Notary Translation services - The Language Connection

If you are required to translate official records for use overseas, it is likely that the translations will need to be authenticated by a Notary.
A Notary, or Notary Public, is a qualified lawyer whose principal role is to authenticate and certify signatures on documents for use abroad. Notaries can also arrange legalisation or obtain Apostilles, if needed. The Notary’s signature and seal will verify to the authorities in that country that any relevant checks have been carried out and that the document has been properly signed.

Notarisation of official Documents in a foreign language

If the documents which require notarisation are in a foreign language, it is usually necessary for the document to be translated by an official legal translator who will then have to sign a statutory declaration certifying that it is a true translation.

At The Language Connection we work in partnership with notaries so that we can oversee both the translation and notarisation process on behalf of our clients.

We will assign your documents to translators who are native speaker of the language you are translating to, with proven experience in the legal sector and a deep knowledge of both the UK legal system and the legal system of the foreign country involved.

Upon completion, the translator will sign a Statement of Truth declaring that the translation is true and accurate to the best of their belief. We can then arrange a visit to the Notary office with both the completed translations and the original documents, to attest that the translations are accurate and faithful to the original text. The notary then signs and stamps the declaration of accuracy.

our professional translations of certificates and official documents are accepted in the uk and abroad

When translating documents such as certificates or academic diplomas, we always endeavour to format and structure the translated documents in a similar way to the original, to allow for easy comparison of the two documents. However, please note that the original and the translation will never be identical – we are not authorised to reproduce signatures, crown logos or symbols as they are not accepted by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. We will however indicate the location of signatures and any other official stamps or logos within the translation. The goal of each and every one of our translators is to provide a professional and accurate document that can be easily examined by authorities both in the UK and abroad.

Legalised translations

Different levels of certification may be required for legal document translations. Notarised translations may often need to be legalised. The legalisation process in the UK is conducted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Legalisation Office will confirm the authenticity of the notaries’ signature and/or seals and will legalise the documents by attaching a stamped official certificate called “Apostille”. Once an Apostille stamp is added to a document, it becomes valid for use in any country that is a member of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. If a country is not a “contracting party” of the Hague Convention, it is highly likely that you will require further legalisation after Apostille. You can check the list of member countries here.

our commitment to you

If you require certified translation, legalised translations, notarisation or apostille, but you don’t know what these terms entail, please see our Certified translation services. If you are a Notary Public and are looking to partner with a professional translation agency, let’s have a chat!

In both cases, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us with your queries: we are here to help!

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