Do you need to submit an official document abroad, such as a diploma, a birth certificate, or a criminal record? In that case, you will need a certified translation, also known as a court-certified translation, official translation, notarized translation, or certified translation. In this article, you’ll learn exactly what a certified translation is, what it’s used for, and what requirements it must meet. Last but not least, you’ll find out who provides certified translations.
First, let’s clarify what a certified translation actually is. These are translated official documents that are submitted in a country other than the one in which they were issued. Such translations are 100% identical to the original text and are accompanied by a certification clause and a round stamp bearing the state emblem. If you have an official or certified translation, it means that the destination country can accept it without hesitation and can be certain that the document is authentic.
What types of documents are most commonly translated? These include, in particular:
There are three types of certified translations: the standard certified translation, a certified translation additionally bearing an apostille, and a certified translation that requires superlegalization.
If the Czech Republic has an international treaty with the country where you intend to submit the document that exempts it from authentication, a standard certified translation will suffice. Otherwise, the certified translation must be apostilled or superlegalized.
There are many situations where it is necessary to have a certified translation prepared. In many cases, standard translations do not carry sufficient legal weight.
You will need a certified translation of official documents, for example, when marrying a foreign national, dealing with immigration authorities, or conducting business abroad. You will also need a certified translation, for example, when applying for a job abroad and needing to prove your qualifications, when participating in a court proceeding abroad, or when studying abroad and needing a certified translation of diplomas or transcripts.
A certified translation must meet the requirements set for translations intended for official use in courts or other government institutions.
A certified translation consists of the original document in the relevant language, or a notarized copy thereof, the translation itself, and a certification by the certified translator bearing a round court seal. This seal certifies that the certified translation corresponds word-for-word to the original document or its notarized copy.
Unlike a standard translation, a certified translation cannot be prepared by just any translator, but only by a translator appointed by the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic. Translators appointed by the Ministry are authorized to use a round stamp bearing the state emblem and are registered in the list of court translators and interpreters maintained by the Ministry of Justice. They are appointed by the Minister of Justice pursuant to Act No. 354/2019 Coll., on Court Interpreters and Court Translators.
Our company, I.L.T.S. Praha, also offers certified translations, which we provide within both standard and express turnaround times. The standard turnaround time is three days; with express service, a translation can be completed on the same day or the following day. I.L.T.S. provides certified translations of all types of texts in over 40 languages, both from and into foreign languages. We routinely handle translations in English, German, Russian, French, Spanish, and other languages.