General Information

How do you charge for translations?
We charge a “per word” rate. The rate per word depends on the language combination, complexity of the subject matter and the turnaround time you require.

How do I count the words in my document?
Doing a word count can be tricky, especially if your document contains pictures with embedded text or you have a PDF. The easiest way to get a word count is to send us all of your documents and let us do the word count for you. We have advanced OCR (Optical Character Recognition) programs that can do word counts on any document or image and in any language, including Asian and Middle Eastern languages. Alternatively, if you're working from a Word for Windows document that contains only text, Microsoft Word 2007 shows the word count in the lower left-hand side of the application.

How long will it take to translate my document?
We endeavor always to meet our client deadlines. For very large projects we will assign as many translators as required to ensure the deadline is met.

What method should I use to send my documents, and how do you send them back?
The best way to send the document(s) is to email us a copy of your document, or to upload it using our free quotation form. Alternatively you can send your document by fax or a photocopy by post. We are able to receive both PC and Mac formats, although our staff and administrators mostly use PC-based systems. We can send you your completed translations in any format and by any method you require.

Why an online translation service?
Quite simply to save you time and money! Who has the time nowadays to carry documents up and down the UK for a translation? It is obviously much more comfortable to upload a document or email it as an attachment without leaving your home or office.

Can I deliver/collect the documents in person?
We offer online translation services, but on rare occasions where a document is extremely urgent some clients do come in person to collect their material. However, it is much more practical to deliver documents using our website or by email, or post, where these options are viable.

How much do I have to pay extra for the translation to be posted to my address?
The answer is short: Nothing at all. The cost of sending the translation by First Class Royal Mail is included in the price of service.

In special cases, for a £15 surcharge we can use the Royal Mail Special Delivery service, whereby the delivery is guaranteed on the next working day after posting

Who performs the translation?
We use our in-house translators who specialize in western European languages. For any other combinations we have a team of high quality, certified, freelance translators with impeccable credentials and extensive experience. They are responsive, talented, trustworthy and 100% committed professionals with whom we have built and established a solid working relationship over time.

How do you ensure your translations are accurate?
All Certified Translation Service translations are accurate. We have designed our quality control system to allow each team member to perform their functions in real time, supporting each other's specialized functions, checking each other's work, sharing terminology databases and research. Continuous process improvements are built in. Our project management system adapts to the needs of any project, bringing in different and complementary skill sets as required.

How do you enforce confidentiality?
We recognize that legal translations require absolute confidentiality. Every team member who handles your document signs (1) an in-house corporate non-disclosure agreement, and (2) a project-by-project confidentiality agreement. Our project management system allows us to control exactly who has access to your documents, and levels of access are adjusted according to the role of the authorized team member.

Is a more expensive translation necessarily a better one?
In this industry, as in many others, it is usually true that you get what you pay for. When hiring a reputable company (like Certified Translation Service) for a translation project, you are paying for their extensive resources and experience. If you care about the quality of your project, you should care about the quality of the translation. A poorly-executed translation will do more than just confuse its intended recipients, it might also destroy your professional reputation.

Certified Translations

Can you certify my document for use in legal proceedings or with the UK Border Agency?
Yes. Certified Translation Service can certify and notarize your translations for use in legal proceedings or to send to the UK Border Agency. If we correct documents translated by another company, we can provide you with a certificate of accuracy, and notarize it if it is required for use abroad (required only in certain instances).

Do you need to see the original documents to certify and notarize the translation for legal purposes?
No. We do not need to handle your original documents. For legal, academic and professional purposes, we only need to certify the translation as authorities in those sectors expect.

Do I have to send my original document(s) for a certified translation?
No. All we require is a clear legible copy of the document(s) in order to certify the translation. It is important that you submit a reasonably good quality copy.

Sworn or certified translations?
In the UK, the sworn translation is purely theoretical whereas it is typically the principal term used overseas for official translations. The UK equivalent is simply referred to as a ‘Certified Translation' and this is what the main UK authorities and institutions will require as part of an application.

Will a Certified Translation meet my requirements?
In our experience the standard certification will satisfy organizations such as the Home Office, consulates, insurance companies, academic and educational institutions, UK NARIC, UK employers, banks and the Passport Agency. However, if you have any doubts that the certified translation of your document will be accepted, we suggest that you contact the relevant authority or organization to ensure that this is what they require.

Translated documents for submission to UK courts are usually certified before a solicitor and documents for use abroad are sometimes required to be certified by a notary public.

You may also need to get certain documents legalized by the Foreign Office.

How long does it take?
We can normally prepare your translations within 1-2 business days for translation and certification. You will need to allow another 1-2 days for postage. A next-day delivery service is also available where documents are required urgently. An urgent rate will apply where an express service is required. We provide a time estimate when we supply a quote for the service.

How can I submit my documents to you?
You can send the document to us by uploading it using our Free Quotation form, by email or by post. There are very few occasions when we will need to see the original document and we will let you know if this is the case. Usually a scanned copy sent by email is enough. You can upload documents in Word format (.doc or .docx), PDF format, Open Office format (.odt), as Rich Text (.rtf), or as scanned images – .JPG format. Please make sure that absolutely ALL parts of the document(s) are included as we translate everything that appears in the document(s). If there are any parts that are illegible or amended, for example, we will state that in the translated document.

How is a translation certified?
The basic requirement in the UK is that a declaration must state that the translation has been made by a qualified translator, and that it is accurate. It should be attached to the translated document. This declaration can be signed by the translator or a representative of the translation company. For court purposes this declaration must be signed in the presence of a solicitor. For translations that will be sent abroad, it may be necessary to have the declaration signed in the presence of a notary public, depending on the purpose of the translation and the country where it will be used. In some countries, such as Brazil, translators undergo a selective examination process or are appointed by a court or government authority to be recognized as “sworn translators”. In such cases, a translation by a sworn translator is an official document in its own right and no further certification or legalization is usually required for official use in that country.

Are you able to verify equivalence for academic qualifications obtained abroad?
No. The organization that deals with this procedure is UK NARIC. We can only provide a certified translation, which must then be submitted to UK NARIC.

My name is spelt incorrectly in my original document. Can you correct this in the translation?
No. We are obliged to translate the document exactly as it is. If there are mistakes in the original document, you should contact the issuing authority directly and ask them to amend the document and reissue a corrected version.

What is a standard page?
The standard page, in the case of our certified translations, contains approximately 320 words of source text (from the original document). An incomplete standard page shall be rounded up to the nearest half page.

Example:
The source text contains 250 words – payment for one standard page is due.
The source text contains 450 characters – payment for 1.5 standard pages is due