Oftentimes, we at Monterey Language Services receive requests to have personal documents such as birth certificates or marriage licenses translated into other languages. Translating these kinds of documents is very important and should be handled with the utmost care since they are legal documents and can have a great effect on the specific functions that the customer plans to use these translated documents for. As a translator, there are several things that we will need to be careful of while doing so.

First, not every translator is able to translate these documents. By that, we do not particularly mean skill barrier that would prevent one from completing the translation, but there are certain certifications that are required to ensure that the translation can be used. For instance, in California, county clerks require court-certified or ATA certified translators to sign most translation certifications.

If you are a translator and are looking to expand your field of expertise, having these kinds of certifications will make you more attractive to potential clients. Monterey Language Services has an extensive network of court certified and ATA-certified interpreters as well as translators in many different languages whom we work with to ensure that we are always able to meet our clients’ needs.

One more thing to be careful of is the project’s timeline. Clients have different needs regarding timelines, and some might need urgent certified translations. While translating these kinds of documents in a short time might not be too difficult, the more concerning part is certifying the translation.

Most states or counties have their own forms that need to be filled out and notarized then submitted with the translation, but these forms need to be signed in-person, and the originals need to be given to the client. The client may expect to get everything in their hands in 24 hours. Unless we are 100% confident, otherwise we should give ourselves at least one extra day to ensure that any problems that come up do not affect the delivery of the files.

Being entrusted to help someone with the translation of their legal documents is an honor, but what’s what needs to be done and whether there is enough time to do it are important things to consider, so that we can avoid unexpected situations and deliver the project to the client on time.