Notarial Certification of Documents. Translation Bureau Stamp. Affidavit
Three types of notarial certification, translation bureau stamp and affidavit — when each is required and how to prepare documents.
What Is Notarial Certification
Notarial certification of documents, often called "translation certification" or "notarial translation", is required by many authorities and organisations, because a translator's output is only a rendering of the original in another language — notarial certification by a notary gives the document or translation the status of official documentation. When you order a translation, our staff always ask which type of notarial certification is needed and to which institution the documents will be submitted.
There are three types of notarial certification:
- Certification 2-in-1 (translation with certified copy) — certification of a copy of the original document and simultaneous certification of the translator's signature, qualifications, identity and capacity.
- Standard certification — certification of the translator's signature, qualifications, identity and capacity.
- Certification of a copy made from the original document.
The first is needed when the receiving body requires the original but you have only one copy and wish to keep it, or when rules so provide. A notarised copy then has the same force as the original. The second and third types concern certification of the translation by the translator. Only the translator may apply to a notary to have their translation certified.
| Standard certification | Certification 2-in-1 |
|---|---|
| The notary certifies the authenticity of the translator's signature; identity, capacity and qualifications are verified. | The notary certifies that the copy conforms to the original document and certifies the signature of the translator who performed the written translation. |
Certification 2-in-1 is often required by migration authorities and passport offices.
Translation Bureau Stamp
When notarial certification is not required, an alternative is the Translation Bureau stamp — a wet stamp on the translation attached to the original, showing the date of the translation, the translator's signature, language pair, translator's name and the bureau's details.
What Is an Affidavit
An affidavit is a separate form of confirmation of the accuracy of the translation by the translator, in the form of a sworn statement with personal data, credentials, qualifications and authority on the basis of which the translation was made. The translator attests to having produced a true, accurate translation that fully corresponds to the original.
Our Translation Bureau offers the full range: translation, notarial certification, bureau stamp or affidavit. If you have any questions, contact our managers.
— Planeta Translation Bureau / Translation Agency «Planeta»