If you are giving a UK organisation a document that is not in English, such as a birth certificate for a visa application, you will usually need a certified translation. This is a complete English translation with the translator’s signed confirmation that it is accurate. There is no special government form: what matters is what the translation contains and who stands behind it.
What a certified translation must include
GOV.UK guidance for visa applications says a certified translation must include:
- the translator’s confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document
- the date of the translation
- the translator’s full name and signature
- the translator’s contact details
My certified translations include all of these, plus my membership number of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, which anyone can check on the CIOL register.
What the Immigration Rules add
For documents required under the Immigration Rules, paragraph 39B says that a document not in English or Welsh must come with the version in the original language and a full translation that the Home Office can independently verify. The translation must be dated and include the translator’s confirmation, full name, signature and contact details. For applications for leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain, it must also be certified by a qualified translator, with details of the translator’s credentials.
Who can certify a translation?
The UK has no system of state-appointed ‘sworn’ translators. Organisations usually expect a professional translator who signs the translation and takes responsibility for it, and they often look for membership of a professional body such as the CIOL. Many will not accept a translation done by you or a relative, so it is usually best to use an independent translator.
When a notarised translation is needed
Some organisations ask for more, for example certain authorities abroad. For a notarised translation, a notary public certifies the translator’s declaration and signature, and a document going abroad may also need an apostille. The organisation that asked for the translation decides what it needs, so check with them, or with your adviser, before you order.
Common questions
Is there a list of Home Office approved translators?
Not in the Home Office’s published guidance. It sets out what the translation must contain instead, so check that yours has every detail listed above and comes from a translator who can be contacted to confirm it. See also Is there a sworn translator in the UK?
Do I send the original document as well?
Yes. For immigration applications, the rules ask for the document in its original language together with the full translation, so always provide both.
Can a friend or relative translate my documents?
It is safer not to. The Home Office must be able to verify the translation independently, and for leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain it must be certified by a qualified translator. Many other organisations also refuse translations by the applicant or a relative.
Does a certified translation expire?
No, but it only covers the document as it was when it was translated. If the original is reissued, or a new stamp or entry is added, the translation needs updating too.
Is a PDF certified translation accepted?
Many organisations accept a scan or a PDF, especially for online applications. If yours asks for a printed, signed copy, I can post one within the UK.