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sworn translation is a legal document translated into another language that is still accepted as a legal document after translation. In other words it is a translation where the translated document has the same legal validity as the original one. Sworn Translations are presented in the format required to be accepted in the country concerned. This type of translation is used primarily when dealing with formal letters and documents, including:
o Certificates
o Letters of Attorney/Mandates
o Company Registration Certificates
o Court Decisions
o Statements
o Diplomas
o Licenses / Permits
This type of translation is also required when any document needs to be presented at Court or to a public institution. It is to be noted that though legal systems differ from one country to another, there are two basic standards for sworn translation:
(!) In "Common law" countries that includes United Kingdom, most of the USA, Ireland, and some former British colonies, the translator must have a formal qualification in translation and be able to affirm and prove this in writing.
(2)In the case of "Civil law" countries that includes Continental Europe and much of the rest of the world; the translator must not only be qualified but also be registered in the relevant country or court as a sworn translator.
The most vital difference between a sworn translation and certified translation, is that in sworn translation, the document is signed and sealed by an authorized sworn translator and is valid as an official translation. Though the original documents can be sent by any means (fax, e-mail), in sworn translation the translation can only be supplied on paper as it must include the signature and seal of a sworn translator.
Today, as there is a boom in the translation service industry, the presence of a sworn translator is required in the cases when statements made in a foreign language by the participants of a meeting bear legal consequences. In many countries, a sworn translator is a person appointed and authorized by government departments to translate from one or more foreign languages into other language(s).
However in some countries, a sworn translator is a certified translator accredited to translate court documents.
A sworn translator is authorized to make a private translation. A sworn translator is prepared to make any kind of translation, since he/she has studied not only the language, but also the culture and characteristics of a nation and has been trained in the technique of translating. Any translation produced by a sworn translator is an official document and is officially accepted by all the legal authorities as evidence.
As law is a culture-dependent subject field, any court proceedings on an international level can be affected with inaccurate or in-appropriate translation. In relation to international law, lawyers frequently have to deal with legal documents from a variety of language sources. Consequently one needs to understand the importance and necessities of sworn translation. The growth in international trade has contributed to an increased demand for corporate documentation translations. In the middle of the numerous kinds of documents that one has to deal with on a daily basis, it is finally sworn translation that is mostly asked for.
