Sworn Translation
A sworn translation produced by a court-appointed interpreter* attests that the translation is faithful to the source document. A printed copy of such a translation is firmly attached to the source document and the two are accompanied by the interpreter’s endorsement clause bearing the interpreter’s signature and seal.
How does it actually differ from any other translation?
Unlike non-certified translations, a sworn translation is most often attached to an original document (or notarized copy of a document) that includes a signature and a stamp of a government official. It may, of course, be bound to a simple copy of a document, but you may wish to consider, or verify with the receiving authority, whether such a translation will be accepted.
Each country has its own law on court-appointed translators and/or interpreters, which may be considerably different from ours. If you receive a translation request from abroad, it is a good idea to bear this in mind and make sure that the required form of translation complies with the requirements of the Czech legislation.
It is common practice in some countries for selected language agencies – legal entities – to swear their own translations by appending a statement testifying to the veracity and correctness of the translation. This is not possible in the Czech Republic – you will always find the signature and seal of a court-appointed interpreter – natural person – on the sworn translation. In other countries, a common part of the interpreter’s endorsement clause is notarization of the interpreter’s signature. This is not a recognized practice in the Czech Republic either.
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When looking for information about sworn translations, you will soon notice that sworn translations are often referred to by different terms – sworn, certified, official or even notarial (although notaries play no part in their production). Do not be fooled; they are synonyms denoting one and the same thing. A sworn translation ordered from us will always be prepared by one of our court-appointed interpreters.
The document you may need a sworn translation of sometimes requires some sort of verification, mostly concerning the person who issued the document, the office held by that person and their signature. As a result, the document may bear an apostille, superlegalization or notarization.
Note that such a form of verification must also be translated. Make sure you are aware of all these requirements before you submit the document to us for translation.
If you are under time pressure and are worried about your document taking too long to be translated, please contact one of our branches or email us. During working hours, i.e. on weekdays from 8 am to 6 pm, your email will receive a reply within an hour.
Verification of a court-appointed interpreter
In exceptional cases, you may also be required to have the person of the court-appointed interpreter verified. This means having to obtain the confirmation of the court that the interpreter concerned is entered in the register of interpreters kept on file by that particular court. Rest assured that all our sworn translations are prepared only by official court-appointed interpreters and feature all of the required particulars.
It may happen, though, that some authorities, especially in foreign countries, will require this confirmation. If that’s the case, you will need to turn to the court that appointed the interpreter. You will find its identification details in the text of the interpreter’s endorsement clause attached to the translation.
If you happen to live in Prague but the interpreter who produced your translation is registered, say, with the Regional Court in Ostrava, don’t worry. You may use the services of the Regional Court in Prague for the purpose of such verification as this court offers the verification of all court-appointed interpreters registered in the Czech Republic.
* If you are puzzled by the word “interpreter” instead of the expected “translator”, be aware that Act No. 36/1967 Sb., on court-appointed experts and interpreters, which is still in force, uses the term “interpreter” to denote a translator.
If you need any additional information concerning sworn translations, do not hesitate to contact us.
We will be happy to help.
