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Certified translation FAQ

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CERTIFIED TRANSLATION BY A SWORN TRANSLATOR

- When you need it, how the process works and what you should know

A certified translation is most commonly required when a document needs to be submitted to a government authority, court, embassy, university, notary public, business institution or another competent authority.

This may involve a document issued in Serbian that will be used abroad, or a document issued in a foreign language that needs to be submitted to an institution in Serbia.

In either case, when an institution requires an official translation, the document must be translated and certified by an authorised sworn translator for the relevant language.

Unlike a standard translation, a certified translation includes the sworn translator's signature and official stamp, confirming that the translation is faithful to the original document.

When is a certified translation required?

  1. Moving abroad and obtaining residence permits

When relocating to another country, applying for residence, submitting a visa application or completing other administrative procedures, you may be asked to provide:

  • Birth certificates
  • Marriage certificates
  • Death certificates
  • Certificates of citizenship
  • Proof of residence
  • Criminal record certificates
  • Passports or identity cards
  • Driving licences
  • Various official certificates and confirmations

The documents that need to be translated, and whether certification is required, depend on the institution and the country where they will be used.

Education and academic documents

When continuing your education abroad or applying for recognition of academic qualifications, certified translations may be required for:

  • Diplomas and degree certificates
  • School certificates
  • Academic transcripts
  • Graduation certificates
  • Certificates of completed examinations
  • Curricula and course syllabuses
  • Other documents issued by educational institutions

It is particularly important to check the requirements of the receiving institution, as procedures for recognising academic qualifications vary from country to country.

  1. Employment abroad

When applying for a job in another country, an employer or competent authority may require translations of documents such as:

  • Diplomas and professional certificates
  • Employment history and work experience certificates
  • Professional licences and permits
  • CVs or résumés
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Other official certificates and supporting documents

Certain professions may have additional requirements concerning the recognition of professional qualifications.

  1. Business operations and company registration

Companies and entrepreneurs frequently need certified translations when conducting international business, when foreign individuals or companies establish a business in Serbia, or when operating through a representative office in Serbia.

Documents may include:

  • Articles of incorporation and other founding documents
  • Company statutes
  • Extracts from the Serbian Business Registers Agency
  • Decisions issued by competent authorities
  • Powers of attorney
  • Contracts
  • Declarations and statements
  • Financial and business documentation
  • Tender documentation
  • Documents required for company registration

In international business, accurate terminology alone is often not enough. The translation must also be prepared in a format accepted by the relevant institution.

  1. Contracts, powers of attorney and legal documents

Certified translations may be required for contracts, court decisions, judgments, official rulings, lawsuits, appeals, powers of attorney and other legal documents.

Accuracy is particularly important for these documents, as the translations may be used as official documentation in proceedings before competent authorities.

  1. Medical documentation

Certified translations of medical documents may also be required for certain administrative, legal or international procedures.

These may include:

  • Medical examination results
  • Hospital discharge summaries
  • Medical reports
  • Medical certificates
  • Treatment records
  • Other healthcare documentation

For medical documents, appropriate specialist terminology is just as important as compliance with formal certification requirements.

  1. Marriage to a foreign national

When arranging a marriage involving a foreign national, the presence of a sworn interpreter is required during the relevant procedures, including the marriage ceremony.

  1. Court proceedings

The presence of a sworn court interpreter is also required in court proceedings where interpretation is necessary.

The correct order: Apostille, notarisation and translation

Apostille certification

One of the most common questions is whether a document should be translated before or after obtaining an Apostille.

What is an Apostille?

An Apostille is a certificate used in countries that apply the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents.

It authenticates the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document acted and, where applicable, the seal or stamp appearing on the public document.

An Apostille does not certify the content of the document and does not replace a translation.

If you establish that an Apostille is required, the usual procedure is to take the original document to the competent Basic Court in Serbia to obtain the Apostille before submitting the document for translation. The sworn translator will then translate both the document and the Apostille.

An exception mentioned for documents intended for institutions in Italy and Belgium is that the translation is completed first, after which an Apostille is obtained for both the original document and the translation.

Because requirements can vary, always confirm the correct procedure with the institution receiving your documents.

Notarisation

If your documents require notarisation before certified translation, you should first have the documents notarised by a notary public and then submit them to a sworn translator.

FAQs about certified translations

No. Not every document requires certification. For business correspondence, marketing materials, websites, internal documents and many other types of content, a standard professional translation is usually sufficient. A certified translation is generally required when a document has an official or legal purpose and the receiving institution specifically requests certification.

A standard translation involves translating the content of a document. A certified translation includes confirmation by an authorised sworn translator, through their signature and official stamp, that the translation faithfully represents the original document.

That depends on the circumstances. In some cases, a translation can be prepared from a copy, while in others the original document or a certified copy is required. You should always check what the receiving institution accepts before proceeding.

If an Apostille has been attached to a document, certain procedures may require the Apostille certificate itself to be translated. Whether this is necessary depends on the requirements of the receiving institution and the country where the document will be used.

It depends on the specific case. Do not assume that the procedure is always the same. Before starting, check the requirements of the receiving institution or consult a professional familiar with the procedures in the relevant country.

The turnaround time depends on the language combination, the type of document and the volume of text Shorter documents may be completed quickly, while larger sets of documents require more time. If you have a deadline, mention it when requesting a quote.

No. A sworn translator certifies the accuracy of the translation but does not determine whether a particular institution will accept the document or whether additional legalisation, an Apostille or another procedure is required.

No. Certified translations are also widely used in business. Companies may require them for registration procedures, contracts, tenders, licences, financial documents, court proceedings, international projects and other situations involving the submission of documents to official institutions.

No. Through their signature and stamp, a sworn translator certifies the accuracy of the translation, not the authenticity of the original document. If additional document legalisation, such as an Apostille, is required, this is a separate procedure.

For the translation process itself, a high-quality scanned copy or high-resolution photograph sent by email is sufficient. However, the sworn translator physically attaches the certified translation to the source document, which may be the original, a certified copy or an ordinary copy. Before submitting your documents, always check whether the receiving institution requires the translation to be attached specifically to the original or a certified photocopy.

In many cases, you can initially send a scanned document or photograph so that we can assess the volume, language, content and translation cost. However, producing the final certified translation may require the original document or an appropriate copy, depending on the requirements of the sworn translator and the institution receiving the translation.

The price depends on the language, document type, volume of text and required turnaround time. Pricing is generally calculated per standard translation page, with one page equivalent to 250 words. The quickest way to obtain an accurate quote is to send us the document for review and specify the target language.

In some cases, yes. This depends on the document's length, the language combination and the availability of an authorised sworn translator. For urgent translations, we recommend sending your document as soon as possible so that we can check availability and confirm a possible deadline.

Certified translations are traditionally issued in paper form, bearing the sworn translator's signature and official stamp, and attached to the source document. If you require an electronic version, check whether the receiving institution accepts this format and whether a specific type of electronic certification is required.

Yes. When a physical copy is required, the certified translation can be sent to the client's address by courier or postal service.

Yes. Documents issued in other countries can be translated and certified in Serbia. However, before translation, you should check whether the document must first be legalised through an Apostille or another form of authentication.

Yes. Where relevant to the document's content and intended use, elements such as stamps, seals, signatures, headers, notes and other textual elements appearing on the document are also translated or appropriately represented.

No. A sworn translator cannot alter the content of the original document. If the original contains an error, it remains reflected in the translation in accordance with the applicable translation and certification rules. Only the authority that issued the original document can correct it.

Depending on the procedure, it may be possible to translate a copy. In certain cases, the sworn translator may need to include a note stating that the translation was prepared from a copy rather than the original.

As a general rule, a certified translation does not have a universal expiry date. However, the underlying document may be subject to validity or recency requirements, and an institution may request a document issued within a specified period. For example, a certificate issued several months earlier may no longer be acceptable for a particular procedure, even though its translation remains accurate.

In principle, yes, provided the receiving institutions accept it and their requirements have not changed. However, some institutions may require a newly issued copy, original documentation or a translation prepared specifically for a particular procedure.

Yes. If you need the same document for use in different countries, translations into multiple languages can be arranged with the appropriate authorised sworn translators. Each language version is priced separately.

Sworn translators are officially appointed for a wide range of languages, although availability depends on the specific language pair. In Serbia, there are currently officially appointed sworn translators for the following languages: Arabic, Albanian, Bulgarian, Greek, Bosnian, Danish, English, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Latin, Hungarian, Macedonian, German, Polish, Portuguese, Romani, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Finnish, Flemish, French, Hebrew, Dutch, Croatian, Czech, Swedish, Spanish, Norwegian, Rusyn, Armenian, Gorani, Farsi (Persian), and Bunjevac.

To receive an accurate quote, we recommend providing: • A scanned document or a clear copy • The source and target languages • Your required deadline • Information about whether you need a certified translation If you are unsure whether certification is required, simply tell us which institution will receive the document and what it will be used for. This can help determine which type of translation you need.
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