Certified Translation and Certified Translator- 2 Different Things!

Certified Translation Services are among our most requested document translation services.  Often, these requests are prefaced with the question of whether or not we have a “certified translator” who can deliver a certified translation of documents.  Here, we will answer this question and differentiate the terms “certified translation” and “certified translator”. 

Certified Translations are required for a multitude of purposes.  Examples are Legal Translation for documents like depositions or Contracts, Financial translation for Insurance and Banking in the corporate world.  Are you sending information to USCIS?  You’ll be asked to submit a certified translation of your birth certificate, passport, medical papers or more.  Are you planning on purchasing a home overseas?  You’ll need to provide a certified translation of your housing contract to help finalize your ownership. 

There are various reasons and specific situations for which a certified translation of a document would be requested, some of which you see in the table above.  In those cases, you’ll need to be crystal clear as to the kind of translation you’ll need to submit.  So, what is a certified translation? 

Certified Translation: is a translation accompanied by a signed statement attesting that the translation is accurate and complete to the best of the translator’s knowledge and ability. Any professional translator or Translation company may “certify” a translation.– American Translation Association (atanet.org), the largest professional association of translators and interpreters in the U.S.

Eging’s certification page attests to the accuracy and completion of the translation based on either a copy of the original document or the original itself.  The page also attests to the fact that the translator of the document is qualified to translate.  Our Translation company’s certificate of translation comes with our corporate seal and signature of our representative.

What then, is a certified translator?  And what differentiates them from a non-certified translator?

A translator becomes certified upon passing an examination that tests their professional translation skills.  In the U.S., this certification is called ATA Certification and it is awarded to translators who demonstrate the “skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to provide professional translation”. ATA offers certification examinations for its members in some language combinations, but not all. For example, there are certifications for Spanish into English and for English into Spanish. The translator needs to pass both exams to be certified in both language pairs. In recent years the ATA has been adding new certificates for Language combinations that were not tested before.

In summary- a certified translation and certified translator is not the same thing.  A translation agency like Eging Translations certifies the translation once a professional translator has performed the translation; it is always reviewed and validated before it is certified. 

Experience and knowledge are the key elements of a trustworthy translator or Translation company.  Application processes for USCIS, property purchasing and all the procedures that require a certified translation tend to be lengthy and complex, making certified translation acceptance a top concern for a lot of our clients.  Fortunately, when you hire a reliable Translation company to deliver your certified translation, you can have peace of mind knowing that your translation is in good hands and ready to be accepted. 

Do you need a certified English translation, or have any questions regarding our certified translation services?  Please do not hesitate to contact us, we are here to help put your mind at ease no matter how complex your application process or request may be.