What substantiates a sworn translation’s guarantee of accuracy?
If travelling for tourism, immigration, work or starting a company abroad, you need to provide some documents to the local administration. When the receiving country does not speak the same official language as the sending country, you need to present professionally translated documents.
However, in the world of professional translations, not all services are equal. Indeed, thanks to the solid guarantees offered by sworn translations, they are by far the most chosen option and are required by administrations worldwide. They guarantee the accuracy of the translation of the original document. Discover how this type of translation guarantees compliant, accurate documents.
Basic information on sworn translations
Sworn translations, also called certified translations, are applied to all types of administrative and legal documents, including:
- Administrative certificates: diplomas, articles of incorporation, accounting documents, wills;
- Vital record documents: drivers licenses, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates;
- Legal documents: notary documents, contracts, criminal record certificates, rulings, appeals.
Sworn translations thus let you faithfully translate documents all the while preserving their legal weight with administrations in the receiving country.
The conditions that certify the accuracy of a sworn translation
A translation is guaranteed to be exact considering several parameters ranging from the status of the translator to essential notices on the document.
The translator’s status
The accuracy of a sworn translation is guaranteed by a sworn translator. He or she is the only professional recognized and authorized to certify a document to be a true representation of the original and thus exact.
As a reminder, a sworn translator is an expert who has advanced verifiable translation qualifications and skills. Specifically, he or she has a master’s degree in foreign languages and has exercised the profession in a translation office for at least five years or has taught foreign languages.
What’s more, sworn translators must have cutting-edge skills in law and an advanced knowledge of the culture and particularities of at least one foreign language. Additionally, he or she is vested with public authority and acts as a legal clerk who has sworn an oath at the Court of appeals. In this respect, he or she is recognized by governmental bodies as an official and expert translator at the same Court.
Likewise, sworn translators work in close collaboration with the administration, magistrates, courts and all official authorities.
Unlike translators who provide simple translations, only a sworn translator can confirm a translation’s legal weight, compliance and authenticity.
Essential notices
In the 97 signatory countries of the Convention de La Haye du 1961, including France, a sworn translator certifies the compliance and accuracy of a translation through a few notices.
The translator’s signature
Written on the translated document, the translator’s signature certifies the compliance of the translated document with the original and guarantees a true and correct translation of the contents of the original documents. At the same time, the signature implies the professional responsibility of the translator.
The translator’s seal
A seal or marginal note is the other notice that certifies the accuracy of a sworn translation. It lets readers confirm that the translated document is an accurate copy of the original document in form.
The registration number
The unique registration number is the last notice that confirms the certification process of a sworn translation. It is a unique number given by the expert to every document translated by him or her. Said number is provided with the phrase “ne varietur” and allows foreign administrations to recognize not only the compliance of the translated document but also the identity of the sworn translator.
Note that, in addition to the above notices, sworn translations are delivered with the note “true, complete, and accurate translation from the original document.” They are also sent with a true copy of the original document.
Any document that has these notices is accordingly certified as an exact translation and, in this respect, recognized as valid, authentic and original by presiding administrations and jurisdictions worldwide. It is immediately considered valid without additional certification processes such as apostilles and legalizations.
However, this exemption mainly applies in the case of sworn translations to French for use by an administration or jurisdiction abroad.
Sworn translation accuracy verification processes
To ensure the accuracy and authenticity of a sworn translation, there are two different procedures.
Verify points of reference on the document
As mentioned above, sworn translators print several obligatory notices for certifying that said translations are true, complete and accurate. In addition, certified translations have other points of reference:
- The pages of the original document and the translation must be numbered and initialed by the sworn translator;
- The beginning and end of the translation must be clearly identifiable;
- The working languages and the type of document must be indicated on the first page.
Expert review
Like simple translations, sworn translations can, if necessary, be subject to exhaustive review. This technical exercise aims to discover possible shortcomings and especially to verify the accuracy of a translation by comparing it to the original document. Finally its compliance with cultural, linguistic, terminological and legal particularities in the target language may be verified.
This verification work is carried out by an expert translator, also called a translation advisor. This can be a staff reviewer or another sworn expert hired by the document recipients or by the client. After being reviewed, the translation advisor will produce a detailed report.
In short, all conditions are fulfilled to assure to accuracy of a sworn translation and ensure its legal validity.
Other guarantees offered by sworn translations
Apart from accuracy, sworn translations offer several other guarantees, namely:
- Confidentiality, which is largely ensured thanks to the translator and the client signing a contract;
- The legality of the process since the translation is ensured by an official recognized by the courts and registered on the list of sworn translators;
- The legal weight of the document in all legal systems thanks to the notices on the document and the fact that it was translated by a sworn translator;
In conclusion, sworn translations offer better guarantees than “simple” translations. To obtain this type of service, you can contact a freelance translator or an office of sworn translators.
