Kingwana (Congolese Swahili) interpreters and translators for asylum, legal, health and social care work anywhere in the UK, with face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Kingwana, French and English, and bookings taken 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Kingwana interpreting services
Before you book, ask the client three things: which province they are from, which language they spoke at home, and whether they went to school in French. The answers tell us whether a Kingwana interpreter is the best choice, or whether the client would say more, and say it more precisely, in French, Kinyarwanda or Kirundi. The Swahili of Goma and Bukavu is not identical to the Swahili of Lubumbashi either, so the province matters.
Interviews are best done consecutively, with short turns. Survivors of violence may need breaks, and a good interpreter will signal when a client is struggling rather than press on.
Face-to-face interpreting
The interpreter comes to you: a hospital ward, a courtroom, a council office, a home visit or a business meeting. It is the best choice when people need to read expressions as well as words, or when the conversation is long or sensitive.
Telephone interpreting
The quickest option to set up. It works well for short calls, triage, appointment reminders and quick checks with a client.
Video interpreting
A Kingwana interpreter joins by video for remote hearings, consultations and meetings, which helps when there is no interpreter near you.
We also provide medical interpreting and conference interpreting.
Certified Kingwana translation
Official documents from the DRC are in French, not Swahili: birth certificates from the civil registry, the Diplôme d'État that marks the end of secondary school, voter cards, and letters from churches, NGOs and the UNHCR in neighbouring countries. Handwritten statements, text messages and letters from relatives are more likely to be in Kingwana. Each of our translators translates into their native language, and we certify the English version for UK immigration and court use.
Congolese names often include a postnom, a second name that is not a surname in the British sense and may not be shared with parents or children. We keep all parts in the order the document gives them.
- Certified translation of birth, marriage and death certificates, passports, driving licences, degree certificates and bank statements, for the Home Office, courts, universities and employers.
- Legal translation: witness statements, court bundles, contracts and immigration papers.
- Document translation of medical reports, letters, leaflets and patient information.
- Urgent translation when a deadline is close.
- Transcription of Kingwana audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Kingwana translation
For letters, appointment reminders and leaflets aimed at Congolese readers, think about whether Swahili or French will be read more easily. Secondary schooling in the DRC is in French, and many adults read French with more confidence than written Swahili. Where Swahili is the right choice, we use Congolese vocabulary rather than the Tanzanian standard, and we can supply a French version alongside it.
Kingwana court and police interpreters
Kingwana interpreters are called for in asylum appeals, and in family and criminal courts. For hearings we want an interpreter who has worked in court before and, where any exist for Congolese Swahili, one who holds the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or is registered with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). Because interpreters with those credentials are rare for this variety, record on the booking that the witness speaks Congolese Swahili, so the tribunal knows why a particular interpreter was chosen.
How to book a Kingwana interpreter
- Tell us about the assignment: the date, time and address, or that you need telephone or video; how long it should last; and what it is for, such as a hospital appointment, a hearing or a business meeting.
- Tell us about the speaker: their country or region and, if you know it, their dialect. Mention any preference for a male or female interpreter.
- Get your quote. We email you a quote, with no obligation to book.
Call 0800 2425 125, email info@uklinguisticservices.co.uk or request a quote online.
About the Congolese Swahili language
Congolese Swahili is the form of Swahili used in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, spoken mainly in North and South Kivu, Maniema and Katanga in the DRC.
Congolese Swahili is written in the Latin alphabet.
At the 2021 Census, 10,154 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Swahili or Kiswahili as their main language. The local authorities with the most were the London borough of Barking and Dagenham (465 people), Manchester (462) and Bolton (444). The census does not separate Congolese Swahili from other Swahili. Source: Office for National Statistics.
Before you book: Congolese Swahili differs from the Swahili of Tanzania and Kenya and borrows many French words, so for asylum and legal work ask for an interpreter who knows the Congolese form.
| Language family | Form of Swahili used in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo |
|---|---|
| Where it is spoken | North and South Kivu, Maniema and Katanga in the DRC |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | swc |
| Main language in England and Wales (Census 2021) | 10,154 people |
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Kingwana interpreters near you
We send Kingwana interpreters to appointments across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and telephone and video interpreting work wherever you are. Choose a town for its local page.
Kingwana interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Kingwana interpreter?
We take bookings 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Telephone and video interpreting are usually the quickest to arrange. For a face-to-face appointment, give us as much notice as you can: same-day cover is often possible, but it depends on where you are and how many Kingwana interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Kingwana interpreter cost?
The price depends on the type of interpreting (face-to-face, telephone or video), how long the appointment lasts, where it is and how much notice you give. We quote before anything is booked, and quotes are free: call 0800 2425 125 or use our online quote form.
Can you certify Kingwana translations for a UK visa or immigration application?
Yes. We translate and certify documents such as birth and marriage certificates, passports and police certificates for visa, settlement and citizenship applications. UK Visas and Immigration asks for each translation to confirm that it is accurate and to show the date and the translator's full name, signature and contact details, so tell us when you order that the document is for an immigration application.
Do you provide Kingwana interpreters for courts, tribunals and police interviews?
Yes. Tell us the setting when you book, for example a Crown Court trial, an immigration tribunal hearing or a police interview under caution, so we can match a Kingwana interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
How many people speak Kingwana in the UK?
At the 2021 Census, 10,154 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Swahili or Kiswahili as their main language. The local authorities with the most were the London borough of Barking and Dagenham (465 people), Manchester (462) and Bolton (444). The census does not separate Congolese Swahili from other Swahili. The census asked for each person's main language, so people who speak Kingwana at home but gave English as their main language are not in that figure. Scotland and Northern Ireland count languages in their own censuses.
