Certified Translations

To put it in simple terms, a “certified translation” is a translation that has been signed, stamped and dated by an approved translator or translation company. The purpose of this is to declare that the translation is an accurate and true copy of the original text.

Essentially, when presenting official documents to authorities abroad, more often than not you will be requested to provide a certified translation. Unfortunately, without proper certification, your translation may not be accepted, even if it is free from errors. In short, official bodies, such as the Home Office, DVLA or Courts, may often request a certified translation when you have to present a legal document (i.e. Marriage or Divorce Certificate, Birth or Death Certificate or even Diplomas and Academic Qualifications) for a specific purpose. 

It is important to note that the characteristics or requirements of a certified translation may vary from country to country. Therefore, it is crucial to confirm what the common law is in the country that requested the certification. The reason behind this is fairly simple. Different certification guidelines exist due to convergences in legal systems. To illustrate, in country’s such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain, “sworn translators” are frequently requested, meanwhile there is no such law in the UK. This is why it is highly beneficial to conduct background research on the systems of the target country.

Are there different types of certification?

Yes.

  • Standard Certified Translations – This common type of certification is officially signed off by the approved translator or translation agency involved. This is accompanied by a cover letter outlining the full details of the translation and declaring that the completed translation is an accurate representation of the original. In the UK, a standard certification is usually enough for full legal use.
  • Notarised Translations – A notarised translation is officially signed by the translator or translation agency. However, this time the signature must take place in front of a solicitor or a public notary who also provides a signature to authenticate the legal use of the translated document.
  • Sworn Translations – A sworn translation requires a testimony to be made by the translator in front of a solicitor or public notary. The purpose is to declare that the translation is a the true representation of the original document. As previously mentioned, it is not a requirement in the UK despite being common law in countries such as France, Spain, Germany and Italy.
  • Apostille – Different to the other types of certification, this is when the final translation is sent to the Foreign Commonwealth Office for validation.

So, how can Easy Words help?

Fortunately, we are a registered member of the ATC (Association of Translation Companies), therefore we are entitled to provide certifications. As we are an approved translation provider, our certified translations are recognised by UK authorities. Our reliable certified translation services are available irrespective of the language combination and direction. 

If you would like an immediate quote, please do email us your document to: contact@easywords.co.uk. Alternatively, you can upload a scanned copy of your document via our contact form on the homepage.