What is an official, certified or sworn translation in Portugal?
In Portugal, the term “certified translation” lacks clarity because different entities may have different translation certificate requirements. It should also be noted that there is no such thing as a “sworn translator” in Portugal. Instead, we can supply certified translations that come either with a certificate issued by our company or by one issued by a notary or a lawyer.
Are translations done in Portugal accepted abroad?
It depends on what you have been asked for by the entity you will be submitting the translation to. We can issue our own company certificate in the same language as the translation and in which we state that we are a company certified under ISO 17100, the international standard for translation or we can have the translation certified by a notary in English, French or Spanish, and even arrange for an apostille from the Attorney-General of the Republic, if necessary.
Additionally, as an official translation service we can also provide translations done by sworn translators from various countries. While there is no such thing as a sworn translator in Portugal, they do exist in other countries. A sworn translator is recognised by and registered with their country’s courts. If a foreign entity requires a sworn translation, the translation in question must be done by one of the translators on the respective country’s list of sworn translators.
What does your company’s certificate consist of?
Issued on company letterhead and bearing our stamp and the translator’s signature, our company certificate attests to our responsibility for the translation delivered. It also states that we are a certified company under ISO 17100, the international standard for translation. This certificate is attached to the original (or copy of the original) and to the completed, certified translation and it can be issued in the same language as the translation.
What is a notarial certificate?
A notarial certificate is a page that the notary attaches to the original (or copy of the original) and to the translation, certifying the signature of the translator who presents the translation at the notary’s office. It usually includes the notary’s details, the identification of the translator, the source and target languages of the translation and a brief description of the translated document. It not only bears the translator’s signature but also the notary’s signature and embossed seal. It can be issued in Portuguese, English, French or Spanish.
What is a notarised copy? And what about a certified or authenticated copy?
A notarised copy is a copy taken by a notary to whom the original document is given specifically for the purpose. The notary’s certification will state that the copy is true and faithful to the original document.
A certified or authenticated copy is similar to a notarised copy but is done by other competent entities such as lawyers, civil parish councils and post offices.
What is an apostille certificate?
An apostille is a formality whereby a competent authority of the Portuguese State, typically the Attorney-General of the Republic, recognises the signature on a public document, the capacity in which the person who signed it is acting and, if necessary, the authenticity of the seal or stamp that it bears.
Documents may only be apostilled by entities from the country where they were issued but it is possible to arrange for translations certified by a notary to be apostilled, if necessary. In this case, the apostille applies only to the translation and not to the original document.
Inpokulis can arrange for apostilled translations to be issued by working with the Attorney-General of the Republic.
If I need a translation, do I have to give you the printed original document?
For the actual translation process, no. A digital copy of your document is all we need to get the process started. And, if it will suffice, we can also deliver your translation only as a digital document.
Nevertheless, in some cases we do the need the printed original (or a notarised/certified copy) in order to have the translation certified. It really depends on what you have been asked for by the entity where you will be submitting the translation.
What is ISO 17100?
The ISO 17100 international standard was published on 1st May 2015 and specifies the requirements that define quality in translation services. For the customer, the standard provides a guarantee of better quality translations, stricter compliance with deadlines and monitoring by qualified project managers at every stage of the process.
Inpokulis was the first translation company in Portugal to obtain this certification and our compliance with the standard is verified annually during an independent audit carried out by Bureau Veritas.
How do I request a quote for a translation?
The first step is to send us the documents you want translated. This lets our team see what you need and help you choose the most suitable type of translation. They will also send you details of the cost and delivery deadlines.
What languages do you translate into?
Thanks to our international network of translators, revisers and linguists, we can arrange for translations from and into an extensive range of languages. We have the internal resources and experienced translators necessary to be able to provide fast translations into more than 100 languages.
Who are your translators?
We work only with translators who are native speakers of the target language and who have proven experience in their specialist fields.
Pursuant to our certification under ISO 17100, the international standard that regulates quality in translation services, our professional translators meet the following requirements:
- Formal university-level training in translation (recognised diploma);
- An equivalent qualification in another area plus a minimum of two years’ proven experience in translation;
- A minimum of five years’ proven experience as a full-time professional translator.
