Let’s say you have to leave for an Erasmus abroad and are asked for certified translations of your degree diploma, or let’s say you are asked for sworn translations of the consolidated financial statements of a group of companies you are part of, would you know how to proceed? Perhaps first of all you would ask yourself: but…
Which certified translations do I need? What is it about?
To think that these are “simple” translations – that is, transpositions from language to language – would be wrong. Or rather, it’s not just about that.
The affixing “certified” is used precisely to indicate that, in addition to the translation, its validity for the intended use is certified. Added value is added to the final documentation, so that it can be delivered to the foreign recipient in complete safety.
In general, the certified translation service is usually performed for documents that fall within the sphere of public law. Public law includes all those relationships that are established between citizen and state. Certified translations fall within the public sphere and respond to a public interest.
However, you must pay close attention to which type of translation to request for the document to be presented, because each case is different. It is therefore necessary to study the nature of the original document and provide the most appropriate type of translation, in compliance with the regulations in force in the destination country.
Sometimes foreign bodies require that certified translations have ensured legal value, in other cases they do not raise this type of request.
Each type of document corresponds to a type of certified translation, and for each certified translation a series of specific skills and qualifications are required, which can only be achieved through years of training and experience.
Let’s see together below what the peculiarities of the different types of certified translation are.
Certified or authenticated translation
Since it is intended for the translation of documents that do not have actual legal value, even the certified translation itself does not require legalization. Various documents are included, from employment contracts, to tax invoices, to university diplomas. Officially it is the translator who takes care of the translation and the attestation of authenticity through the issuing of the CTA. This type of translation generally meets the requirements of English-speaking countries.
Sworn or certified translation
The sworn translation differs from the certified one by the type of documents to be translated. In fact, the translated document is given the same legal value as the original. These are mostly documents such as: notarial deeds, company documents, chamber of commerce certificates, public certificates.
The sworn translator is expected to go to Court to certify the translated document and to swear that it corresponds to the original. The complete documentation consists of the original document, translated document, oath (or sworn) report.
Legalized translation and Legalized translation at the Embassy
In the event that the sworn document requires validity abroad, the sworn is followed by the legalization phase in the Prosecutor’s Office or Prefecture. The legalized translation implies further authentication, but this time of the legal quality of the public official who attested the sworn translation. For member countries of the Hague Convention, it is possible to simply affix the Apostille stamp to confer legalization. While in the case of countries outside the Convention, the translation legalized at the Embassy requires a second legalization at the diplomatic representation offices.
Consequently, turning to professionals in the sector can certainly prove to be a winning move. An interpreting agency like LingoYou benefits from a varied team of expert translators specialized in different sectors and legal disciplines, ensuring a certified translation that is compliant and faithful to the original.
Guided by structured experience in the field, we will be able to advise you on the certified translation solution best suited to your documents and we will be able to follow the entire bureaucratic process on your behalf.
LingoYou Press Office
