What is a certified translation?

A certified language service is the one in which the translator or the language translation company has provided a signed statement stating that the translation that has been performed is an accurate and correct form of the original document.

But What is a Certified Translation?

If you are about to submit your green card application, don’t get confused about what is a certified translation. They are the type of translation services usually needed when submitting legal documents. These involve marriage, death, or birth certificates, supporting documents for immigration, adoption agreements, court transcripts, and business arrangements that are not written in the official language of the nation where the documents are to be submitted.

Do not get mixed between a certified translation and a certified translator, as these terms are different from one another. When a professional translator passes an examination and is certified by the American Translators Association (ATA), he or she is called a certified translator.

In the US, a certified translation consists of the following three elements:

1) The source language text

2) The target language text

3) A report approved by the translator or translation agency representative, with his or her signature (which can then be notarized by a Notary Public) verifying that the translator or translation agency considers the target language text to be a precise and complete translation of the source language text. Sometimes this report bears the title “Certificate of Accuracy”. ATA-certified professionals can put their translator seal the above-mentioned statement. Unless you need notarized translations, you don’t need to go to a notary public.

The ATA or a similar organization can certify translators. But a language expert does not have to be certified to provide certified language solutions to clients. It is a translation that any professional LSP or translator can provide you with. They can confirm it to be an accurate and precise translation of the original or source document. A signed Certificate of Accuracy is involved in the completed translation when presented to the client.

Who can certify a translation of my documents?

When people are asked to bring the translation of their vital records, whether it’s birth certificates or marriage certificates, they don’t often know who to turn to. But it is important to remember that you can’t turn to your friends for help with language combinations that they are fluent in. Only those familiar with the translation process can provide you with the right solutions. If you are submitting your green card application, then you will need to get all of your immigration documents translated and certified.

But your birth certificate translation cannot be certified by just about anyone. A language expert with a degree in translation and professional experience is the only one who can certify the translation of documents when you are applying for immigration to the United States. The language expert does not need to have ATA certification to certify your documents. But if the linguistic expert has the ATA certification, then they can put their official seal on their signed statement. If you can’t find a translator on your own, it is best to go to a reliable language services company.

Who to hire for translations of documents?

Translation service providers can offer you a certificate of translation for legal purposes only if they have experienced translators on their team. A professional association will have native experts on its team. The translation cost offered by such an agency will be very affordable. Even if you need notarized translations of your vital records, a good language service provider will be able to assist you.

If you want a translation for USCIS, you cannot turn to a bilingual friend. Choosing a public translator can also be a bad idea if you need their help with your immigration application. The translation for USCIS must come with the right type of certification, and that’s something that only qualified professionals can handle. The immigration authorities of the US require certified document translations with all the green card applications.

What are notarized translations?

People often get confused between certified and notarized translations. In most cases, when people require the translation of their vital records, they don’t need to go to the notary public. Notarized translations of vital records are only needed in specific situations. If you are submitting your green card application, you won’t need notarized translations of your vital records.

Certain government bodies require notarized translations of foreign language documents. There are also legal scenarios where notarized translations are necessary. If you don’t want to go to public notaries, you can get the help of a language service provider. They will make sure you get a notarized translation with the seal of the notary. In business, financial statements must be accompanied by notarized translations if they have to be shared with people in a foreign country.

Necessities for Certified Translations

Certified translations, particularly those that will be used for U.S. immigration purposes must meet the following necessities:

• Hire an expert translator or translation agency for certified translation services. Even if you are good in English and the source language, you are not qualified to handle the translation yourself. If you do it yourself, the immigration authorities of the United States will reject your application. So, it is better to hire a professional translator for the task.
• You use certified translations of certificates not written in English if you are presenting your immigration application in the United States. If you are showing your application to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the land where you live, the certified translations must also be notarized. For the latter, you will need the services of a notary public. The certification letter must have the notary public seal.
• The original certificate must be translated in its entirety. All the dashes, stamps, signatures, marks, and seals must be translated as well. The translator must check the parts in the original that are not clear with “not legible” in the English translation. If you hire a good translation service provider, they will be familiar with all the rules and make sure you get accurate translations for USCIS.
• The linguistic expert handling your source documents must be qualified to handle the language pair. If they are not a native expert, they won’t be able to translate your vital records accurately. Whether you are submitting your green card application or applying for university admission, you will have to make sure that a qualified translator handles your official documents.