A certified translation is a translation accompanied by a signed statement in which the translator confirms that it is a complete and accurate rendering of the original, gives their name, qualifications and contact details and dates the statement. It is the form accepted by authorities in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, where the Italian institution of the court oath does not exist. MMW Traduzioni certifies translations from Italian into English, French and Spanish for visa applications, universities, professional bodies, courts, banks and employers abroad, signed by a translator who is a qualified member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting and of the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Certified or sworn: which one you need
The choice depends on where the translation is going, not on where the document comes from. An Italian document going to a British, Irish, American, Canadian or Australian authority needs a certified translation: the Home Office, HMRC, the General Medical Council, UCAS and British universities, USCIS, IRCC, the Australian Department of Home Affairs and the courts of those countries all describe the certification they accept, and none of them requires a court oath. A foreign document going to an Italian authority needs instead a sworn translation before the Court. Civil law countries and most consulates in Italy follow the Italian model and require the oath, sometimes followed by legalisation. When the destination is not clear, the firm checks the requirements of the receiving body before quoting, so that the client pays for one translation only.
What the certification contains
Each certified translation is printed on the firm’s letterhead and bound to a copy of the source document. The last page carries the certification statement in English, with the translator’s full name, membership numbers of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting and the Chartered Institute of Linguists, registration with the Court of Rome and the Rome Chamber of Commerce, the date, the signature and the stamp, and the contact details that allow the receiving authority to verify the translation. The format follows the guidance of the UK professional bodies and is accepted by the authorities named above. For the United States the statement includes the wording required by USCIS on the translator’s competence in both languages. On request the translator’s signature can be legalised with an apostille by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rome, which some foreign universities and employers ask for.
Typical documents
Birth, marriage and death certificates and extracts for visas, settlement, citizenship and probate; criminal record certificates and certificates of pending charges for immigration and employment; degrees, diplomas, transcripts and syllabuses for admission to universities and for professional registration with bodies such as the GMC, the NMC, the Engineering Council, the Law Society and their equivalents in Ireland, the United States, Canada and Australia; driving licences; medical records and reports; bank statements, payslips, tax returns and company accounts for mortgages and visa applications; judgments, separation and divorce decrees, custody orders, powers of attorney, wills and contracts for foreign courts and solicitors; company registration certificates and articles of association for opening subsidiaries and bank accounts abroad.
Timing, delivery and cost
Certified translations do not require a visit to the Court and no stamp duty applies, so they are faster and cheaper than sworn translations. Standard certificates are ready within one or two working days of receiving the scan. The client receives a PDF of the signed and stamped translation by email, which most authorities accept, and the paper original by courier when a hard copy is required. Quotes are sent in writing within one working day and are priced per document for certificates and per word for longer texts. Payment is by bank transfer or by card online.
The firm translates in the opposite direction as well: documents in English, French and Spanish certified for Italian private bodies such as universities, schools, insurers and employers that accept a certified translation in place of a sworn one. Where an Italian public authority is involved, the sworn translation remains the rule.
Frequently asked questions
Will the Home Office accept your certified translation?
Yes. The Home Office requires that a translation of a document not in English be certified by a professional translator or translation company with confirmation that it is an accurate translation, the date, the translator’s full name and signature and contact details. The firm’s certification contains all these elements and the translator’s professional memberships.
Is a certified translation the same as a notarised translation?
No. A notarised translation is one in which a notary attests the identity of the translator who signs the statement, without vouching for the translation. Few authorities require it. When they do, the firm arranges the notarisation in Rome, or the sworn translation before the Court, which in Italy serves the same purpose with greater legal weight.
Can you certify a translation made by someone else?
Only after a full revision against the original, because the translator who signs the statement answers for its accuracy. If the existing translation is of good quality, the revision costs less than a new translation.
Do I need an apostille on the Italian document as well?
For many purposes the certified translation of the plain document is enough. Some authorities, among them universities, professional registers and courts, ask for the Italian original to be apostilled at the Prefecture or the Public Prosecutor’s Office before translation. The firm checks the requirement with you and obtains the apostille in Rome when needed.
Which variety of English do you use?
British English for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, American English for the United States, and the variety chosen by the client for Canada and international bodies. Legal terms are rendered with the equivalent used in the destination jurisdiction, with the Italian term in brackets where no equivalent exists.
Do you need a certified translation of an Italian document?
Send us a scan and tell us which authority and country it is for: you receive a written quote within one working day and the signed PDF usually within two.
