Document Translation Services

Translation services

Document translation services in more than 350 languages

A good translation reads as if it had been written in the new language, and it says exactly what the original says. That is harder than it sounds, which is why every document we translate goes to a trained, certified professional linguist who works into their own language. We translate every day, in more than 350 languages, and whatever the size of your document, we are always happy to help.

With world-class customer support and a convenient ordering system, we have become second to none in document translation. Alongside our full range of certified translation services, we help customers save time and money with timely, accurate translation.

Documents we translate

Documents we often translate include:

• Birth, marriage and death certificates
• Divorce decrees
• Legal contracts
• Brochures and catalogues
• Website content
• Software content
• Procedures and manuals
• Healthcare and life sciences documents
• Financial services documents
• Government documents

How it works

1. Send us the document. A scan, a PDF or a clear photo is fine. Tell us the language it is in, the language you need, and what the translation is for, because that decides whether it has to be certified.

2. Get a quote. The price depends on the length, the languages, the subject and how soon you need it. You get the price and the delivery date before any work starts.

3. Translation and checking. A qualified translator who works into their own language translates the document, and the translation is checked before it leaves us.

4. Delivery. The translation comes to you by email, in the format you need, with a certified paper copy by post when the organisation receiving it wants one.

Standard, certified or notarised?

Most documents need one of three things. A standard translation is for reading, internal use or publication. A certified translation carries a signed statement that it is accurate, and it is what the Home Office, the courts, universities, banks and most official bodies ask for; see our certified translation service. A notarised translation, sometimes followed by an apostille from the FCDO Legalisation Office, is for certain documents going abroad.

Find out which one the organisation receiving the translation wants before you order. It is their rule, and ordering the wrong level only costs you time.

Our translation services

Certified translation

Certificates, passports, qualifications and legal papers, certified for UK Visas and Immigration, the courts, universities and other official bodies.

Legal translation

Contracts, court documents, powers of attorney and immigration papers, by translators with experience of the UK courts and legal system.

Urgent translation

Same-day translation when a deadline will not move, certified where it needs to be.

Audio transcription

Interviews, meetings and recordings typed up in any language, with translation if you need it.

Video transcription

Transcripts, captions and subtitle-ready text from video in any format.

Websites, software, apps and brochures need more than translation, so they are covered by our localization services.

Getting the best translation

Send the whole document, including the back of each page, and the best copy you have: an editable file is quicker to work from than a photo, and a photo taken flat in good light is better than a photocopy of a photocopy. Send a copy of your passport if the document contains your name, so it is spelt the same way throughout. If you have a glossary or earlier translations, send those too, and your terminology will stay consistent from one document to the next.

Languages

We translate in more than 350 languages, into and out of English. The four most common main languages in England and Wales after English, according to the 2021 Census, are Polish, Romanian, Punjabi and Urdu. We also translate Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Bengali, Chinese, French, German, Italian and hundreds more. The full list is on our languages page.

Questions about document translation

How much does a translation cost?

It depends on the number of words, the language pair, the subject and the deadline. A birth certificate costs far less than a technical manual. Send us the document for a free quote.

How long does it take?

Short documents such as certificates are quick to turn round, and for longer ones you get a delivery date with the quote. If it cannot wait, our urgent translation service works to same-day deadlines.

Can you translate handwritten documents?

Yes, as long as the handwriting can be read. Where a word is illegible, the translator marks it as illegible rather than guessing.

Do you translate from English as well as into English?

Yes. We translate in both directions, and between two languages other than English.