Frequently Asked Questions

In the UK, the sworn translation is purely theoretical whereas it is pretty much the principal term used abroad for official translations. The UK equivalent is simply referred to as a 'Certified Translation' and this is what the main UK authorities and institutions will require as part of an application.

The best way to send the document(s) is to email us a copy of your document, or to upload it using our free quotation form. Alternatively you can send your document by fax or a photocopy by post.

In our experience the standard certification will satisfy UK organizations such as the Home Office, consulates, insurance companies, academic and educational institutions, UK Naric, UK employers, banks and the Passport Agency.

Legalisation requirements do however vary from institution to institution and from country to country, so if you are in any doubt as to what type of certification is necessary for your document you should contact the relevant institution directly.

If submitting your translated document to a UK court it was previously necessary to have it certified before a solicitor. The rules have just recently changed, and the translator can simply sign a standard statutory declaration which we use here at Certified Translation Services. If the translation is to be used outside the UK it may also require certification by a Notary Public and legalisation by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) as well as translation. Please contact your local consular service for more information to ensure you request the correct level of certification.

We can normally prepare your translations within 1-2 business days for translation and certification. You will need to allow another 1-2 days for postage. A next day delivery service is also available where documents are required urgently. An urgent rate will apply where an express service is required.

We will give you a time estimate on providing a quote for the service.

You can send us your document(s) using one of four options:

1. By uploading it using our Free Quotation form
2. By sending it as an attachment in an email
3. By faxing it to us on +44 (0) 208711 3434
4. By posting us a copy of your document

In the vast majority of cases a good quality copy of your document will suffice and you would only need to send us the original document if we request it explicitly.

You can upload documents in Word format (.doc or .docx), PDF format, Open Office format (.odt), as Rich Text (.rtf), or as scanned images in .JPG format.

Please ensure that absolutely ALL parts of the document(s) are included, as we translate everything that appears in the document(s). All illegible or amended sections of the document(s) will be labelled as such in the translation.

The basic requirement in the UK is that a declaration must state that the translation has been made by a qualified translator or an accredited company, and that it is accurate. It should be attached to the translated document. This declaration can be signed by the translator or a representative of the translation company depending on where it is to be sent.

For translations that will be sent abroad, it is sometimes necessary to have the declaration signed in the presence of a Notary Public, depending on the purpose of the translation and the country where it will be used.

In some countries, such as Brazil, translators undergo a selective examination process or are appointed by a court or Government authority to be recognized as "sworn translators".  In such cases, a translation by a sworn translator is an official document in its own right and no further certification or legalisation is usually required for official use in that country.

No. The organization that deals with this procedure is UK Naric. We can only provide a certified translation which must then be submitted to UK Naric.

No. We are obliged to translate the document exactly as it is. If there are mistakes in the original document, you should contact the issuing authority directly and ask them to amend the document and reissue a corrected version.

The standard page, in the case of our certified translations, contains approximately 320 words of source text (from the original document). An incomplete standard page shall be rounded up to the nearest half page.

Example:

• The source text contains 250 words - payment for one standard page is due.
• The source text contains 450 characters - payment for 1.5 standard pages is due

Quite simply to save you time and money! Who has the time nowadays to carry documents up and down the UK for a translation? It is obviously much more comfortable to upload a document or email it as an attachment without leaving one's home - or, at the worst, to pop out to the local internet café to do this.

We offer online translation services, but on rare occasions where a document is extremely urgent some clients do come in person to collect their material.

However it is much more practical to deliver documents using our website or by email, or post, where these options are viable.

The answer is short: Nothing at all.

The cost of sending the translation by First Class Royal Mail is included in the price of service.

In special cases, for a £18 surcharge (including VAT) we can use the Royal Mail Special Delivery service, whereby the delivery is guaranteed on the next working day after posting.