Accredited Translation

What is Accredited Translation?

Accredited translation is the translation made by a country’s embassy specialist. Such expert is known as an accredited translator.

An embassy accredited translator is the translator duly authorised to represent a country in the other country, had a necessary accreditation at the embassy, is sufficiently competent and has the required qualification proof, and meets the embassy’s criteria.

An accredited translator represents a foreign country’s embassy, therefore his/her translations must be correct and accurate, and comply with the requirements and quality standards of such embassy in Ukraine.

Which Countries Require Accredited Translation?

Not every country requires accredited translation of documents. It can be done by accredited translators at the embassies of:

• Italy; and
• Spain

The accredited translation procedure for Italy and Spain includes:

• Affixing an apostille to the document;
• Translation of the document by an accredited translator;
• Affixing the consulate seal to the document

Requirements to document preparation for France and the Czech Republic:

• Affixing an apostille to the document;
• Translation of the document by a sworn translator at the embassy

Why Do I Need an Accredited Translation?

The translation done by an accredited translator is always certified with the consulate seal. In this case, the embassy seal certifies the signature of the accredited translator. You need such a translation and certification to ensure that your document issued in Ukraine is recognised in the countries referred to above.

When preparing a document for using abroad, first you need to have an apostille affixed to the original or notarised copy of the document. Accredited translators only accept documents legalised with an apostille to be thereafter translated and certified with the embassy seal.

Double Apostille or Apostille + Accredited Translation Certified with a Consular Seal?

There are several options for preparing documents for countries such as Spain and Italy:

• have an apostille affixed to the original or notarised copy of the document, get a notarised translation and have it certified with another apostille;
• have an apostille affixed to the original or notarised copy of the document, get an accredited translation and have it certified with the consulate seal.

Both procedures are fully legal. Therefore, when preparing documents for Spain and Italy ask the issuing bodies where the documents will be further submitted to and which procedure should be chosen.

There are some other countries which embassies have no accredited translator, so only one procedure is possible: apostille, notarised translation, another apostille.

Other countries require only one apostille or double apostille – these are the legalisation and apostille affixing peculiarities which vary from country to country.