Lesson 16 Translation of formal texts Theoretical part

Notarised translation
Some organisations might ask for a notarised translation, although this is not as common as sworn or certified translations. For a notarised translation, any translator can perform the work, but after the work is finished, the translator signs an affidavit in person in front of a public notary that confirms that the work is accurate.
Who can perform official document translations?
Sworn translators must be approved by the government to provide this service. They usually have to pass an exam and present specific qualifications. Once they do so, they are given a unique stamp, seal or number to verify their status. If you need a sworn translator, it is likely that you’ll need to find a local translator because they’ll need governmental approval to do the work.
Certified translations can be provided by any professional translator or translation company. The work should be accompanied by a certificate that states that the translation is a true representation of the original document. It should also include the date the work was performed and the name and contact information of the translator or service.

Important considerations for official document translations
Apostille of the Hague
If you need an official document translation, you might have heard this term before. It refers to legalising a document rather than translating it, but many official translations of documents need to have an Apostille before being translated.
This process involves an international treaty that more than one hundred countries have agreed to. It allows people from member countries to legalise official documents only once rather than twice. An example is if you need an FBI background check from the United States for paperwork in Spain. You can request an Apostille of the Hague from the US authorities, and it will be accepted in Spain without requiring another legalisation process there. 
One important note is that this process usually has to happen before you obtain a certified or sworn translation. It cannot be used in place of one of these translation processes, but is a separate authentication process that many countries require.