What is a sworn/certified/legal/notary public translation?
A Sworn translation simply refers to an authorized translation service, used to translate legal documents or certificates. The document is endorsed by the signature and seal of a sworn Translator who is authorized by the foreign office to translate official documents. This endorsement grants the document an official, formal status and a legal value that is equivalent to the original document. This means that the translator takes full responsibility for the accuracy of the document. This includes birth certificates, university degrees, academic records, certificates of incorporation, statutes and other official documents.
What is a certified translation?
Certified translation refers to a translation which fulfills the requirements in the country in question, enabling it to be used in formal procedures, with the translator accepting responsibility for its accuracy. These requirements vary widely from country to country. While some countries allow only state-appointed translators to produce such translations, others will accept those carried out by any competent bilingual individual. Between these two extremes are countries where a certified translation can be carried out by any professional translator with the correct credentials (which may include membership of specific translation associations or the holding qualifications). Certified translations are mandatory for legal documents such as immigration papers, birth certificates, business contracts, and court transcripts.
What is a legal translation?
A legal translation is the translation of texts within the field of law. As law is a culture-dependent subject field, legal translation is not necessarily linguistically transparent. In-transparency in translation can be avoided somewhat by use of Latin legal terminology, where possible.
What is a notary translation?
A notarized translation requires a notary public to witness the certification process. To acquire a notarized translation, the translator signs the certificate of authenticity in front of the notary. The notary then signs and stamps the document. This signed document becomes known as an affidavit, and can be used for any submission requiring this level of verification. A notarized translation is typically requested by various schools and universities for verification of application documents, previous courses taken, and diplomas in a language foreign to the school.
Why is a sworn translation important?
When certain types of documents are being translated, it is essential to have a guarantee of accuracy and legal recognition. More so if you need to present these documents to an official body, such as a court, university or a notary. In such cases, a Sworn translation is often mandatory.
A non-sworn translator cannot officially guarantee the accuracy of a translated document, as they are not qualified to do so. Thus, a regular translation of such documents will hold no value in the eyes of the authorities. A sworn translator officially guarantees the accuracy of the translated documents by signing and stamping the documents, and the assigning of a unique registration number. They also provide their credentials and contact details. When submitting legal documents, a certified translation is often obligatory.
Who is a sworn translator?
A sworn translator is a translator who has been officially sworn in by the court and is authorized to issue certified or sworn translation(s).
Is it worth paying extra for a sworn translation?
Oh yes, to a greater degree! In the translation industry, sworn translators are considered to possess the highest level of expertise. And more to that, a sworn translator is expected to be extra careful when working! More notably, a sworn translator never should he/she be slack when researching. If they are, they run the risk of being charged with negligence, perjury, or even contempt of court.
Sworn translators need to have a thorough understanding, of both the terminology and phrasing, of the languages they translate into. They agree to abide by precise rules, and to be bound by an ethical code.
Point to Note:
Sworn translation(s) can only be provided in hard copies, given that they need to be signed and stamped by the translator. However, the original documents can be passed on in any form (email, fax, among others).
As a result, Sworn translation(s) end-up more costly than any-other translation service. Nevertheless, if you need it, it’s worth extra penny!
In conclusion
Distinct countries have distinct regulations, but if you need to certify a document, usually you have to use a certified/sworn translator. You may also have to submit additional documents, such as The Hague Apostille. In some instances, you may need to get legal approval from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI). (Chambers of commerce exist all over the world. They do no have a direct role in creating laws or regulations, though they may be effective in influencing regulators and legislators with their organized lobbying efforts). Regulations vary from country to country, so it is best to check with your Language Service Provider before proceeding.
All in all, Translate 4 Africa Limited prides oneself on having a number of qualified Certified Translators! For more info, please get in touch with us.
