Notarized Translation Services

Immigration authorities rarely ask for notarization. USCIS and UKVI accept a certified translation with the translator's signed statement. IRCC wants a certified translator, and uses a sworn affidavit only when no certified translator did the work.

Notarization comes up more often with courts, school districts, some universities, banks, state agencies and foreign consulates. Their rules vary, and some ask for it only for certain documents.

Because rules vary so much, the safest step is to ask the recipient in writing whether a notarized translation is required. Contact us with that answer and we confirm the next steps.

A notarized translation has three parts: the translation itself, the translator's Certificate of Accuracy, and the notary's certificate. The first two are the same as in any certified translation.

The notary's certificate records that the translator signed, or swore to, the accuracy statement in front of the notary. In the US this is usually a jurat, where the signer swears or affirms the statement is true, or an acknowledgment, where the signer confirms they signed it.

The notarial certificate carries the notary's name, seal and commission details. It says nothing about the quality of the translation, which is why the translator's own statement still matters most.

An apostille authenticates a public document for use in another country that is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. A notarized translation counts as a notarized document, so it can usually be apostilled.

In the US, apostilles for notarized documents are usually issued by the authority of the state where the notary is commissioned. Countries that are not parties to the Convention use legalization through a consulate instead.

An apostille on the original document is a separate step. If your recipient wants the original apostilled, arrange that with the country that issued it, then send us the apostille page to translate with the document.

The most common mistake is paying for notarization nobody asked for. USCIS and UKVI do not require it, so check before you order.

The second is asking a notary to translate. A notary witnesses signatures; a notary who happens to speak the language is not certifying the translation by notarizing it.

The third is a mismatch between documents. The translation, the accuracy statement and the notarial certificate must refer to the same document and the same signer, so keep them together as one file.