A sworn translation, called traduzione giurata or asseverata in Italian, is the form of translation that Italian authorities require for any foreign document that must produce legal effects in Italy: birth and marriage certificates, degrees and transcripts, judgments, powers of attorney, company documents, criminal records, medical reports for administrative use. The translator appears before the Court, declares under oath that the translation is faithful to the original and assumes personal criminal liability for it. MMW Traduzioni has sworn translations before the Court of Rome since 1995 and delivers them to clients anywhere in Italy and abroad.
What a sworn translation is and why Italy requires it
Italy has no register of sworn translators comparable to those of Germany, Spain or France. The validity of a translation does not come from a licence held by the translator but from the oath taken on each document before a public official: the clerk of a Court, a Justice of the Peace or a notary. A Royal Decree of 1922 provides for the oath, the Presidential Decree 642 of 1972 governs the stamp duty applied to the file, and article 483 of the Criminal Code makes a false declaration before a public official a crime. The result is a single bound file made of the original document, the translation and the record of oath, registered by the Court with a serial number and valid before every authority in Italy, whichever Court received the oath.
Each Court sets its own rules on who is admitted to swear. The Court of Rome, where the firm works, admits translators entered in its register of court experts (Albo dei consulenti tecnici d’ufficio) and in the roll of experts of the Chamber of Commerce. Michela de Julio, who founded the firm, has been on both registers since 1995, and every translation sworn by the firm is signed by a registered translator who takes personal responsibility for it. That is the guarantee an Italian university, registry office, Prefecture or court expects to find in the file.
Documents issued abroad for use in Italy
Most of the firm’s work concerns documents coming from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, India, Nigeria, the Gulf countries, Latin America and the rest of Europe, destined for an Italian authority. The typical cases are citizenship applications by descent, where birth, marriage and death certificates of several generations must be translated and sworn for the Comune or the consulate; the recognition of foreign degrees and professional qualifications, where the diploma, transcript and syllabus go to a university or a ministry; residence permits, EU Blue Cards and family reunification, where contracts, payslips and civil status records go to the Prefecture and the Questura; civil and criminal proceedings, where judgments, affidavits and evidence are filed with an Italian court; company matters, where certificates of incorporation, powers of attorney and board resolutions go to a notary or the Companies Register.
Before the translation, the foreign document usually has to be legalised in its country of origin, with an apostille if that country is party to the Hague Convention of 1961. The apostille is translated together with the document. The firm checks the document before quoting and tells the client whether the apostille is required by the receiving authority, because a sworn translation of a document that lacks it is often rejected. The page on legalisation and apostille explains the rules country by country.
Italian documents for use abroad
When an Italian document must be presented abroad, the route depends on the destination. Countries of civil law tradition, such as Spain, France, Germany, Brazil and Argentina, and most consulates in Italy generally require a sworn translation followed by the apostille or legalisation of the translator’s signature at the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rome. English-speaking countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, do not have the institution of the court oath and accept instead a certified translation, signed and stamped by the translator with a statement of accuracy and the translator’s credentials, which costs less and requires no stamp duty. The firm advises which form the receiving authority will accept and prepares it accordingly.
Stamp duty, timing and delivery
Italian law applies a stamp duty of 16 euros to every four pages of the sworn file, record of oath included, unless the document falls within one of the exemptions provided by law, such as proceedings concerning employment, social security, adoption or scholarships. The firm indicates the duty separately in the quote and declares any exemption in the record of oath. Sworn translations of standard certificates are normally ready within two or three working days of receipt of the scan; longer documents follow the quoted schedule. The sworn file exists only in paper form: it is handed over at the office in Rome by appointment or sent by courier anywhere in Italy and abroad, with a scanned copy sent in advance by email so that the client can check it and forward it to the authority while the original is on its way.
Clients abroad do not need to come to Italy. They send a legible scan of the document, the firm translates and swears it in Rome and ships the original to the client or directly to the Italian authority, lawyer or notary indicated by the client. Payment can be made by bank transfer or by card online.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need my original document to swear the translation?
Usually not. The Court of Rome accepts the oath on a copy of the document, and the record of oath states whether the translation was made from an original or a copy. Some receiving authorities, such as universities for the recognition of degrees, require the sworn translation to be bound to the original or to a certified copy: in that case the firm tells you before starting and you send the original by courier.
Is a translation sworn in Rome valid in Milan, Naples or Palermo?
Yes. A sworn translation has effect throughout Italy regardless of the Court that received the oath. The firm serves clients and authorities all over the country from Rome.
Can a translation made in my country be sworn in Italy?
Only after a full revision by the translator who will swear it, since that person assumes criminal liability for the text. If the translation is good, the revision costs less than a new translation. Translations certified by a foreign translator are generally not accepted by Italian authorities unless legalised and accompanied by an Italian sworn translation of the certification itself, which rarely makes sense.
Does a sworn translation expire?
The translation does not. The underlying document may: Italian authorities treat foreign civil status certificates as valid for six months from issue, and criminal record certificates for the same period. If the authority asks for a recent certificate, a new translation of the new certificate is needed.
How much does a sworn translation cost?
The quote depends on the length and language of the document and is sent in writing within one working day of receiving the scan, with the stamp duty and the courier shown separately. Standard certificates are priced per document. The amount quoted is the amount invoiced.
Do you need a sworn translation for Italy?
Send us a scan of the document and tell us which authority it is for: you receive a written quote within one working day, with timing, costs and the steps required.
