Translations are provided for all NIH staff holding a current NIH ID with Library privileges.

The Translation Unit provides oral and written translations of materials required to carry out NIH programs. These materials range from research publications to letters and diplomas. Translations can be either all or part of a document. Oral translations can be conducted in-person or dictated to a cassette tape. 

Examples of other language services include assistance with overseas telephone calls, translations of bibliographic citations, and the location of existing translations.

For each item to be translated, complete form NIH-75, Request for Translation Service:

[PDF 32KB]  [HTML]  [Word 49KB]

The completed form with the document to be translated is submitted to the Translation Office, Building 10, Room 1L21.  

NIH Staff may request one in-house written translation at a time; upon completion of the first translation, another request may be submitted. More than one outside translation can be processed simultaneously. Determination of the timing and quantity of in-house oral translations is made on a case by case basis. Appointments for oral translations can be made by calling 301-496-2257.

In-house translations of personal, work-related official documents (birth certificates, diplomas, passports, etc.) are offered free of charge primarily from French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish into English; translations of certain documents from English into Russian are also prepared free of charge. In-house translations into English of journal articles, reports, etc. are processed in the order received and prepared as time permits. Translations from other languages and from English into a foreign language must be contracted out at a cost. Rush translations may have to be contracted out at a higher than normal cost. The cost is billed to the requestor’s Institute/Center/Division.

For more information, call 301-496-2257.