Certified Legal Translation is the production of a legal document and often needs to be an exact translation of the source text. It must be certified with the translator's signature and notarised in order to be accepted by courts and the authorities. A certified translation is the most common. However some organisations and, in particular courts, require sworn translations. You should always check what level or wording is required when requesting a translation.
Different governmental organisations and agencies - and even non-governmental organisations such as private universities - have special specifications in relation to certified translations.
Documents that may require certified translations include
birth certificates, diplomas, marriage certificates, medical records, passports, financial records...
Each country will have different requirements for certified translation as well as for the translation of documents. Please contact us at office(at)the-business-translator.com
and we will provide you with the necessary information.
A few examples:
In order to comply with Law #20,305, all public documents (including personal papers and some commercial contracts) have to be translated and signed by a ‘certified public translator’, whose seal and signature must to be legalised on each document by the translators' professional body of jurisdiction.
German regional courts (Landgerichte) have the power to appoint ‘sworn translators’.
In Indonesia sworn translators, often called certified or authorised translators, are individuals who have attended and passed translator qualification examinations in the field of law as organised by the School of Linguistics and Cultural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FIBUI). After graduating, they then swear an oath before the Governor of DKI Jakarta.
Both Italian courts and consulates have the power to appoint ‘official translators’ who must have passed an examination or provided proof of language proficiency (usually a university degree).
In Mexico, some local institutions, such as the Superior Court of Justice, require translators to pass a written and oral examination in order to be recognised as an expert or sworn translator.
Candidates are certified by the Association of Government Authorised Translators, after passing a very demanding examination. Successful candidates are then authorised by the Norwegian government to sign their translations, following the phrase ‘True Translation Certified’.
The standards of translation in Poland are regulated by a relevant department of the Ministry of Justice and every translator seeking to provide such services must pass a formal examination.
In South Africa, translators must be authorised by the High Court, and must use an original copy (or a sworn copy of an original) in their physical presence as the source text. Translators may only swear by their own translation. There is no requirement for an additional witness (such as a notary) to confirm the authenticity of the translation.
Only sworn translators can produce a sworn translation in Spain. To become a sworn translator in Spain, the candidate is required to pass an exam set by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
The ‘Kammarkollegiet’ is an official agency which authorises interpreters and translators, who must pass a very demanding examination set by the organisation. Certified translators hold a protected professional title, and their translations are deemed to be legal and binding for all legal purposes.
The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics states: "There is currently no universal form of certification required of interpreters and translators in the United States, but there are a variety of different tests that workers can take to demonstrate proficiency."
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