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In our previous article we discussed the basics of certified translations: what they are, how we prepare them and when you might need them. Still, there are times when the document you wish to have translated may not be as straightforward and contain a few peculiarities. Over the years we have come across numerous specifics regarding certified translations. Below are by far the most common ones and ways to tackle them most successfully.

What if you need several copies of a certified translation?

It is quite likely that you will have to submit your translated documents to more than one institution.  This is especially true if you are dealing with the paperwork needed to expand your business abroad or regulatory documentation to be submitted to more than one regulatory authority. As mentioned in our first article, certified translations may not be simply copied; instead, each copy must have the signature, statement and stamp of the sworn court interpreter and be bound with the source document or its certified copy. When ordering a certified translation, remember to let us know whether you require more than one copy. This also means that you will have to send us a corresponding number of certified copies of the original document, obtained at a notary public’s office. The total cost in this case consists of the certified translation itself and an additional fee for each copy.

What if you need the document only partly translated?

There are several reasons why you may need the translation of only part of the document, for example: parts of the document could already be composed in the target language, or only certain sections of the document are relevant to the competent authority. The procedure itself is fairly simple. The interpreter will simply add a note into the translation stating that certain pages or paragraphs were left untranslated. For instance, if you have a document to be translated into Slovene and the first couple of pages are already written in Slovene, the interpreter will add a remark explaining which pages did not require translation, since they were compiled in the target language. As the translation will be bound with the source document, the competent institution can easily access and understand the contents of the abovementioned pages. The translation cost only includes the text which the interpreter translated from a foreign language.

What if no sworn interpreters have been appointed in Slovenia for a requested language combination?

Imagine that you require the translation of a document written in English into Chinese. If you have a look at the Register of Court Interpreters you will see that there are no sworn interpreters appointed by the Slovene Ministry of Justice who are licensed for both English and Chinese. In other words, there is no interpreter in Slovenia who can certify such a translation. Luckily, this problem does not come without a solution! There are sworn interpreters who are licensed to translate from Slovene to English (and vice versa) and those who translate between Chinese and Slovene. If you therefore wish to order such a certified translation in Slovenia, you can do this by way of a double certified translation. This means that the document will have to be translated (and certified) twice: first from English into Slovene, which will serve as an intermediary language, and then from Slovene into Chinese. Both translations must be certified and all three documents bound together, so that the entire translation procedure is transparent. Double certified translations demand extra care, since the risk of errors inevitably increases with every translation. Before the document is sent to be translated into the final target language (in our case Chinese), the accuracy of the Slovene translation against the English source must be thoroughly reviewed and any inconsistencies or ambiguities ironed out.

A double certified translation may also be necessary if the source document is compiled in more than one language (for example partly in English and partly in German). If a single interpreter who works with both source languages exists, they can do the entire translation and there is no need for a double certified translation. If not, the translation and certification has to be performed by two interpreters. Unfortunately, a double certified translation will cost more and is a service that sometimes cannot be avoided.

Have you encountered any peculiarities of certified translations that were not addressed in this article? Let us know in the comments below or write to us at info@alamma.eu. We will be happy to help you tackle them! We are also looking forward to your translation enquiries!