Translations

Sometimes a document needs to be translated before it can be used abroad. Authorities in those countries want to check the content of documents in their own language, or a “world language” such as English or Spanish. A good example is the visa process in the UAE: required birth certificates, marriage certificates and diplomas must be legible in either English or Arabic.

Of course, anyone can produce an unofficial translation (especially with the rise of AI), which is why authorities always work with sworn translations. Like a notary, a sworn translator is registered in the (Dutch) court system. Sworn translators promise under oath that their translations will always be correct and that the meaning of the original text will be the same in the translation. They stamp and sign each translation, adding a statement such as the one shown at the top right. This signature can then be legalised by the court, etc.