Many documents from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq are bilingual, in Kurdish and Arabic, while documents issued by the federal Iraqi authorities are mainly in Arabic. I translate the Kurdish, not the Arabic, so before taking on a certified translation I need to see exactly what is on the page.
Send a photo first
- Take a clear photo or scan of every page, front and back, including stamps and handwritten notes.
- Send it to me with a line about what the translation is for.
- I check whether the Kurdish and the Arabic carry the same information, or whether some parts are in Arabic only.
- I then tell you honestly whether I can certify the whole document.
If a document is wholly or mainly in Arabic, you will need an Arabic translator for it. It is better to know that at the start than to receive a translation that covers only part of the document.
Documents from the Kurdish areas of Iran
Official documents from the Kurdish areas of Iran, such as Sanandaj or Mahabad, are usually in Farsi, with Kurdish names and place names. Letters, statements and messages may be in Kurdish. As a native speaker of both Sorani and Farsi, I can work with either.
Names and places
Kurdish names and places often have several English spellings. Erbil is also written Arbil or Hewlêr; Sulaymaniyah appears as Sulaimani or Slemani; Sanandaj is Sine in Kurdish. I follow the spelling in your passport or earlier documents and keep it the same in every translation, so your papers read as one consistent set.