Certification, certified translation and legalisation in the UK
A frequent question clients ask me when they need a certified translation is about the difference between the certification of a document and its legalization. In this post, I will explain a bit about how both processes work and what you need to pay attention to. I hope this will be particularly useful if you want to use your document in Brazil.
Certification
Certification is nothing but an attestation of veracity or faithfulness. The person who certifies a document attests to its validity. In theory, anyone can do it, but in practice only certain professionals have the backing to do so. These people are those who, in the eyes of British law, possess public faith. Anyone who can attest to the veracity of a copy must be a person 'of good standing'. That person could be:
a bank clerk
counselor
religious minister
dentist
certified accountant
lawyer or notary
teacher
And it can't be:
relative of yours
live at the same address as you
to have a couple relationship with you.
Each body can create specific rules and they are often quite strict. Thus, as a rule, those who certify documents are usually lawyers or notaries.
But what about the translation?
In the case of translations, the certifier is a translator or an agency that has government accreditation. But note: this individual is only responsible for the translated content and the quality of the bilingual version. This proves nothing about the original. It is an attestation of the faithfulness to the document received and translated into the other language.
If you are going to hire the translation of a document, you will need a certification in the original **BEFORE** sending the document to the translator. A certified translator (or certifier, since no one is sworn in the UK), will translate all parts of the document and even mention the presence of the certifier's signature and stamp on the original when translating. We translators put such data in brackets [ ] , preferably in the same part of the paper as the original, so that it is easy to compare the information.
If you send a document that has not been certified by a authorized professional to be translated, even if the translator certifies that the translation is accurate, the original will not be valid. Therefore, all translated documents to be forwarded for legalization must have two certifications: that of the lawyer or public official and that of the translator.
The lawyer/notary will write (in English):
'I certify that this is a true copy of the original seen by me' and will include:
signature and date
name in print below the signature
position, address and phone number
The translator will write (in English):
'True and faithful translation of the original document' and will include:
translation date
qualification
the full name and contact data of a representative of the translation company.
(This information was taken from from here!)
Tip about Brazil: Our Register Offices are called Cartórios. Their procedures are more or less standardised, but they can sometimes have rules of their own. If you want to avoid headaches with your translated certificated, always make sure you ask them if they need a translator who is sworn in Brazil; these professionals are referred to as “tradutor público juramentado”. If they say they do, you need to find a translator in Brazil, NOT the UK.
Legalisation
Legalisation is the process for a British document to be recognized in another jurisdiction. Basically, it is a way to prove that that document is valid in the UK. You can get certain official UK documents 'legalised' by asking the Legalisation Office to confirm that the signature, stamp or seal is from a recognized professional in the UK. Note: the document must have a signature, stamp, or seal. And your translation needs to mention this.
In the case of translated documents, two certifications are required for your document to obtain the appropriate stamps. Otherwise you will have a certified translation of an invalid original document. Also, you need both the original and the translated copy to be notarised. This third official certification called an apostille. The fee is around £30 per legalised document if you do it yourself.
You can do part of the process online and then submit the documents by mail. You must forward both the translation and the original for verification. The process can take up to 10 days plus the mail delivery time. If you are in a hurry, there is an urgency service, but it can only be used by legal entities. For individuals, they give you the option to call and explain the problem.
Tip: Start with an "I'm terribly sorry" if you really need the apostille yesterday.
Good luck!
And of course, if you need to translate and certify your document, you can count on me.
Just send the original, mentioning the deadline and shipping address. I am usually quite good with tight deadlines
Email
lachesis@braick.com
Phone / Whatsapp
+44 (0) 7846062910