UK company law defines a certified translation in eight words: "a translation certified to be a correct translation." It sounds circular, and in a sense it is. A translation becomes certified because a translator says so, in writing, over a name and signature someone can check. No court swears the translator in, no ministry issues a licence, and the Home Office approves nobody.
That surprises people from countries such as Spain, where the foreign ministry appoints sworn translators. It also explains why UK rules describe what the certificate must say rather than who may write it.
Below: the definition, the Home Office rule, who asks for one, and what a certified translation is not.
What does "certified translation" mean in the UK?
A full translation plus a written statement from the translator confirming that it is accurate. GOV.UK's guidance page Certifying a document asks the translator to "confirm in writing on the translation" three things: that it is a "true and accurate translation of the original document", the date of the translation, and their full name and contact details. GOV.UK's family visa, Skilled Worker and passport pages link the words "certified translation" to that page, and Home Office caseworker guidance on criminal record certificates points to it too.
The definition is thin because nothing official stands behind it. The Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) says it plainly: "In the UK, as a common law country, there is no such thing as a sworn translator." Announcing joint guidance with ITI and the Association of Translation Companies (ATC), the chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) noted that "no sworn or state-authorised system for certifying translations exists in the UK."
So the certificate carries the weight: a named, contactable person answers for the translation.
What does the Home Office require of a certified translation?
The rule is paragraph 39B(f) of Part 1 of the Immigration Rules (the page was last updated on 8 October 2026). Where a document is "not in English or Welsh, the applicant must provide the version in the original language and a full translation that can be independently verified by the Entry Clearance Officer, Immigration Officer or the Secretary of State." The translation "must be dated and include":
- "confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document";
- "the full name and signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company";
- "the translator or translation company's contact details"; and
- "if the applicant is applying for leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain, certification by a qualified translator and details of the translator or translation company's credentials."
Count the date and there are five elements; the last applies only to applications made from inside the UK. Appendix FM-SE repeats the rule for partner and family routes at paragraph 1(j).
Three terms in the rule do most of the work:
- "Full." A summary or extract is not a translation. Stamps, seals, handwritten notes and the back of the page are part of the document.
- "Original language." The translation travels with the foreign-language version. The Rules accept copies (paragraph 39B(d)), so a clear scan of each is normally uploaded.
- "Independently verified." The contact details exist so the officer can check the translation with the person who made it.
The wording and layout of the certificate are covered in certified translation statement requirements, and the meaning of "qualified translator" in who can certify a translation in the UK.
Who asks for a certified translation in the UK?
Most offices that handle foreign documents, in slightly different words:
- Home Office: visa routes from visiting to settlement. The Standard Visitor page says "You must provide certified translations of any documents that are not in English or Welsh", and the EU Settlement Scheme may ask for "a certified English translation".
- HM Passport Office: "If your documents are not in English or Welsh, you need to send a certified translation."
- Courts: a divorce application needs the marriage certificate "and a certified translation if it's not in English", and enrolling a deed poll with the High Court needs certified translations of any documents not in English or Welsh.
- Register offices in England and Wales: giving notice of marriage requires "a translation of any documents that are not in English".
- Companies House: certain documents filed in another language, such as charge documents, "must be accompanied by a certified translation into English" (Companies Act 2006, section 1105).
- UK ENIC: "certified translations if your documents are not in English", unless its Translation Waiver Service covers your language.
- Universities and professional regulators such as the GMC, NMC and HCPC, each with its own wording.
Some offices narrow the definition: the DVLA wants an embassy translation of Japanese and South Korean licences, and HM Passport Office's paper-application guidance asks for a translator who is "a member of a recognised professional organisation". Check the receiving office's page; for immigration, see translations for Home Office applications.
What a certified translation is not
| Term | What it means in the UK | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|
| Certified copy | A photocopy that a professional person signs as a true copy of the original they have seen. No translation is involved | Banks, mortgage lenders, some registrations |
| Notarised translation | A certified translation whose translator's signature, and often oath, is authenticated by a notary public. The notary does not check the translation | Mainly documents going abroad |
| Apostilled translation | A notarised translation with an apostille confirming the notary's signature and seal | Authorities in Hague Convention countries |
| Sworn translation | A translation made under a foreign state's system, such as Spain's, where the foreign ministry appoints sworn translators. The UK has no equivalent | Foreign courts, registries and consulates |
| Official translation | No fixed UK meaning. The DVLA uses it for embassy translations; the NMC means one from a "legally licensed and authorised translator" | Read the authority's own definition |
For when a notary or an apostille is worth paying for, see certified vs notarised translation.
Does it matter where the translation is made?
Not for the Home Office. Paragraph 39B(f) applies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and says nothing about where the translator works, so a translation into English made abroad is judged by the same five elements.
Court rules differ by nation. The Civil Procedure Rules and the Family Procedure Rules cover England and Wales, while Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own court rules and their own notaries. A few UK pages also look abroad: GOV.UK's page on registering a birth abroad tells parents to use an "approved translator", linking to the FCDO's lists of translators abroad, which the FCDO says "are not recommendations".
Why certified translations get questioned or sent back
- A summary instead of a full translation, or stamps, seals and the reverse side left out.
- No original-language version uploaded alongside the translation.
- An undated certificate, or one with no contact details, which fails 39B(f) on its face.
- No qualified translator or credentials on an application for leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain.
- A certified copy mistaken for a translation: a solicitor's "true copy" certification says nothing about the language.
- The wrong kind of translator for an office with its own rule, such as the DVLA for some licences or HM Passport Office for paper applications.
Questions people ask
Is a certified translation the same as a sworn translation?
No. In many civil-law countries, such as Spain, the state appoints or swears in translators, and their stamp makes a translation official there. The UK has no sworn translators, so a UK certified translation relies on the translator's signed and dated statement instead.
Does the Home Office approve translators or keep a list of them?
No. Paragraph 39B(f) sets out what the translation must contain and names no translator, company or professional body. GOV.UK's visa pages link the words "certified translation" to the general Certifying a document page rather than to any list.
Do I need to send the original document with the translation?
You must provide the original-language version alongside the translation, but the Immigration Rules accept copies, so a clear scan is normally uploaded. Some offices want more: HM Passport Office asks for original documents for a first child passport, with certified translations as well.
Does a certified translation expire?
The Immigration Rules set no expiry date for a translation. What can go out of date is the evidence itself: under Appendix FM-SE, evidence for a period ending with the application must be dated no earlier than 28 days before the application date. If the original document is reissued or changed, the translation must be redone from the new version.
Can I use a translation made in another country?
Yes, if it meets the rule of the office receiving it. For the Home Office that means the elements of paragraph 39B(f), including a qualified translator's certification and credentials for in-country applications. A foreign sworn translator's certificate qualifies when it contains those elements.
Do documents in Welsh need translating?
Not for the Home Office or HM Passport Office, whose rules apply only to documents that are not in English or Welsh. The family court rule on marriage certificates in divorce cases also accepts Welsh where the court is in Wales.
How much does a certified translation cost, and how long does it take?
Official Translations charges £29.95 per page, a page being up to 300 words, and every translation comes with a signed certificate of accuracy that meets paragraph 39B(f) of the Immigration Rules in full, including the credentials required for applications made in the UK. Most single-page documents are delivered as a signed PDF by email within 24 hours, longer documents take 1 to 3 business days, and a printed hard copy by post costs £14.95 extra.
