Translations and certified copies, explained

Two requests confuse almost everyone: a certified copy and a certified translation. They sound alike, they are often asked for in the same letter, and they are different things. You may need one, both or neither.

Certified copies

A certified copy is a photocopy that an authorised person has compared with the original and signed, usually with their name, role and the date. It lets an office accept a copy instead of holding on to your original passport or certificate.

Who counts as authorised depends on where the application is going. Some offices accept a lawyer or notary, others a wider list of professionals. Check before you pay anyone, because a copy certified by the wrong person is simply sent back.

Certified translations

A certified translation is a translation of a document that isn’t in the language the application needs, prepared by a qualified translator and signed as accurate. It normally travels with a copy of the original, so the reader can see both.

Machine translations and translations by a friend or relative are almost never accepted, however good they are.

When you need both

A birth certificate in another language is a common example: the office may want a certified copy of the certificate and a certified translation of it. Keep the pair together and label them clearly.

Our advice

Three habits save most people time and money:

• Don’t pay for either until we know which documents the application actually needs

• Ask for a quote per page before a translator starts

• Keep the originals safe; you will usually be asked to show them at some point

We tell you exactly what to translate or certify, and nothing more, so you don’t spend money on paperwork the application never uses.