But how will you certify it?
If you are a translator providing certified translation, you probably have heard the question a few times.
And if you are someone in need of certified translation, you may not know what you need, where to start from and where to look for it. It is understandable to be confused especially if this is something you haven't done before.
However, guidance does exist and it is available in the public domain.
It must be read, and understood.
The answer to the burning question varies.
Instead of answering, I could ask you also perfectly valid questions such as:
Why are you asking?
What do you have in mind?
How do you want me to certify it?
What is the purpose of the translation?
Which is the receiving authority?
Do they have any requirements?
Are you aware of any requirements?
Which is the receiving country?
In an almost unregulated profession, processes vary. There is no one way fits all.
And that causes confusion.
In my case, my certified translations state "official translation" at the top of the page and my certifying statement at the bottom of the page.
The certifying statement certifies the translation as "true and accurate of the attached original".
The word original here refers to the document or text the translation came from and has nothing to do with whether your document is an original, a copy, a certified copy, a digital document etc. Translators are not concerned by this.
The certifying statement further includes my full name, company details, contact details, and translator registration numbers with CIOL, ITI and PEM.
It carries my signature and the date on which the translation was signed.
It may also carry the ITI seal.
It must be understood that anyone can order a stamp and stamp anything they print with it. A stamp itself should mean nothing. A registered translator's credentials can be verified online as they are public and listed under the relevant organisations' directories. (CIOL, ITI, ATC, etc.)
Translators can certify their own translations. They have no authorisation to act under any other capacity such as that of a Notary, Solicitor etc. We cannot legalise someone's signature or attach an Apostille to a document. That is not our job. It is the government's job.
We are not Embassies. We are not Consulates. We are not Ministries. We are translators and/or translation companies.
If you need anyone to legalise our signature, we still need to certify our translations. Otherwise, the translation won't carry a signature and you will have nothing to legalise. Documents are not legalised. Signatures are legalised.
A signature that is not legalised is not an illegal signature.
Here is some further guidance on certifying translations available on the official UK translation associations and UK government websites:
UK government guidance
https://www.gov.uk/certifying-a-document
Chartered Institute of Linguists guidance
https://www.ciol.org.uk/certified-translations
Institute of Translation and Interpreting guidance
https://www.iti.org.uk/find-professional-translator-interpreter/official-translations.html
At Greek to Me, we follow and comply with the above guidance and the requirements of UK government bodies such as HMRC, Home Office, HMPO and more.
Vasiliki is a translator, interpreter, transcreator, blogger, consultant and director of Greek to Me Translations Ltd. She works with English, Greek and French herself and has a team of trusted colleagues who can cover other languages. The offered language services serve mainly the legal, creative, and psychometrics industries. Vasiliki is a Chartered Linguist, member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and Panhellenic Association of Greek Translators (PEM). She is registered with the Greek Consulate in the United Kingdom as a certified translator and interpreter. She holds a BA in English Language and Linguistics and Masters in Business Translation and Interpreting. She is a Steering Group Member of the CIOL Translating Division (CIOL TD) and CIOL Business, Professions and Government Division (CIOL BPG). She is an Associate Lecturer in Legal Translation at London Metropolitan University teaching Legal Translation, Translation for International Organisations, Linguistics, Translation Theory and Strategy. She is a public speaker and writer for industry magazines. Her mission is to help organisations and individuals achieve their goals through the power of words. Through mentoring, Vasiliki helps aspiring or young translators to overcome self-limiting believes, build a business mindset and achieve their highest potential.You can follow her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
