Frequently Asked Questions

A sworn translation is one produced by a translator who holds an officially recognised status with the relevant foreign authority. Examples include:

A Traductor Jurado is a translator certified by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and listed on their official register. A Traduttore Giurato is a translator who has taken a formal oath before an Italian court. A Traducteur Assermente is registered with a French Court of Appeal. A Beeidigter Ubersetzer has been sworn in by a German regional court.

This official standing gives the translation a level of legal recognition that a standard certified translation does not carry. Many foreign embassies, civil registries and public bodies often require this form of translation, though exact requirements vary between authorities.

In the UK, there is no formal system of sworn translators. A "certified translation" typically means a translation accompanied by the translator's statement that it is a true and accurate representation of the original. However, for many European countries, this is not sufficient. Spain, Italy, France and Germany generally require translations prepared by a translator who has an official standing in that country -- whether ministerial certification, a court oath, or court registration. The terms "sworn translation" and "certified translation" are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not always equivalent in terms of the legal recognition they carry abroad.

We recommend confirming with the receiving authority exactly what form of translation they require.

We currently offer sworn translation of UK documents from English into Spanish, Italian, French and German only. These are the four languages we specialise in. We do not offer translation into any other languages at this stage.

Our sworn translation service is £90 per page of the original document. This applies to all four languages and all document types we handle. There are no hidden fees. See our pricing page for full details.

Orders are placed through our parent site, 1Apostille.org.uk. Once your order is placed, you will receive a reference number and instructions for sending your document to us. For translation only, you can simply email a clear scan or photo -- you do not need to post the original. If an apostille on the original is also required, we will advise you at that stage.

For sworn translation only, you do not need to post the original document. A clear scan or good-quality photo emailed to us is all we need. We will let you know if the image quality is not adequate.

If you are also having an apostille arranged on the original (through 1Apostille.org.uk), the original will need to be posted for that process. We will advise on this when you place your order.

Requirements vary by country and by the specific authority you are dealing with. In many cases, foreign authorities require both a sworn translation of the document and an apostille on the original UK document. An apostille confirms the authenticity of the document's origin and is issued by a competent authority in the UK (currently the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office).

We recommend checking directly with the receiving authority whether an apostille is required before ordering. Our parent service, 1Apostille.org.uk, can arrange apostilles alongside your translation.

In most cases where both are required, the apostille is obtained on the original document and the sworn translation is then prepared from that apostilled original. This is the sequence many authorities expect. However, requirements can vary -- we recommend confirming the expected order with the receiving authority. We can arrange both services together through 1Apostille.org.uk.