Certified translation of emigration documents: Whenever we travel abroad, the first and most important issue we need to take care of is having valid travel documents with us, which not only entitle us to travel but also allow our identity to be verified. These are most often documents such as an ID card, passport and visa – if one is required by the destination country. However, when it comes to emigration, i.e. moving permanently to another country, the number of documents and certified translations we may need can be somewhat greater. In this article, we will therefore answer the following questions: who can prepare a certified translation of emigration documents, what such a translation looks like and which specific emigration documents we will need when moving abroad. We will then discuss the possible cost and completion time of a certified translation of emigration documents and explain how to order a certified translation of emigration documents.
Certified translation of emigration documents – what documents will be required?
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When we are planning to emigrate – that is, to move permanently to another country where we will live and work – in addition to documents confirming our identity and allowing us to travel, we will also need other documents. Moreover, before leaving, certain formalities should also be completed in the country we are leaving so that our legal and administrative situation is clear to both foreign and Polish authorities. It is equally important to terminate any agreements with telecommunications service providers or utility suppliers.
A very important matter before leaving is deregistering from the address at which we currently live. This will be particularly important in relation to any potential court or tax proceedings. The next step will be to inform the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) and the Tax Office about the change of residence. Providing ZUS with information about emigration will help avoid future problems concerning the payment of benefits or the loss of entitlement to them due to a lack of contact.
By providing the relevant information to the Tax Office, people moving abroad can, in turn, avoid potential misunderstandings and financial penalties resulting from failure to comply with their tax obligations in their previous country of residence.
Once we know what administrative and legal steps need to be taken to ensure that our situation during emigration is clear, it is time to discuss which types of documents and certified translations of emigration documents we will need when moving abroad. The first document that a traveller or person moving abroad must have with them is an identity document in the form of an ID card or passport. It should be remembered that an ID card is accepted only within the Schengen Area and in Albania and Montenegro. If we are planning to travel to countries outside the Schengen Area, a passport will be required.
If a certified translation of such documents is required, further information on certified ID card translation and certified passport translation may also be useful.
These documents are already issued in a bilingual format, so their certified translation should not normally be necessary. However, foreign authorities may sometimes require a certified translation of emigration documents in order to properly register them in their systems. In such a situation, simply contact our office and we will prepare a certified translation of emigration documents such as an ID card or passport.
Other documents that may be required by people moving abroad include certified translations of emigration documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates and criminal record certificates. Having certified translations of emigration documents will be necessary when taking up employment and registering with foreign authorities.
Useful information can be found in our articles on certified birth certificate translation, marriage certificate translation in Poland and certified police certificate translation.
Additional documents that a person moving abroad and wishing to register with foreign authorities should also have with them include an insurance policy, educational documents such as diplomas and certificates, as well as documents and certificates confirming professional experience. Other additional documents that may be required as certified translations of emigration documents include a vehicle registration certificate, if we are planning to use the vehicle abroad, and, for example, a notarised vehicle lending agreement if the vehicle we use does not belong to us.
In the case of all the documents mentioned above that will entitle us to reside permanently in a given country, it will be necessary to obtain a certified translation of emigration documents so that all foreign institutions can review our documentation in the language used in the destination country.
Who can prepare it and what are its characteristics?
A certified translation is a special type of official translation that can only be prepared by a person authorised to do so – i.e. a sworn translator. Translations of this type are also referred to as certified or authenticated translations. More information on the distinction can be found in our article on certification of a translation vs sworn translation.
In order to obtain the qualifications required to prepare certified translations, a translator must pass a highly specialised state examination organised by the Ministry of Justice and be sworn in by the Minister of Justice during an official oath-taking ceremony in Warsaw. We also describe the profession in more detail in our article on the sworn translator of English and the characteristics of the profession.
The form of a certified translation of emigration documents is established by the relevant legal regulations. Every certified translation of emigration documents is issued in printed form. It is therefore not possible to make any signatures or changes to such a translation. If corrections are required, the translation must be printed again and the previous version containing the error must be destroyed.
A certified translation of emigration documents consists of several elements. It begins with a heading indicating the direction of the translation. The next element is a description of the document and a description of its security features. The sworn translator must describe all these elements precisely. For example, in a certified translation of emigration documents, the translator must accurately describe the official seal and the signature of the official who certified the document. This often applies to translations of criminal record certificates or certificates confirming that a PESEL number has been assigned to a person, but it may also concern documents such as marriage or birth certificates.
The next element of a certified translation of emigration documents is the translation of the document itself. At the very end of the translation, there is a certification formula in which the sworn translator states whether the translation was prepared from the original or from another document presented to them. Below this certification, the sworn translator places their handwritten signature and official seal and indicates the repertory number under which the certified translation of emigration documents has been registered. A document prepared in this way may be used in any official situation requiring a certified translation of emigration documents.
What is the cost and completion time of a certified translation of emigration documents?
Emigration documents are, in fact, a collection of the most important documents that people planning to leave their country and settle abroad should have with them. In order for such documents to be recognised by foreign authorities and other institutions, it is necessary to obtain a certified translation of emigration documents into the official language of the destination country.
In the case of certified translations of emigration documents, the billing unit is a standard translation page rather than, as most clients assume, a physical page. This is why clients are often surprised after receiving a quotation when the number of pages indicated is twice the number of physical pages in the document they submitted.
The format and method used to calculate a page of a certified translation of emigration documents are regulated by the Act on the Profession of Sworn Translator of 25 November 2004. According to this Act, one standard page of a certified translation consists of 25 lines containing 45 characters each. The term “characters” includes all visible printed characters as well as spaces between words justified by sentence structure.
If it is not possible to maintain the page layout described above, the Act provides that, for the purpose of calculating the cost of a certified translation of emigration documents, one page of a certified translation is equal to 1,125 characters including spaces.
More information on the costs of certified translations is available here.
The exact translation costs will therefore depend primarily on the type and number of emigration documents. For example, a certified translation of an ID card or passport usually takes up 2 certified translation pages. However, if the document also contains a notarial certification, the number of billing pages for the certified translation of emigration documents may increase to 3–4 pages.
Other documents most frequently translated as certified translations of emigration documents include criminal record certificates, diplomas and school certificates required by employers or foreign universities.
A certified translation of a criminal record certificate usually takes up 3 billing pages, while school certificates and diplomas take approximately 2–3 certified translation pages – much depends on how descriptive the certificate or diploma is. Other standardised documents required when moving abroad include certified translations of emigration documents such as marriage certificates and birth certificates. Depending on the form of the document – an abridged or full copy – the number of billing pages may differ considerably.
As a rule, a certified translation of an abridged birth certificate takes up 2 billing pages, whereas a full birth certificate already amounts to 3 pages of certified translation of emigration documents. In turn, a certified translation of an abridged marriage certificate amounts to 3 billing pages, while a certified translation of a full marriage certificate may amount to approximately 4 billing pages of certified translation.
Insurance policies, vehicle lending agreements and powers of attorney can be particularly difficult to price when calculating the cost of a certified translation of emigration documents because they are not standardised documents. These documents are always priced individually based on the number of characters including spaces. In the context of powers of attorney and notarial matters, information on a sworn translator at a notarial office may also be useful.
As far as completion time is concerned, certified translations of standardised emigration documents such as passports/ID cards, criminal record certificates, marriage certificates or birth certificates are usually prepared within 1–2 business days after confirmation. Other documents are prepared within a completion time agreed on the basis of the number of billing pages.
At the MS Mostowy Sworn Translator’s Office, however, we always try to ensure that the completion time is as short as possible and adapted to the client’s needs, particularly when the date of emigration is rapidly approaching and there is not much time left before departure.
How to order a certified translation of emigration documents?
To order a certified translation of emigration documents, the client simply needs to contact us by email or deliver the original document to our office. In the case of email contact, immediately after receiving a message containing a scan of the document, we will prepare a quotation and inform the client about the expected completion time. For clients submitting scans remotely, information about online certified translation in Poland may also be useful.
If a certified translation of emigration documents is ordered in person at our office, we also prepare the quotation immediately and inform the client about the possible completion date. We then ask the client to complete an order form so that we can contact them once the order is ready for collection.
In the case of first-time clients of the MS Mostowy Sworn Translator’s Office, we will ask the client to pay a deposit before the translation begins and to send us confirmation of payment by email. At our office, the deposit may be paid in cash or by BLIK transfer to a telephone number. Information about the deposit paid is then added to the order form completed by the client.
Once all these formalities have been completed, the certified translation of emigration documents is accepted for processing and the MS Mostowy Sworn Translator’s Office contacts the client again when the translation is ready for collection. The client then receives a paper version of the certified translation of emigration documents together with the return of the original documents – if the client left such documents at the office for the duration of the translation process. If the translation was prepared solely on the basis of a scan, the client receives only the translations for collection.
FAQ: Certified Translation of Emigration Documents
Certified translation may be required for documents such as birth and marriage certificates, criminal record certificates, diplomas, school certificates, insurance documents and documents confirming professional experience. Depending on the requirements of foreign authorities, identity documents may also need to be translated.
A certified translation of emigration documents can be prepared by a sworn translator who has passed the state examination and holds the qualifications required under Polish law.
The cost depends on the type, length and number of documents. Certified translations are calculated using billing pages, with one standard page corresponding to 1,125 characters including spaces.
Standardised documents such as passports, ID cards, criminal record certificates and civil status records are usually translated within 1–2 business days after confirmation. The completion time for longer or non-standard documents depends on their volume.
Documents can be submitted by email as scans or delivered directly to the MS Mostowy Sworn Translator’s Office. After receiving them, the office prepares a quotation and provides the expected completion time.
