Do I Need to Visit a Notary After Getting a Sworn Translation?
Table of content
Do I need to visit a notary after getting a sworn translation—is an additional certification of sworn translations required? Clients contacting the MS Mostowy Translator’s Office frequently ask us whether they should visit a notary for an additional certification after their sworn translation is complete. They also often wonder if they should get such a notarial “stamp” on the original document before submitting it for translation.
Moreover, our clients—especially foreigners unfamiliar with the Polish legal system—frequently confuse a sworn translator’s certification with a notarial certification, mistakenly assuming they are one and the same service.
In this article, we will clarify these concepts and answer the following questions: who is a sworn translator, who is a notary, and how can both of these public trust professionals help us with document certification? We will explain the difference between a notarial certification and a sworn translator’s certification, and advise exactly when your translation requires additional official legalization.
Table of Contents:
- Sworn translator vs. notary – who are they and how can they help?
- Notarial certification vs. sworn translator’s certification – what is the difference?
- Certification by a notary or sworn translator vs. Apostille – what is the difference?
- When is an additional certification of a translation required?
- Types of certifications and when they are necessary – a summary
- See also: FAQ: Do I need to visit a notary after getting a sworn translation?
Sworn Translator vs. Notary – Who Are They and How Can They Help?
To understand the differences in their authority, it is worth recalling who a sworn translator is and what their powers entail. A sworn translator is an expert with linguistic and legal education, as well as profound cultural knowledge of their specialized language area. They are professionals who have successfully passed a specialized state examination (consisting of both written and oral parts) administered by the Ministry of Justice.
Upon passing the exam, they are officially sworn in by the Minister of Justice. They are then entered into the official registry and issued an official seal bearing the national eagle, which allows them to legally commence their practice. Certified translations carry full official power, equivalent to the original document. The translator confirms their absolute conformity with the source text with their own signature.
A sworn translator most often assists with:
- Procedures at the Civil Registry Office (e.g., birth certificates and marriage certificates).
- Tax settlements at the Tax Office (e.g., a sworn translation of PIT tax returns).
- Court proceedings (judgments, appeals).
- Foreigners obtaining bank loans.
- Health verification by medical specialists (e.g., a sworn translation of medical records).
In each of these cases (for both written and oral translations), the translator affixes their handwritten signature and seal to the document. This means they assume full criminal and disciplinary responsibility for the accuracy of the translation. Should any errors or omissions occur, the translator—not the client—is held accountable.
A notary public, on the other hand—following the statutory definition—is a professional with a strictly legal education, authorized by the Ministry of Justice to draft legal deeds (notarial deeds) and to authenticate and certify documents or their copies. A notary is a public trust official; the law obligates them to maintain absolute impartiality, uphold confidentiality, and act within the bounds of the law. The deeds they draft have authentic power and are treated as 100% legally truthful.
A notary most often assists when:
- We want to grant a power of attorney.
- We are signing an important document and need the authenticity of our signature certified.
- We are entering into a preliminary or final real estate purchase agreement.
- We need a notarial certification of a copy (e.g., a birth certificate, ID card, or passport—even in a foreign language) as a true copy of the original.
As we can see, both experts have obtained their authority from the Ministry of Justice, and the documents they sign hold full official power. So, what exactly is the difference between these two certifications?
Notarial Certification vs. Sworn Translator’s Certification – What is the Difference?
The fundamental difference lies in the subject of the certification itself. Before asking whether a sworn translation vs. a standard translation is needed, we must know what the seal actually verifies.
- Sworn Translator’s Clause: Confirms exclusively the accuracy of the content and the linguistic quality of the translation against the provided source document. This means the translator certifies the correctness of the translation, not the physical or legal authenticity of the foreign paper document itself.
- Notarial Certification: Verifies and confirms the physical authenticity of the document, the identity of the signatories of a deed, or the civil law transactions executed by the parties.
In the vast majority of official procedures in Poland, a certification from a sworn translator is entirely sufficient, and there is no need to take the completed translation to a Polish notary. A notary can, of course, certify such a translation “as a true copy” upon the client’s explicit request; however, the notary’s annotation will be issued in Polish. Therefore, if the document is ultimately going abroad… the client would have to hire a sworn translator again to translate that notarial clause into the target language!
However, complex, multi-layered situations do occur. A perfect example is a case involving our client from April 2025, who ordered a sworn translation of a university diploma and supplement into English. The foreign university set an absolute requirement: a copy of the diploma had to first be notarized (in Poland), and the notary’s credentials had to be authenticated by the President of the relevant Regional Court. Consequently, the package we translated included: the original diploma + the Polish notarial certification + the separate regional court certification. Only after the translator prepared and sealed this three-page file did the client take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to obtain the final legalization (Apostille).
Certification by a Notary or Sworn Translator vs. Apostille – What is the Difference?
Each of these forms is an official seal, but they serve different legal roles. If you are wondering what the legalization of a sworn translation (Apostille) is, you must know that it is the ultimate clause in international document circulation.
- Notary: Certifies the authenticity of a Polish document or signature for legal purposes, but their certification alone is not enough for the “rest of the world.” Before sending a document abroad, we often have to translate it, and sometimes the notary’s seal must be further authenticated by a court.
- Sworn Translator: Certifies that their translation matches the original document, allowing you to break the language barrier in a foreign public office.
- Apostille (Legalization from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs): This is the “mother of all seals.” It is an official certificate issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MSZ) that confirms the authenticity of the sworn translator’s or the issuing official’s signature for use abroad. Once an Apostille is obtained, the document is 100% ready for international use.
When is an Additional Certification of a Translation Required?
Whether your document or its translation requires a notary’s seal or an Apostille from the MSZ is decided exclusively by the final recipient—meaning the foreign office or institution.
- Hague Convention Countries (of October 5, 1961): If the document is to be submitted in a country that is a party to the Hague Convention (e.g., the USA, the UK), it is usually strictly required to obtain an Apostille clause on the original document or its Polish sworn translation. You simply submit an application to the MSZ in Warsaw (this can be done by mail). This is the final and definitive seal.
- European Union Countries: Here, the procedure is drastically simplified. Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2016 (fully applicable since February 16, 2019), the requirement for legalization and the Apostille was abolished for the circulation of civil documents between Member States. The EU’s goal is to promote the free movement of citizens by cutting red tape. This regulation covers documents confirming: birth, death, name changes, marriage, civil status certificates, marriage annulments, parenthood, nationality, domicile, or National Criminal Register certificates.
- Important Exception: Despite EU regulations, deviations still occur—for example, in countries like Greece or Portugal. Local authorities there very often (despite being in the EU) still require an Apostille clause on translations coming from Poland.
Therefore, the absolute golden rule before placing any order (with a notary or a translator) is to ask the target office about the required legal path. By getting information directly from the source, you will save both time and money.
Types of Certifications and When They Are Necessary – A Summary
Whether a translated document requires a visit to a notary and legalization depends entirely on the legal framework of your destination country.
Remember the ultimate sequence (if the destination country requires the “full package”):
- Obtain a notarial certification for the document (if required).
- Authenticate the notary’s credentials at the Court (if required).
- Submit the prepared package to an agency for a sworn translation.
- Take the translated documents to the MSZ in Warsaw to obtain the final Apostille clause.
FAQ: Do I Need to Visit a Notary After Getting a Sworn Translation?
In the vast majority of cases, no. A sworn translation is an official, legally binding document on its own and is fully recognized by Polish courts, government offices, and institutions. You generally only need a notary if the foreign or local institution explicitly demands a notarized true copy of the physical original document.
A sworn translator certifies the linguistic accuracy of the translated text against the source document. A notary, on the other hand, verifies the physical authenticity of a document, authenticates signatures, or confirms legal transactions. A notary does not verify or certify the correctness of a translation.
If your target institution requires a notarized copy of your document, you must visit the notary before ordering the translation. The sworn translator must translate the entire legal package—meaning the original text plus the notary’s official Polish clause and seals. If you go to the notary after the translation, their certification will be in Polish, which may render it useless abroad.
No. An Apostille is the ultimate international legalization issued by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MSZ). While a notary confirms a document’s authenticity within Poland, an Apostille confirms the authenticity of the notary’s or sworn translator’s signature so the document can be legally recognized in another country under the Hague Convention.
Generally, no. Under EU Regulation 2016/1191, standard civil documents (such as birth certificates, marriage acts, or criminal records) and their sworn translations are exempt from legalization and the Apostille requirement when moving between EU Member States. However, always double-check with the receiving office, as some local authorities (e.g., in Greece or Portugal) may still request additional legalization.
