Certified translations of apostilles for South African documents to be used abroad are required in many international situations. Indeed, South Africans who are emigrating from the country, seeking dual citizenship or a whole host of other international legal issues will require a large amount of documentation that needs to be authenticated and translated. Enter Certified Translations of Apostilles… an Apostille is an official certificate attached to your documents that helps legitimise or validate the legality of the documents in almost all countries that are signatories to the Apostille Convention. Once apostilled, your document does not require any further legalisation to be recognised in a foreign country.
However, although an Apostille certificate authenticates your documents and makes them universally recognised under the Hague Convention, its value depends primarily on the understanding of the receiving party. If the certificate is in a language they do not understand, it may lead to misinterpretations or delays in your procedures. Certified translations of apostille certificates ensure the utmost clarity, facilitating the efficient handling of your international affairs.
In this article, we will help you understand what an Apostille is and how it relates to translation services and the requirements of global jurisdictions.
The Hague Apostille certificate
The Hague Apostille Convention is an international treaty drafted by the Hague Conference on Private International Law, which came into force in 1965. It governs the process by which a document issued in one country is legally certified for use in other countries. The treaty states that any signatory country may issue a certification called an “Apostille”. An apostilled document is legally certified for use in any country that has signed the Hague Apostille Convention. More than 115 countries have signed the Convention, including South Africa, where apostilles are issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. (DIRCO) and the High Courts.
When an apostille needs to be presented in a foreign country, a certified translation of the apostille is also required if the document is in a language other than the official language of the country. For example, if the Hague Apostille is issued in South Africa, it will be in English and you will need a certified Spanish translation of the apostille to present the document in Spain for any official procedures.
Definition of a certified translation in South Africa
Certified translations are translations of official documents that have been certified by a sworn translator as a true and accurate translation of the original document. Certified translations are usually required for official purposes. Sworn translators translate documents from one language into another in a manner that is faithful to the original document in terms of content and formatting. In South Africa, a sworn translator is a professional translator who has taken an oath before a South African High Court and is therefore authorised to sign and certify translated documents is in accordance with Act 59 of 1959 of the Supreme Court of South Africa. A certified translation is also called a certificate of accuracy, this certificate of accuracy is completed by a certified sworn translator and guarantees that the document is accurate and of the highest quality.
Documents which needs Certified Translations of Apostilles
Examples of the types of legal documents that often require Certified translations of apostilles services include, but are not limited to:
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Death certificates
- Police clearance certificate
- Medical certificates
- Affidavits
- Agreements
- Articles of Incorporation
- Powers of Attorney (POAs)
- Copy of a South African passport
- Letter of Non-Impediment
- Divorce Decrees and Divorce Certificates
- Wills
- Judgments
- Adoption Papers
- School Transcripts
- Patents
- Court documents and Court Rulings
- Notarial Acts
- Commercial Invoices
- Certificate of origin
- Trademark
- Deeds of Assignment
- Diplomas/ Degrees.
Do you need a certified translation of your apostille?
Global Apostille offers certified translation services of DIRCO Apostille Certificates and legalised documents into Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.
Our in-house team of highly experienced, native-speaking translators are ready to assist you with your official translation needs and, as sworn translators, we are trusted by government agencies, academic institutions and other public bodies to provide certified translations of a range of documents. From your apostilled birth and marriage certificates to passports and university degrees, we have a wealth of experience in providing certified translations for members of the public, lawyers and businesses.
If you’re looking for accurate and reliable sworn translations from a small team of passionate translators, contact us today. Tel: 012 348 3134; Mobile: 081 347 6060; Email: info@apostillelegalisation.co.za
