Legal, Certified, and Sworn Translations: What’s What and What Do I Need
Do you need translation for an important document? Not sure whether you should request legal, certified, or sworn translation services? Read on to find out how you can differentiate them.
If you need to have important documents translated, the first thing you should do is hire a professional translation agency to help you. But before you get the project started, you should understand what type of translation you are seeking.
Should you ask for legal translation or a certified document translation service? If you're confused by this query, trust us, you're not the only one. That's why we'll help you understand what legal, certified, and sworn translations are and what exactly you need for your project.
Legal Translation
Legal translation is a type of specialized translation that consists of translating texts related to the law from one language to another. It includes translating various documents, from legal agreements and legislative texts to articles on legal themes.
Being specialized in the field of law, legal translators understand the legal practices of their target country. They also possess legal terminology and knowledge necessary for this type of translation.
Legal documents usually need to be certified to be considered valid and official in the eyes of the law.
Certified Translation
Certified translations are provided by accredited translation companies guaranteeing the quality and accuracy of the translation. It means that the translation agency has issued a certificate that ensures the final document corresponds to the original version.
Certified translations are usually required for formal procedures and legal purposes. That's why these projects are done by experienced translators who specialize in the relevant field and legal translation services.
Sworn Translation
A sworn translation is a document that has been signed and sealed by an authorized (sworn) translator. Sworn translators are linguists who have been appointed by the legal authorities to provide official translations. A sworn translation has the same value as any other official documents in the eyes of the law.
In some cases, legal documents have to be certified by sworn translators to be considered equivalent to the original text.
Legal, Certified, or Sworn Translation: What Do I Need For My Project?
Legal translation is a translation used for legal purposes, so if your documents are of legal nature, you should opt for legal translation services.
For the target country to recognize the accuracy of your documents, they should be made official in the eyes of the law. Documents like birth certificates, employment contracts, and diplomas often require certified (or sworn) translations. That's why you should ask the relevant institution exactly what type of documentation you need to submit.
If you're still unsure whether you need legal, certified, or sworn translation, ask your translation partner for their professional advice.
As a Certified Translation Company, Language Buró offers document translation services for organizations and individuals who need their translation to be certified or sworn. Any official or legal certified translation services you may need will fall within our scope, as we have dedicated our years to cement this competency by always delivering certified and sworn translations that satisfy our customers' requirements. Contact us to get a free quote.