1256?
USCIS uses Form G-1256 to record the presence of an interpreter you have provided for your USCIS interview. USCIS says not to sign it before the interview: you and the interpreter sign it in front of the interviewing officer. The instructions say the interpreter must be at least 18 and cannot be a witness in your case. The current edition date is 08/10/15.
Can a hospital make me bring my own interpreter or use my child?
The Section 1557 regulation, 45 CFR 92.201, says a covered entity must not require a person with limited English proficiency to provide or pay for their own interpreter. It also must not rely on a minor child to interpret, except as a temporary measure while finding a qualified interpreter, and only when all of these apply: there is an emergency involving an imminent threat to the safety or welfare of a person or the public, no qualified interpreter is immediately available, and the qualified interpreter who arrives confirms or supplements what the child communicated. The regulation also says language assistance must be free of charge, accurate and timely.
Did the 2025 executive order on English end interpreters?
Executive Order 14224 made English the official language of the United States and revoked Executive Order 13166 on limited English proficiency. The order itself says it does not require any change in the services agencies provide, and that agency heads are not required to stop services offered in other languages. When we checked on 16 October 2026, EOIR’s live Practice Manual still said court interpreters are provided at government expense.
