Certified Translation
What is english translations?
A certified translation is officially recognized by the government or other relevant regulatory authorities. 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.
Certifiedtranslations 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 thecertified translationis accurate and reliable.
It is important to note that thecertified translation is different from a regular translation. A certified translation is performed by an officially recognized translator and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity that ensures that the translation faithfully reflects the contents of the original document. In addition, certified translations have an extra cost compared to common translations due to the additional certification process.
In Portugal, it is only legal for a notary or lawyer to carry out the certification of a translation, as there are no sworn translators.. In Portugal, notaries are authorized professionals who can perform public acts, including certifying translations to ensure 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 note that obtaining a legally certified translation involves additional costs charged by the notary or lawyer, and the time required to complete the process may 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.
Whether a certified translation requires an Apostille will depend on the purpose and destination country. 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.
To ensure the international validity of a certified translation, an apostille is often required, particularly if the translation needs to be submitted for legal or official purposes in another country.
