What is a sworn translation?

As the certification process is not standardized globally, a sworn translation has a different meaning in each country. In Spain, a sworn translation is an official translation carried out, signed and sealed by a Sworn Translator-Interpreter certified by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, granting the document full legal validity before the courts, the relevant authority or any other recipient. A Sworn Translator-Interpreter certifies the faithfulness of the translation with an authority similar to that of a notary public. And the translated document, provided that it is presented alongside the original, holds the same validity held by the original in the country in which it was first issued.

All of our SWORN translators have been authorised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, so they can certify your translations and grant official recognition and validity to your translated documents in the Spain and abroad. Over 10 years’ experience working alongside law firms and within the legal system has provided valuable insights into this practice. As a result we have the know-how required to translate official documents and interpret in court, thereby guaranteeing high-quality translations.

We provide sworn translation services to a wide range of clients including law firms, courts, private companies, academic institutions and individuals. With the help of ourteam of SWORN translators, we can translate to and from any language in the European Union, as well as Chinese, Arab, Japanese and Russian, to name a few.

Which documents require a sworn translation?

A sworn translation is usually required in the case of official documents that are to take effect before the competent authorities, such as government agencies, courts, registry offices or academic institutions. Numerous official bodies in Spain and abroad require this type of translation. Spanish legislation establishes that a Sworn Translator must take part when documents written in a foreign language are submitted to official bodies and when documents issued in Spain are submitted in foreign countries, where Spanish is not an official language.

A sworn translation is needed for various international procedures requiring special legal certainty such as notarized documents, marriage certificates, court orders, academic validations, official diplomas, transcripts, and any other type of document intended for official use. Upon request, we also offer the possibility of certifying any of our translations, regardless of the type – for instance, patent translations or private business correspondence. Some of the most frequent sworn translations are listed below by way of example: