Sworn translations (certified, sworn, official)
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a sworn translation (certified, sworn or official)?

As the certification process is not standardized globally, a sworn translation has a different meaning in each country. This usually means an officially accepted translation performed by a professional translator approved by the competent authority in the field in each country.

→ Some examples

• United States and United Kingdom do not use the sworn concept. Nevertheless, you may be required a “certified translation” or “notarized translation.” Certified translation is a translation with a letter (“affidavit” or “certificate of accuracy”) signed and dated by the translator or translation agency, stating that the translation performed is a true version of the original. This letter may be signed if necessary before a notary to make it even more official.

• In Canada, a certified translation is a translation by a certified translator who has successfully passed the standardized translation certification examination CTTIC (Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council), or who has been registered as a certified member of a professional association in one of the provinces of Canada. He signs each of his translations with the initials TA (“traducteur agréé”) or CT (“certified translator”).

• In Australia, only NAATI accredited translators (The National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) are allowed to produce certified translations.

• In Mexico, translators must submit an application to the Superior Court of Justice in one of the States of the Mexican Federation and pass a written and oral exam in order to obtain the official title of translator (“perito traductor oficial” - expert official translator) and be authorized to affix their signature and stamp on documents.

• In France, a "traduction assermentée" (sworn translation) is a translation performed by a sworn translator, that is to say, a person who has taken an oath before a court (Superior Court or Court of Appeal) and who is officially approved to provide a translation into the language combination in question.

• In Italy, translators have to go to Court for each of their sworn translations to be sworn before a notary public on the accuracy of the translation in regards to the original. This is why we apply higher management fees for this country.

What documents require a sworn translation?
All documents to be produced before an official body or a State authority (universities, prefectures, municipalities, consulates, etc.), namely to obtain official documents (residence card, application for naturalization, and so forth), generally require a certified translation.

→ Some examples

• bailiff notices
• notary documents
• civil record certificates (birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate)
• contracts, financial statements and reports
• diplomas and transcripts
• documents relating to the adoption of a child

What are the prices and turn-around time?
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Sworn translations are usually sent by registered mail directly to your address. Please be aware that in theory, a certified translation has legal value only in hard copy format. This includes the original document (or a photocopy) attached to the translation, both authenticated by a signature and a stamp. If all you need is a digital copy via email, we will not charge any shipping fees.

Is it possible to certify an already translated document?
Unfortunately, a sworn translator cannot use an existing translation, because any certified translation must be translated fully and personally by the certified translator; this is because it involves civil and criminal liability for the translator.

Is a sworn translation in one country valid for all other countries?
A translation performed by a sworn translator is usually officially recognized throughout the country in question. However, its recognition abroad can only be assessed on a case by case basis, according to the specific needs of the requesting authority. For example, a translation performed in France by a translator sworn before a French court will not necessarily be recognized in Australia or Canada. That is why, at Translated, we always strive to select a competent translator directly in the recipient country of the document to ensure its acceptance by the local requesting authority.

Translated does not provide translation legalization service*.

* Legalization means the procedure by which a State authority certifies the authenticity of the signatures affixed on a document when there is no mutual recognition agreements for certified translations between the two countries.

FWIW, this is how the Bureau BTV describes the swearing-in process:

How can I be sworn in as an interpreter or a translator?
If you wish to become a sworn interpreter or translator, you must first file a request for registration in the Register. It will then be established whether you meet the registration conditions under the Decree on Registration in the Register. If so, you will be registered in the Register by Bureau Wbtv. You will then receive proof of registration. With that proof of registration you may file a request to be sworn in before the court of your place of residence. You will then automatically receive an invitation from the court to appear at a hearing. During that hearing you will take the oath or make a solemn undertaking, after which you will be sworn in by the judge. You will then receive an instrument of administration of an oath. To complete your file, you must then send a copy of that instrument to Bureau Wbtv. You will then be officially sworn in as an interpreter and/or translator and will be registered as such in the Register.
http://www.bureaubtv.nl/en/swearingin/

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Note added at 2 days1 hr (2015-02-02 13:05:34 GMT)
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@Stieneke: this is in fact the literal translation for 'akte van beëdiging' but, as some other colleagues have pointed out, it may sound awkward or even be unclear to UK or US native speakers. I'm not sure though if there's a better solution. The real problem here is that the certification process for translators is not standardized globally.

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Note added at 2 days1 hr (2015-02-02 13:11:01 GMT)
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FWIW, here's what JurLex comes up with:

beëdiging
swearing-in, administration of the oath
na zijn beëdiging
after he had been sworn in,
after he had been put under oath
beëdiging van het kabinet
swearing-in of the government
uw proces-verbaal van beëdiging
record of the oath

akte
instrument, deed
(hist.) indenture
(m.b.t. procedure) motion
(processtuk) document, record
(...)
akte van beëdiging
instrument of administration of an oath

Het feit dat de akte wordt opgesteld en afgegeven door een rechtbank rechtvaardigt m.i. de keuze voor de term 'instrument' (en niet bijv. 'certificate' o.i.d.).






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Note added at 2 days3 hrs (2015-02-02 15:27:23 GMT)
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Perhaps you could rephrase as "Official (court) document evidencing the administration of an oath" .... Rather long, I know, but at least it's accurate :-).