Terralíngua

Certified translations refer to document translations from one language to another, by professional translators, along with the assurances that:

– The professional knows both languages equally well, and is able to translate the content.
– The translation is accurate and complete.

This process of certified translation creates legally binding records that are accepted by US academic institutions, courts, and government officials. Immigrants coming to the US or any other country, usually have to deal with a very complex web of the country’s immigration officials, customs, state departments, and other legal procedures. In every step of this process, your document’s accuracy is gauged by almost all the organizations that you are working with. You cannot afford to have any mishaps during this phase as these may result in unusual waits, which can extend up to 2 years, in some cases. Having a certified translation service provider can ensure that you avoid disruptions or challenges in the process.

Organizations that require certified translations

The following organizations in the US require certified translations of documents:

 Immigration: The US immigration asks for certified translations of various important documents like marriage licenses, birth certificates, or divorce certificates. This is for customs, immigration, and visa purposes.
 Other government agencies: Some other agencies such as State Licensing Departments, Passport Authorities, County clerks, and the Motor Vehicles Department may ask for certified translations.
 Academic institutions: You will need to show the certified translations of various transcripts or diplomas that you have received, during an institution’s admission process.
 Lawyers: You may be required to show sworn translation or certified translation of some documents that are to be used by government agencies and US courts. Certified translations are necessary in determining the accuracy of the translations.
 Corporations and businesses: Having certified translations of documents helps in validating an organization’s financial reports, business agreements, and other legal documents to assist the stakeholders.

Need for certified translations

The different organizations aforementioned need certified translations for a variety of reasons. Some of the primary reasons are:

 Validity: Having a third party translate the documents, helps in ensuring that the said documents have not been forged or tampered with. Individuals trying to get into the country use illegal documents rampantly and the immigration services have to constantly be on the lookout for such documents. Professional translation service providers help in reassuring the officials as they are inadvertently backed by the translating firm’s reputation as well.
 Efficiency: Having a document translated into the native language of the reviewer helps in cutting down the administrative time, ensures faster processing, and puts the reviewer at ease.

Translating documents by yourself

You can always try to translate all your documents into another language. Doing this, however, is not advisable due to the reasons explained below:

 Validity: More often than not, government organizations and officials will be very less assured if you translate the documents yourself, without the backing of a professional service provider. The complexity and the importance of the whole immigration process in itself should be reason enough to desire a higher validity of the translated documents.
 Accuracy: A slight mistranslation can potentially cost you the citizenship of a country. When a translator is not proficient in both of the languages, there is a very high risk of making mistakes in translation.
 Time: The increased risk of rejection of self-translated documents can result in wasted time and delay in complex processes.

Hiring a professional translation company will ensure that you do not suffer from rejection, by giving you legitimate and certified translation of documents. Certified translations may not look like a necessity to you, but will help you in the long run, to get over different hassles in complicated legal and non-legal processes.