(and when do I need them)?
Lawyers and their clients working in more than one language are often confused as to what exactly constitutes a certified translation. Misunderstanding when a translation must be certified can mean paying more for a service that could have been had for a much cheaper price.
A certified translation is a document that has been translated from one language into another by a translator who has been accredited by a governing body to produce certified translations. Certified translations are accompanied by a signed statement by the certified translator, attesting to the translations completeness and accuracy.
A certified translation thus bears the stamp and signature of the translator, and is received as a hard copy document.
When do you need a certified translation?
Certified translations are most often needed in specific cases where a translation of an official document must conform with certain standards in order to be accepted by the authority receiving it. When in doubt, check with the legal or administrative authority in question to see if translations must be certified or not.
Translations must often be certified for certain cases such as:
- Court documents
Trials transcripts evidence in different languages must be translated by a certified translator in order to be admitted by courts.
- Immigration documents
All documents in a foreign language that are submitted to immigration authorities must be translated and certified: birth certificates, marriage certificates, bank account statements, etc.
- University diplomas
It is common for universities and colleges to require certified translations of school transcripts and grades from institutions that teach in foreign languages.
- Business or corporate documents
Corporations and companies with international offices often have reporting requirements in multiple languages, and often use certified translations to ensure that what they publish is translated as accurately as possible. These may include financial reports, contracts, patent filings, etc.
When dont you need a certified translation?
Its important to understand that certified translations are not necessarily better than non-certified translations: they are often just more expensive. Because certified translations must go through an additional step, whereby a translator certifies the accuracy of his or her translation, such translations are generally charged at a premium. This can run from $50 to $150 per page, depending on the type of document being translated.
However, the large majority of texts translated today do not need to be certified, and are therefore to be had at a much cheaper price. Examples of texts that dont require certification:
- CVs & Resums
- Employee handbooks
- Marketing materials
- Websites
- User manuals
Its important to determine whether your documents must be certified before paying a translator to translate your documents for you. When in doubt, always check with the institution or body to which you are submitting your documents. Asking a few questions can save you money.
Where do you get a certified translation?
Most reputable translation agencies can provide you with certified translations for a fee. For example, Qualia Translations has a network of certified translators available to provide translations in many different language combinations. Agencies will often have a two-step process to verify the accuracy of the translation: first the document is translated by a certified professional, and then this translation is checked by another translator and/or proofreader to check its accuracy.
Only once the document has been vetted by these two professionals does it receive the certification.
Non-certified translations are generally much less expensive, but are often done by the same translators who provide certified translations. Check with a reputable agency or translator to make sure youre getting exactly what you need.
About the author:
Gregory Flanders is a freelance translator specializing in legal and financial translations for over fifteen years. He has worked with many international corporations and law firms and has translated several books into English. He is the head writer at Translator University, a website dedicated to helping bilingual professionals monetize their language skills and find new opportunities in the translation industry.
