Certified Translation
What is a certified translation?
A certified translation is a translation that is officially recognised by the government or other relevant regulatory authority.
It is a translation that is performed by a professional translator and validated by a seal or certificate that attests to the accuracy and authenticity of the translation.
A certified translation are required in legal or official situations, such as immigration proceedings, university admissions, visa applications, contracts, school documents and other similar documents. In these cases, the translation needs to be officially recognized to be valid.
The certified translator is responsible for ensuring that the translation faithfully reflects the contents of the original document, and the certificate is a guarantee that the certified translation is accurate and reliable.
It is important to note that the certified translation is different from a regular translation. is carried out by an officially recognised translator and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity which guarantees that the translation faithfully reflects the content of the original document. In addition, certified translations have an extra cost compared to common translations due to the additional certification process.
In Portugal, the certification of a translation only has legal value if it is carried out by a notary or lawyer, as there are no sworn translators.
Notaries are professionals authorised by the Portuguese State to carry out public acts, including the certification of translations in order to guarantee their authenticity and accuracy.
The process for obtaining certification of a translation in Portugal involves several steps:
- 1. Why should I hire a professional translation company? It is essential to hire a professional translation company to ensure that the certified translation meets all the necessary quality requirements.
- 2. To get started, you need to provide the original document to the translation company, so their professionals can ensure the accuracy of the translation and format the document accordingly.
- 3. Deliver the original document and the translation to the notary or lawyer: After the translation is complete, the original document and translation must be delivered to the notary or lawyer for comparison. It is crucial to follow these steps carefully to ensure that your certified translation is accepted and legally recognized.
- 4. Verification of the translation: To verify the accuracy and authenticity of a translation, a notary or lawyer will compare it with the original document.
- 5. Certification of translation: Once the translation is deemed accurate and authentic, the notary or lawyer will certify it with a signature or seal.
- 6. Presentation of the certified translation: The certified translation can then be presented to the relevant authorities, including immigration, universities, public bodies, and others.
It is important to bear in mind that this whole process of obtaining a certified translation entails extra costs charged by the notary or lawyer, and that the time needed to obtain a certified translation can vary depending on the complexity of the document and the availability of the notary or lawyer.
Examples of documents that typically require certified translations include:
- Birth certificates,
- Marriage certificates,
- Death certificates,
- Notarial deeds,
- Criminal Records,
- Driving Licenses,
- Judicial judgments,
- Reports and medical leave;
Certified Translation with Hague Apostille
The Hague Apostille is a method used to certify the authenticity of official documents, including certified translations,for international use. Typically issued by the Ministry of Justice, it confirms that the document is legally valid in another country.
The need to apostille a certified translation depends on the country of destination and the purpose of the translation. For example, if a person needs to submit a certified translation of a document for legal or official purposes in another country, it is likely that the translation will require an Apostille. By issuing an Apostille, the Hague Convention’s Apostille System provides proof that the translation was carried out by a qualified translator and is an accurate representation of the original document.
The Hague Convention is an international treaty that regulates the recognition of official documents between signatory countries. Portugal is a signatory country to the Hague Convention, which means that handouts issued by Portuguese authorities are recognized in other signatory countries.
In short, the apostille is necessary to guarantee the international validity of certified translations, especially in cases where the translation needs to be presented for legal or official purposes in another country.
For more information, consult the rules for certification at the
Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado.
FAQ's
A certified translation is a translation carried out by a professional translation company and certified as an accurate and complete translation of the original document.
In Portugal, certification is carried out by a notary or lawyer who certifies that the translation is a faithful and accurate representation of the original document. Certification includes an official stamp, the translator’s signature, a declaration that the translation is complete and accurate, and may be required for legal or official documents.
The documents that generally require certified translations are birth, marriage and divorce certificates, contracts, immigration documents, business documents such as proposals and agreements, and academic documents such as diplomas and school certificates.
Hiring a translation company for the certified translation of documents is important to ensure that official documents are translated accurately and can be recognised by the competent authorities. Hiring a translation company for the certified translation of documents guarantees that the translation fulfils all the necessary legal and official requirements.
