Document translation officially means translating documents that are legally essential for different purposes. Such papers need some sort of official stamp to the transcribed documents. It is called a certified translation.

The document translation services are generally divided into two catetgories:

• Certified translation
• Notarised translation

Certified Translation Vs Notarised Translation

The certified translation is a service provided by any professional translators who has the required degree for it. His sign or stamp legally verifies that the copy of an original document has been created by the certified translator. It is must to have his sign or stamp on it.

A notarized translation represents the replica created in the very presence of the notary public. The professional translators create a duplicate of the original document and the notary public signs it. Then, he puts the stamp to authenticate it also.

This is how the notarized documents become an affidavit or sworn document, which can be used for any submission requiring this level of verification.

Typically, schools and universities require a notarized translation, which is submitted to the admission authority. Even, immigration department also needs it if one is going to take admission in the foreign university. It helps in verifying that the student has opted in what courses, degrees & diplomas previously.

Immigration authority gets a legal proof through these certified translations of immigration papers, birth certificate, business contracts and court transcripts etc.

Apostille & Legalisation of Translations

As aforesaid, the translated copies called transcriptions are meant for immigration purpose also. The stamp from a notary public is not enough for verifying. It needs the next level of legalization, which happens through two ways:

• Apostille
• Legalisation

An apostille translation means that the certificate has been verified, confirming that it has come from an original resource. A square-shaped stamp is put with a sign on the back of the transcript to make it apostilled. This service is required for those who need it to study in the member-countries of the Hague Convention, 1961.

The legalization is similar to Apostille services, but it is for the non-member countries of the Hague Convention.

Both of these services require a letter of authority, replica of documents plus documents in original to verify if the documents are original & authenticated.  The embassy or the foreign ministry or the immigration department provides both of these services.

Here is the list of documents that you need translation & legalization:

• Birth certificate
• Adoption paper
• Police Clearance Certificate
• Single Status Certificate
• Marriage Certificate
• Power of Attorney
• Teaching Credentials
• Immigration Documents
• School/ University degree, provisional and mark sheets
• Patents
• Affidavits
• Corporate Documents
• Distributorship Agreement
• Or Commercial Invoices etc.

Steps to follow before translation

• Find out your requirement

This step is important as you have to pay for it and sometimes, it would be the urgency. Without figuring out, you may have to start all over again. So, find out the format they want it in (is electronic enough or do they need its hard copy?) and what language variant they want, for example, simplified or traditional English/ French or any other one.

• Get it done from a certified translator

There are some approved translators, whose stamp proves that the work is carried out by a certified professional and approved translator.

Some countries won’t accept it if translated by any other one. Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects it if it’s not translated by an approved translator who is not enlisted. It is simply because they are officially trained and qualified in the past. So, there authenticity will be approved automatically.

• Format

The applicant may not know what type of format any document need for translation. It’s up to the translator who make it happens. But, if he is not certified, you may lose your valuable money and time. So, find out what format is required.

Typically, one needs:

1. an official paper
2. Sign of the translator
3. Seal/ stamp of the approved translator

• Quality

The quality does not matter in this case. As it’s been done by an approved translator, the quality is a given. It is simply because the translator has passed through examination and qualified for the role. However, it’s normal but, the immigration authorizes require it.

This is how one easily gets the translation document services.