The Basics of a Certified Translation

What is a Certified Translation?

A certified translation means a document has been checked to make sure it is completely authentic, accurate, and true to the original intention of the source document. Any professional translator should give you an assurance that a document is accurate. Once it is certified, it can be used as a legally approved document.

Legal Documents Demand Certified Translations

It is imperative to have certified translations because without them a document could contain misappropriated information for the local language it is being translated for. Many errancies are likely to occur, such as altering the meaning of a sentence or word, when a non-certified translator crafts a translation, regardless of the industry. In normal letters and books that may be okay, but in the case of stringent law systems and legal documents, everything must be correct.

One example might be that a nonnative wishes to stay in the United States and needs all of their papers to be translated into English. If they translate it themselves, the person could have to wait a long time for it to be evaluated by several levels of bureaucracy. The courts would need to decide if the documents are a correct translation. If the nonnative goes through the certification process, then the legal process will go significantly smoother. This is because the courts will recognize the translation as being authentic.

Immigration Requires Certified Documents

For U.S. Immigration, certified translations are vital in the process of becoming a citizen. All foreign documents such as birth certificates and visas must be translated correctly into English. Certified translations are also important for schools and colleges. When you’re joining a university, college or school, they will want to know what diplomas you have.

Certified translations are also crucial to multinational companies. A business may need to provide reports about their finances from abroad. If those documents are in a foreign language, they may need to be translated first. For large companies, they may need a certified translation if they are dealing with important legal documents, or with the companies’ stakeholders.

Normally you should not try to create your own certified translations. Often enough, governments will want a third party to provide the translation. This is because they want to affirm that the document is authentic and has no traces of forgery. Governments also need to be sure the document does not contain false details. When dealing with immigration matters, all of these areas are imperative to producing a high quality certified translation.