Certified translations and notarised translations Zurich

How to turn documents into certified translations

05.07.2022

Are you planning to study abroad after graduating from high school? Would you like to emigrate? Or perhaps you have got engaged and would like to celebrate the big day abroad? Whatever your plans may be, there is a high probability that you will have to present certain documents in the respective national language to foreign authorities, courts or institutions. This is exactly when certified translations come into play.

In this article, we would like to answer all the important questions about this topic so that you can set off on your next adventure stress-free.

What is a certified translation?

The starting point for a certified translation is an ordinary translation, as known from package inserts or operating instructions. The difference: these texts are not official documents that require legal validity. For a translated document to acquire this status in another country, it must be notarised and meet requirements:

  1. The document must be translated by translators who have been sworn in by a court.
  2. The translated document must bear the translator’s stamp, signature and serial number. This confirms that the translation is true to the content and corresponds to the original.
  3. Depending on the country and the purpose of the document, it must be provided with an apostille. We will take a closer look at what exactly this is in a moment.

Let’s first take a look at which documents often need to be notarised translated.

Diploma_certified_translated

Source: Kenny Eliason – Unsplash

Examples of certified translations

Personenstandsurkunden

  • Birth, marriage, divorce, death certificate
  • Single certificate
  • Identity card
  • Residence permit
  • Family book
  • Passport
  • Driving licence

Diplomas and certificates

  • Certificate of study
  • Training certificate
  • Language level certificate
  • Internship certificate
  • School report
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Curriculum vitae
  • University degree
  • Diploma (professional certificate, Matura)

Administrative documents

  • Insurance certificate
  • Medical certificate
  • Tax assessment notice
  • Payroll
  • Family allowance
  • Adoption file
  • Immigration file
  • Visa

How is the quality of a certified translation guaranteed?

As already mentioned, only native-speaking (if necessary sworn) translators take care of the translation of official documents. They are legally authorised to check the translation for accuracy of content and to certify it as an original. Furthermore, they not only have the relevant linguistic knowledge, but also sound knowledge of the legal system of the country for which the translation is intended. Only a document signed by these language experts is legally valid.

We work according to internationally recognised quality standards for all translations. For example, the quality standard DIN EN 15038 and its international successor ISO 17100:2015 stipulate that only professionally qualified native-speaker translators are allowed to produce certified translations, which in turn are revised by other native-speaker experts (4-eyes principle). Upon request, we are also happy to call in a subject matter expert to review the content of the translation (6-eyes principle).

What does a certified translation cost?

It is difficult to give a general answer to this question. Not every document is the same. When determining the price, it depends on the length of the document, how quickly you need it and whether it involves a lot of effort in terms of layout.

What is an apostille?

An apostille confirms the authenticity of the document (e.g. a certified translation), the signature of the notary and the stamp or seal of the document and is sometimes required by a foreign authority. Apostilles can be obtained in Switzerland for a fee from the federal administration, cantonal state chancelleries or organisations that take care of public functions in the country.

CB Multilingual has a large pool of qualified (also sworn) translators ensuring a professional processing of your certified translations in many languages.

If you need a certified translation with or without an apostille, please let us know – so you can take care of the other items on your to-do list for emigration, study or wedding without stress.

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