In the translation industry, there are several types of translators, sworn translators are one of them and play an important role in the world of legal and certified translations. Their work has recently increased in demand due to globalization and the international market. In the following blog, we will talk about what a sworn translator is, what this type of translation consists of, and why it is important to hire these services.  

Who are Sworn Translators? 

A sworn translator, also known as a certified translator, is a translator who is authorized to translate different types of documents that require authentication according to the laws of the specific country where they are to be presented. To perform these types of tasks, a sworn translator must be registered under a professional authority or entity and must carry a professional license or registration number.

Sworn translators must also be knowledgeable in linguistics, terminology, and legislation as they must master specific ethical codes and follow precise standards. Therefore, a certified translator fulfils two functions: in addition to acting as a translation service provider, they also participate in the official certification of the final document, contributing directly to its legal and linguistic value.

What types of certified translations are there and what do they consist of? 

Although most sworn translations have legal purposes, not all of them are of this nature. According to the function of each document, a sworn translation may be required for medical, academic, and financial purposes. Some of the documents that may require this service may be:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Medical records
• Financial records
• Property records
• Powers of attorney
• Patents & IP documents

In addition, all sworn translations have an official seal or an attachment with a signed statement as proof that the translator is duly authorized in both the source and target languages. Each certification and its process depends on the country in which it is being processed. Likewise; government institutions, universities, and private companies usually have different requirements regarding the type of sworn translations they ask need.

Each certified document must make it clear that it is a translation and specify the source language in which it was written, its format must also be as close as possible to the source text. The pagination should be specified and the end of the document should be indicated. These are precautions that help protect the content of the document by preventing fraudulent modifications.  

In terms of security, translators retain the files they have worked on for a couple of months after they have been translated and certified. Once this time has elapsed, they proceed to destroy them. 

Why are Sworn Translators important?

The work that sworn translators perform is important because their objective is not only to perform a direct translation from one language to another but to translate the text in such a way that the concepts it contains are understood by someone belonging to a different legal system. The in-depth knowledge sworn translators possess about the legal systems of the countries they work with enriches their profession with responsibility and value.

Due to the delicate nature of this work, it becomes essential to work with a translation services company that is familiar with the intricacies of the sworn translation process and can provide the right professional according to the needs of each case. 

At Win & Winnow, we have more than 18 years of experience in translation services and believe that professionals should be aware of their capabilities and possibilities, and use them to achieve excellence and guarantee the quality of their work. If you are interested in consulting one of our services, do not hesitate to contact us, we will contact you as soon as possible!