Do I Need a Sworn Translation?

If you are planning on working, learning, or retiring in Spain then you will require a sworn translation. A document written in English will not be accepted unless it is submitted with a sworn translation conducted by a translator recognized by the "Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación" (MAEC).

Students and businesspeople from the United Kingdom, United States, and other English speaking countries are often caught off guard by these strict requirements.

Here is just a short snippet of the types of documents that require a sworn translation:

• Bank Statements
• Diplomas or University Degrees
• Business Purchase contracts and Annual Contracts
• Driver's License
• Mortgages, Wills, Criminal Records
• Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate
• Powers of Attorney
• And much much more

If you aren’t sure what form of legal translation you require, we are happy to take a look for you. Simply contact us and our professionals will ensure you are on the right track.

How is Official Translation Different From Sworn Translation?

Many of these terms can get confusing since they are often used interchangeably. Technically speaking, the title of Sworn Translator is given by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and it is used in an official nature by authorized personnel to create sworn translations from foreign language documents.

In Spain most public documents need a Hague Apostille before being translated. Some documents even require the signature legalized before anything else can happen.

• A sworn translation must be submitted with a stamp and signature of a sworn translator. These guarantee the accuracy and authenticity of the document to the government which the sworn translator represents.
• In Spain, there are generally two ways of becoming a sworn translator: through an exam or by obtaining a specialized translation degree.
• In Spain, the courts, (and most other government institutions) require all documents written in a foreign language to be presented in the form of a sworn translation.

An official translation, on the other hand, is a much looser term for a translation that has been conducted by a translator certified by any of the many language-based organizations around the globe.

What is a Sworn Translator?

In a more general sense, sworn translators are translators who have taken oath in a court of law, also known as being “sworn in.” These translators work under the penalty of perjury and are required by many institutions in order to consider a translation as genuine.

These are translators who have been officially recognized by some form of governing body in order to allow them to officiate translation documents. A sworn translator in Spain, is referred to as a "traductor jurado".

If you aren’t sure what form of translation you require, we are happy to take a look for you. Contact our professionals for a quote and we will ensure you are on the right track.