During the height of visa season, clients often request a certified and notarized translation. In the cases of immigration matters translations do, in fact, have to bear the official seal of a notary and be accompanied by a proper certification. The vast majority of all other translations do, however, neither have to be certified nor notarized, especially if the translation was performed by a certified and accredited translation company such as EVS Translations. So when exactly does one need a certified translation and what is the difference between certification and notarization?
Translations for legal proceedings, contractual and immigration purposes frequently are required to be certified in the United States. If you are preparing documents for submission in another country, you might not need a certification and notarization. However, most governmental authorities do require a notarization, sometimes even from a notary in-country. Some might even require additional certificates unique to the specific country (such as an apostil). The best practice is to check in advance what exactly the receiving authorities require prior to having the documents translated. On the other hand, translations for administrative purposes (such as university admissions materials) might only need to be notarized.
The important difference between the two is the fact that any translator can provide a notarized translation, as it only requires him/her to attest to the accuracy of the translation in front of a notary public and sign an affidavit. Conversely, a certification can only be issued by a professional, certified translator or translation company, which is a translation provider whose quality has been tested and approved by an official governing authority, such as the American Translator Association. The certification therefore is a quality seal that ensures the client that the translation provider has been subject to a quality control process. In some cases, clients or authorities request both, a certification and a notarization. Here the notarization is meant to represent an additional layer of officiality. Adding a notarization to a certification does, however, not increase the “value” or quality of the translation.
EVS Translations is an ISO, DIN. ATA, and FPAL certified translation company. We gladly provide certified and notarized translations of your documents. Unsure if you need a certification or notarization? Save money and call us first, before you order something that you might not need.
