There are many ways to translate a text into a foreign language, but in case of a certified translation, the final result shall be accompanied by a clause attesting that the translation is legally equivalent to the original text. Authentic translation is needed in many walks of life – but it is mainly used in the public and legal sectors. But what exactly is an authentic translation and what criteria should it meet? What is the difference between an authentic and an official translation? We are going to answer all these questions in the following article.
Important features
We have already mentioned the official stamp of equivalence that shall be affixed to a certified translation, but the criteria are more. It is also very important that the document in question:
- be accurately transcribed,
- it shall have a unique identifier,
- be proofread by an official,
it shall be written on security paper and be an exact copy of the original document, and that the finished text is inseparably linked to the translation. There are translation agencies, such as Polyglot, where it is stapled and glued to the original document, so it does not need to be printed on special paper and uniquely identified, and this is not a requirement anyway.
What exactly does inseparability mean in this case?
The wording implies that the two documents are bound together by an authentication that would be damaged if separated. It is therefore important to be very careful not to lose them, because if they are opened by an unauthorized person, the certified translation will also be invalidated and will not be accepted.
This is precisely the reason for a preference nowadays for sending certified translations online, which the customer receives in a drive or some other protected folder. These translations will also bear the electronic stamps issued by the translation agency to certify the authenticity of the documents.
Where does high demand for certified translators occur?
The main need for certified translators is when a document issued in another country needs to be translated very accurately and its content needs to be clear and understandable in its own language – while maintaining its official character. It is thus not surprising that the main clients are public sectors and leading personalities.
For example, in negotiations with foreign countries, the government often requests the assistance of certified translators, whose presence is particularly important. Their job is to ensure that every word of written communication is translated accurately. With their help, the two negotiators can avoid misunderstanding each other.
Official translations can also be of great help in many other areas of life. For example, when applying for citizenship to settle abroad, showing a certified translation instead of a document from a translation agency, registered in another country, can accelerate the process and make it easier to be transparent.
If you find yourself in such a situation, the first place to turn for help is to the local authorities. Although in many cases they will accept documents produced by a national translation agency, there are also many unfortunate cases where documents have to be translated and certified according to local customs.
Although such documents have often been requested abroad, in most cases they are still only needed in Hungary – especially if you want:
- to get married,
- register a newborn child,
- register a car bought abroad to get a Hungarian registration number.
What is the difference between a certified and an official translation?
Despite the two areas being similar in pronunciation, there is a huge difference. Unlike an authentic document, an official translation is a document that is primarily used:
- for an identity document, birth certificate٭
- a marriage certificate٭
- divorce certificate٭
- for a diploma,
- job applications,
- tax returns,
- or even contracts.
٭In Hungary, only the National Translation and Translation Authentication Office Zrt. may prepare certified translations, certified translations and certified copies of foreign-language documents, unless otherwise provided by law, pursuant to Section 5 of MT Decree 24/1986 (26.VI.1986).
The primary criterion is that it shall be recognised by the official institutions of the country concerned, which shall be attested by a stamp or signature of an official person.
However, it is also advisable to have an official translation of legal documents, as this can make communication between legal representatives and clients much more efficient.
For official translations in particular:
- legal contracts,
- legal declarations,
- court documents,
- legal directives,
- legal regulations,
- and legal opinions.
We provide the following official translations:
- translation of company documents (articles of association, shareholders’ resolutions, etc.),
- company extracts,
- deeds of registration of changes,
- contracts,
- employment documents,
- bank statements,
- balance sheets,
- letters from accountants or lawyers,
- tender documents,
- certain Hungarian documents (e.g. certificates, diplomas, etc.)
