About certified translations
A certified translation is a translation of an official document which is produced in hard paper copy and is bound to the original document together with a translator’s certificate.
There are different legal requirements as to what the translator’s certificate must contain to be accepted in the UK than there are in the Czech Republic.
The three following paper printouts are bound together with a string:
- The original document in the source language or a verified copy of the original.
- Translation into the target language.
- Translator’s certificate which contains the translator’s contact details together with a declaration stating that the translation is a true, correct and complete translation of the original document. By this the translator guarantees the quality and accuracy of the translation. All professional translators have indemnity insurance and are usually registered with some professional linguistic organisation.
Legislation regarding official translations in the Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic there are “Court interpreters and translators” who are qualified, admitted, appointed and sworn pursuant to Act No 36 / 1967 of the Collection of laws. Each of those sworn court interpreters has their own stamp issued to them by their local Regional Court of Justice. When producing a certified translation of an official document, those court interpreters stamp the translation and their translator’s declaration with this stamp. Czech authorities frequently, but not always, demand that certified translations have this stamp.
Milada Cogginsová Zajíčková delivers certified translations of official documents from English into Czech bound with a translator’s certificate containing the aforementioned verification round stamp with the Czech national emblem that is required by the Czech authorities and the Consulate of the Czech Republic in London.
Legislation regarding official translations in the UK
In the UK there is no such act of law in force which would stipulate who can or cannot issue translator’s certificates for translations of official documents. However, professional translators are always prepared to guarantee the quality of their work, have professional indemnity insurance and membership of a professional organisation. Milada Cogginsová Zajíčková is a qualified member translator and qualified member interpreter (MITI) of the British linguistic organisation, the Institute of Translation & Interpreting.
All translations provided by Absolute Czech Translations into English are bound with a translator’s certificate containing the seal of the Institute of Translation & Interpreting and are accepted by British government authorities such as the Home Office, registry offices, embassies, banks, educational institutions, NARIC, OFSTED, etc).
