When you have legal documents that require submission in official offices in Singapore and these documents are in a language other than English, you require certified translations. Proper certification of your translations ensures that the translated documents will be valid and equivalent to the original in the eyes of the government bodies, courts, schools and other organizations.
This is a guide on how to get certified translations of legal documents in Singapore including the process, the requirements, and the costs involved.
Step 1: Identify whether you require certified translations
For any legal documents that are intended to be presented to an official body in Singapore or for use in court or for official registration purposes, you require certified translations. Some examples include:
- Certificates such as birth, marriage, and death certificates
- Divorce or custody papers or documents, or photographs of the child, or the child’s school record.
- Police records
- Bank statements
- His educational transcripts or diplomas
- Contracts or agreements
If you will be using the translations in a way that does not require official recognition or certification, then, certified translations may not be necessary.
Step 2: It is therefore important to select an accredited translation company.
For your legal translations to be accepted, it is important that you seek the services of a professional translation company in Singapore that is a member of the Association of Translation Companies (ATC). Certified firms have gone through rigorous testing to prove their translators’ competence and the quality of their translations.
Step 2: Choosing your translators for your language.、
When you hire an accredited translation company, ask for translators of your language and make sure that they are legally trained. The company should be able to offer detailes of their legal translators so that you can confirm their competency in law and languages.
Step 4: Offer Clear Scans or Photocopies of Your Documents
The translation company will require that you submit scanned copies of the original legal documents or clear photographs of the same. This serves as a reference for the translators to work from when developing your translations.
Step 5: Request certified translations
When dealing with the selected translation company, state that you require certified translations for use in legal matters. Make sure they will abide any legal or jurisdictional requirements that are tied to certification so that your translations will be actionable.
Step 6: Expect Some Q&A With Your Assigned Translator
Your assigned translator may have certain questions after going through your documents especially when it comes to some unclear passages, spellings of certain names or when dealing with certain specialized terms. Be ready to give brief explanation of your materials to enhance the quality of translated documents.
Step 7: Proofread Your Legal Translations
When you get the initial copies of the translated documents from the company, it is good to review them despite the fact that the final copies will be certified. You can spot any other mistakes or use incorrect translations to your advantage.
Please ensure to offer correction notes to the company where necessary before they lock and certify the translations.
Step 8: Understand the Certification Process
Legal translation certification involves affixation of signatures by the qualified translator and additional reviewers at times. Have proper knowledge of certification process and requirements of your selected company to avoid non-compliance.
For instance, an accredited company may require that the certified translations bear embossed seals or statements from the assigned translators that the translation is accurate.
Step 9: Inquire About the Turn Around Time
It is recommended that for regular legal documents that do not exceed 20 pages, your translation company should offer a relatively short turnaround time. Work done in a day involves simple documents such as letters, and may take a few hours while more detailed documents such as reports may take few days up to a week.
Ask whether there are any express services for quicker certification of translation services in case you have tight submission deadlines.
Step 10: Get a Quote Upfront
Legal translation and certification are specialized services that demand professional qualifications and experiences. Expect corresponding rates – do not be result only based when choosing your translation provider.
However, these companies will often give an estimate of the cost of legal translation as they are accredited to do so hence allowing you to plan adequately. Quotes let you price comparison between certified services.
Following this guide, you will be able to get properly certified translations of your legal documents to be submitted in Singapore and meet any formalities that may exist. Contact accredited translation firms to begin your legal translations today.