Certified/Sworn Translations

As an expert appointed by the Court of Appeal of Bastia, I translate and certify documents from French into English. Certification is required when translating official documents intended to be transmitted to government authorities such as:

Birth certificate
Marriage certificate
Divorce certificate
Death certificate
Degree & Diploma
Contract
Driving Licence
Insurance certificate
Bank statement
Passport & ID card
Other official documents

The translation is produced using either the original document or a certified true copy of the original document (“copie certifiée conforme”), which can be obtained free of charge from the town hall (“mairie”) in France. You must then send these originals to me by post to Bennett Translations, 48 Lotissement Campo Meta, 20600 Furiani, France. The originals must be stamped and signed by myself, then attached to the sworn translation.

If you cannot send me the original by post (for example if your deadline is too short), I can produce the translation using a high-quality (legible) scanned pdf copy of the document. In this case however, the translator’s declaration appended to the translation will specify that the original provided is a scanned document or photocopy. If you cannot send me the originals for any reason, please check that the intended recipient accepts non-certified copies.

LEGALISATIONS

In some cases, a certified translation of your documents is not sufficient. A process known as « légalisation » is sometimes required if the translation is intended to be transmitted to foreign authorities. Legalisation consists in authenticating the sworn translator’s signature. To do this, the translator is required to sign the certified translation in the presence of a notary public or at the town hall. The latter will add its stamp to the translation, thereby “legalising” the translator’s signature. This procedure must be undertaken by the sworn translator.

Apostilles

An Apostille is an official certification that authenticates the origin of a certified and legalised translation intended to be used in a country that is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention. It guarantees the validity of the document in countries that have signed this convention, therefore allowing it to be used abroad without any need for additional legalisation formalities from consulates or embassies.

The request must be submitted to the apostille and legalisation centre of one of the 15 regional counsels or interdepartmental chambers of the competent notary publics. This request can be submitted in person at one of these centres or online here.

I can assist with carrying out the necessary formalities in view of obtaining the legalisation and apostille for my translations on request.

Do you need to translate an official document from French into English?

For a high-quality translation that meets your deadlines, request a free quote or order online