If you’ve ever read a legal document before, you’ll know how complicated and jargon-heavy they can be. This means, that when it comes to needing a legal document translated into a different language, it becomes a little more complicated than a simple language-to-language translation.
That’s because when a legal document is translated it needs to have the exact same meaning. Even something minor can result in major problems for those involved. So, before you get any legal documents translated, here are some things you should know first:
1: You Need an Experienced Legal Translator
Often, when it comes to legal translation, we believe that a translator who is fluent in the language of both the legal document and the language we would like it in is enough. However, this is far from the case, as any errors in your translation could be devastating to the persons involved.
For an accurate translation, you need someone who is also an expert in legal terminology and has vast experience in legal translation.
2: Your Translator Must Stay Up-To-Date with Legal Developments
Law is evolving and developing every day, hence, you need a translator who keeps themselves up-to-date with any changes in the law that may affect any translations. So, although you may have found a translator with legal experience, it’s important to check how recent this experience was.
3: Certain Countries Have Sworn Translators
To ensure your legal translation is undertaken by someone with both up-to-date legal experience and language fluency, you should look for a sworn translator. Hence, in certain countries, a sworn translator needs to take official exams to ensure any legal work is accurate. When they have passed their exams, they can add an official sworn stamp to that document.
4: The Difference Between Certified and Notarised Legal Translation
An official legal translation needs to be notarised or certified, but what is the difference between the two? Well, with a certified translation, you will receive a document that assures the translation is accurate.
If you need your translation notarised, though, you will need a certificate that states your document has been translated by a qualified legal person. For instance, a sworn translator has an official stamp as they are regulated by the government of the country that they work in.
Read More:
Certified Translation and Notarised Translation: Common Misunderstanding
5: Who Needs Legal Translation?
People often believe that only courts will need documents legally translated. However, this is not the case, many businesses also need documents translated if they plan to expand into different countries.
People moving to other countries will also need a translation. This is because their important documents need to be in the language of the country that they’re applying for a visa in.
6: Types of Documents That Need Legally Translated
Depending on your circumstances, there may be a number of documents that you might need a legal translation on. For business, this can include contracts, licenses, registration documents and trademarks. Whereas, people may need translation on passports, wills, adoption papers and immigration documents.
7: Be Wary of Confidentiality
Legally translated documents are also considered confidential documents. Therefore, it’s always important to hire a reputable translation service where you know that your documents are handled safely. Using a freelancer who leaks your documents could be damaging to a business.
Overall, getting a legal document translated should always be handled by experts. Even though you save money on a cheaper translator, you may end up paying a much higher price if your document is not translated correctly.
Related Post:
