When documents have to be submitted to an institution or official organisation and are written in a foreign language, they require a sworn translation to accompany them. What does that consist of? It is a translation done by an official translator, appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, who certifies the authenticity and faithfulness of the document through their signature and statement. The translator confirms that the content of the translation is the exact equivalent of the original document and is not authorized to add, delete or change in any way the information that it contains.

Here below is a short list of the documents that most often require a sworn translation, given that, firstly due to their very nature, they should be submitted to organisations or institutions to carry out different administrative and/or legal processes.

  • Powers of Attorney 

A power of attorney is simply a document through which one or several people, called grantors, authorize another person or people, called attorneys-in-fact, to act in their name to carry out certain procedures, processes or formalities.

  • Articles of association

These documents compile the internal standard regulations of a company and are essential for its incorporation. The content varies depending on the type of company, however the articles must at least include information such as the company´s name, the company object, the registered address, the company capital and governance structure, amongst others.

  • Registration in a Companies Registry

Closely related to the previous point, this document validates the incorporation of a company and allows it to acquire its status as a legal person.

  • Annual Accounts

The annual accounts are documents that compile the financial information of a company and are made up of different parts, specifically; the balance sheet, the profit and loss statement, the statement of changes in net equity, the cash flow statement and the annual report. From all of this information that is collected every twelve months, the state and development of the company over the course of the year can be analysed.

  • Apostilles

An apostille is an annex to a public document that certifies the authenticity of the signatures therein. Such document is only valid if it was issued by a country party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961.

  • Degrees and academic records
  • Wills
  • Birth, marriage or death certificates
  • Court rulings
  • Any other type of certificate or report issued by institutions, government bodies, official entities or relevant authorities. For example, medical certificates, expert reports, residence permits or identity documents.

Of course, there is a multitude of documents that can also be the base of a sworn translation, albeit less common. If you need any advice on this, you can get in touch with us and we would be more than happy to help you.

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