Certified Language Services

What is a certified translation?

A certified translation (also known as official translation) is the translation of an official document (such as birth and marriage certificates, contracts, patent documentation, etc.) that has been certified as accurate and is therefore authorized for submission to a wide range of official bodies.

Since translation is not a one-size-fits-all process it is important to be aware that, depending on the circumstances of your project, your translation may require additional levels of certification to be fit for purpose.

International embassies, agencies, and other such legal bodies generally require different certifications when dealing with translated materials. At Today Translations, we match the services we provide to the different levels of legal recognition that are regularly demanded.

Whether you require official certification, a notarial certificate, an affidavit or a legalised translation with an Apostille, Today Translations has the expertise and experience to guarantee you a speedy, cost-effective and secure service.

Please note that Today Translations is not a legal agency. While we can provide you with the most specialised legal language services, we are not qualified to offer advice on which degree of certification each individual case requires; to do so would be irresponsible on our part. Therefore we ask you to check directly with the body demanding the translated and certified document before ordering your translation with us.

Trusted services

If you need to translate official documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, or academic documents for admission processes, the standard translation process will probably not suffice.

Translated official documentation often requires an officially recognised stamp, affirming both the competence of the translator and the accuracy of the translation. This is where certified translation becomes relevant.

As a registered member of the ATC and the EUATC, Today Translations is authorised to provide certified translation services of the highest calibre and is recognised around the world.

Your certified translation will be appropriately stamped and will have a unique reference number allocated for immediate identification. We also appreciate that time can be an important factor and if required, we can provide this service at very short notice.

Trusted by official UK bodies

What you need to know

Contact and ordering

Email us your document, or attach the document using our contact form. It doesn’t matter the file type; we have rarely failed to support a file type. Also tell us which language it’s in and what language you need it translated into, and when you need the translation by.

Quote

Our project management team will be in touch with you shortly thereafter to discuss your request and ensure that we are providing the correct certification and get back to you with a quote. Once the quote is agreed you can leave the rest to us.

Delivery

For a standard two-page document sent electronically for standard certification, we can almost always guarantee delivery within 24-hours. Note the delivery of hard copies will be subject to delivery address and postal services.

Our certified translation services are quality assured with ISO: 9001 accreditation. We also offer a level of insurance indemnity not routinely provided within the translation industry, addressing all potential risks to the client. Rest assured that this protection comes at no extra cost to you.

Competitive Rates

At Today Translations, we work hard to provide some of the most competitive rates in the industry, while also offering a consultative approach to all of our services so that you get exactly what you need, when you need it.

Our prices for certified translation services generally start at £65. However, if you find a UK-based translation agency that will translate your certificate or official document for less, let us know what they quote and we’ll do our best to match that price.

Notarised translations

You may require a notarised translation of your document for court proceedings, especially regarding civil & commercial cases, or for administration purposes.

A notarised translation goes beyond the standard level of certification issued in-house by Today Translations.A notarial certificate is issued by a notary public, who itemizes the source documents to confirm their correct submission, and confirms the identity of the translator and their authorization to translate such documents.

Our team is always on-hand to advise; however, we highly suggest that you liaise with the body or individual requesting the translation as to which form of certification is required.

Please note that notaries will always charge a fee for a notarisation, which we will add on to the cost of the translation.

Three-day delivery time for notarised certificate translations

A standard notarised certificate translation of a 2-page document typically takes one working day to translate and a further 1-2 working days to be notarised.

We work hard to ensure that your notarised translation and affidavit can be delivered to you within three days. Should you need it at an earlier date, please let our team know when placing your order, and we will strive to deliver within your time frame.

Get a free quote – with no obligation

Requesting a quote with us for a notarised translation is quick and easy. Call our accounts team on +44 207 397 2770 or email your requirements and documents to us at [email protected]. We’ll be back in touch with you shortly thereafter to confirm the project outline and price before proceeding with the translation.

Sworn translations in the UK

Sworn translations also go beyond the standard level of certification issued by Today Translations and may be requested by some state institutions and courts of law, especially during criminal proceedings. Sworn translations come with an additional charge, so it’s important to know exactly whether or not you require this service.

Unlike in many other countries, there is technically no such thing as a “sworn translator” in the United Kingdom or the United States. A sworn translation in the UK requires the provision of an affidavit, where linguists themselves must go to a solicitor and swear an oath that they are professionally qualified and that the translation is honest and accurate. All solicitors levy a charge for this and costs usually depend on their fees.

It is also possible to have a translated document both certified by Today Translations and sworn by a solicitor.

Sworn translations for outside the UK

Many countries’ legal systems demand sworn translations. In the relevant jurisdictions, translators go through the necessary training to obtain the right to swear that the translation is accurate themselves.

Our global network of experienced and highly professional linguists naturally includes a number of sworn translators, so whatever country you’re in, we take pains to offer the right form of official translation.

Average two-day turnaround time for certificates

Because the procurement of a sworn translation is dependent on a third-party public notary or solicitor, it is impossible to ensure when the sworn translation might be ready. However, standard delivery takes on average about a day longer than a standard, simple certificate translation; therefore 2-3 days working is the normal estimate.

Legalised Translation – Obtaining an Apostille

Another service frequently requested alongside certification is the provision of an Apostille.

An apostille is the international equivalent of a domestic notarisation. This is the most exclusive form of certification, and requires a legalised translation. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirms a previous certification or notarisation, and issues an apostille, which certifies the translation for legal purposes in 109 countries.

It’s important to know whether or not you require an affidavit or an apostille. While we are happy to provide this service at short notice, we encourage you to be sure of the degree of certification that you need. If we are contracted to provide a notarised translation, and it subsequently transpires that an apostille was necessary, Today Translations cannot accept liability for this situation.

Turnaround times

The turnaround times for the different service levels can also vary. While standardly certified translations typically have a 2-3 day turnaround time, for legalised translations it can be significantly longer. Please allow up to a week for delivery in these cases. For the specifics of delivery times in individual cases, please consult with our Project Management team.

If you need to supply translated personal certificates or documentation to a state authority outside of the UK, it’s likely that a certified or notarised translation alone may not suffice. Translated documents will in these cases need to be sent to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), who will legalise it and supply an apostille certificate.

The translation will then be legally valid in all 109 countries that have signed the Apostille Convention.

It’s important to note that, while our in-house staff can give advice, we can never be fully certain as to which situations require a legalised translation and an apostille. It is therefore important you are fully certain which form of certification your translation requires from the requesting party.

Obtaining a legalised translation – What you need to know:

A translation does not necessarily have to be notarised before it can be legalised.

The translated document needs to be sent with the original via post to the Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes.

The FCO generally requires 48 hours for your documents to be legalised – although this does not include postage times. Please keep this in mind when factoring in the timeframe for your project.

To find out more, visit the designated page for legalised translations on the UK government’s website.

Relax, we’ll take care of everything

Getting a translated document legalised with an apostille can be a very time-consuming process.

At Today Translations, we have more than a decade’s experience in providing certified, notarised and legalised translations, and we know where mistakes can lead to setbacks – so feel free to leave it to us. All you need to do is send us the document and let us know the source and target language and level of certification you need. From that point, we’ll take care of the process from start to finish.

For more information contact our helpful team today or request a quote for the full legalisation process now.