What is the official translation?

An official translation is a translation prepared and certified by an accredited translator and has the same legal validity as the original document. It is particularly important in situations where the authorities or judicial bodies require a translation to be legally recognised.

An official translation includes the signature of an authorised translator, a stamp and often a safeguard clause to guarantee its legal validity.

When is an official translation needed?

An official translation is needed in many situations where a document needs to be legally valid in different languages. Official translations are often used in court proceedings, administrative proceedings and other official situations. These situations include:

• Documents to be submitted to the courts (e.g. summons, decisions, appeals)

• Translations for law firms

• Criminal and civil documents

• Judgments or administrative decisions issued abroad

• Contractual disputes where the parties have different mother tongues

• Applications for residence and work permits

• Acceptance of diplomas or certificates obtained abroad

Especially for documents used by the judiciary, a certified translation is not just a formality, but can be a prerequisite for the document to be processed at all.

Who can make an official translation?

Official translations can only be carried out by a person who has the qualification of an accredited translator issued by the Finnish National Board of Education. Such a translator has passed a demanding examination which assesses not only language skills but also the ability to act in a legally responsible role.

An accredited translator is familiar with legal terminology, the formal requirements of translation and the expectations of the authorities. It is important to understand that only a translation produced by an accredited translator is considered official. Even if the content is linguistically correct, it will not be accepted in a court of law, for example, without official confirmation.

Legally valid translation

A legally valid translation means that it can be accepted as an official document by various authorities, courts and other actors. The content of a legally valid translation corresponds exactly to the original document, with no additions or omissions.

Such translations are often a prerequisite for court decisions or the processing of applications. For example, documents such as certificates, contracts or court decisions cannot be processed unless they have been properly translated and certified.

How should a legally valid translation be certified?

An official translation is certified when it bears the signature, initials and official stamp of an authorised translator. In many cases, the translation is also accompanied by a safeguard clause, which shows that the translation corresponds to the original document in terms of content and legal validity.

In paper versions, the original document and its translation can be stapled together, with stamps on both. Electronic delivery methods are also possible, as long as they preserve the authenticity and identifiability of the translation. This certification is particularly important when documents are submitted to a court or other authority.

Request a quote for an official translation for a court case

Do you need an official translation for a court case, an administrative court or a lawyer? The Suomen Asioimistulkkikeskus is an experienced and reliable translation agency that delivers official translations quickly and in accordance with the requirements of the authorities. We serve both Helsinki and the whole of Finland.

Our customers include:

• District and administrative courts

• Law firms

• Public and private legal actors

Contact us for a quote:

📧 myynti@asioimistulkkikeskus.fi

📞 09 346 3056

Choose a professional and accurate partner to ensure that your legal translations are legally valid and officially certified.