The University of Edinburgh's postgraduate admissions will take a translation of your degree from three sources only: the university that awarded it, a translator sworn before a court outside the UK, or a member or fellow of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. The Home Office names nobody at all.
Every other UK office sits between those two positions, each with its own rule. That is why "who can certify a translation in the UK?" has no single answer, and why the safe question is always "who does this office accept?"
Below: the Home Office rule, self-translation, qualified translators, solicitors, translators abroad, machine translation, and the rules office by office.
Who can certify a translation for the Home Office?
The translator, or an authorised official of a translation company. Paragraph 39B(f) of the Immigration Rules requires "the full name and signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company" and "the translator or translation company's contact details", on a dated translation that confirms its accuracy. It names no professional body, licence or approved list.
One extra condition applies inside the UK. For leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain the translation needs "certification by a qualified translator and details of the translator or translation company's credentials." The safest reading of the two together is that a company certificate for an in-country application should still show that a qualified translator certified the work. What the certificate must say is covered in certified translation statement requirements.
Can I translate my own documents, or ask a relative?
The Immigration Rules do not expressly forbid it, but they make it a poor idea. For leave to remain and ILR the certifier must be a qualified translator with credentials, which a relative who simply speaks both languages is not. For applications from abroad the rule still asks for a translation that can be "independently verified", and one made by the applicant is the easiest kind to doubt.
Other offices are blunt. The University of Cambridge tells undergraduate applicants: "You must not translate the transcript yourself." GOV.UK's rule that the person certifying a copy should not be "related to you" applies to certified copies of documents, not to translations, but the logic is the same: independence is what gives a certificate value. Use an independent translator.
What counts as a "qualified translator" and "credentials"?
The Immigration Rules do not define either term and name no professional body. In practice, credentials are facts an officer can verify, such as:
- A translation qualification: for example a degree in translation or CIOL's Diploma in Translation (DipTrans), a Level 7 qualification regulated by Ofqual.
- Professional membership: ITI's qualified grade (MITI) requires at least three years' professional experience, and ITI also has fellows (FITI). The Chartered Institute of Linguists, the UK's Royal Charter body for language practitioners, has members (MCIL), fellows (FCIL) and Chartered Linguists.
- For a company: membership of the Association of Translation Companies or corporate membership of ITI.
The three bodies recommend their own members, but that is a recommendation, not a legal requirement. Whatever is stated should be checkable, such as a membership number or the awarding body of a qualification.
Can a solicitor or notary certify a translation?
Not in the sense of vouching for the language. The joint ITI, CIOL and ATC guidance is explicit: "neither a Notary Public nor a solicitor will be certifying the translation itself." They certify a signature, an identity or a copy. In England and Wales, solicitors who are not notaries cannot carry out notarial acts at all, according to the Faculty Office.
Their certification is useful in three situations: a document going abroad that needs an apostille, since the FCDO legalises documents "certified by a UK 'public official', such as a UK notary or solicitor"; a court rule that offers a notary as an option, such as the divorce rule below; and certified copies of originals. See certified vs notarised translation.
Can a translator abroad certify a translation?
Yes, for any office that does not say otherwise; the Home Office rule says nothing about where the translator works. GOV.UK's page on registering a birth abroad goes further and tells parents to use an "approved translator", linking to the FCDO's lists of translators abroad. Listed translators "have confirmed" they can translate to and from English and "are qualified in their country", but the FCDO says its lists "are not recommendations".
Can a machine translation be certified?
Not honestly. Every rule above needs a named person to confirm accuracy and sign: 39B(f) asks for "the full name and signature of the translator", and GOV.UK asks the translator to confirm in writing that the translation is "true and accurate". Whoever signs is personally vouching for every line, so unchecked machine output should never carry a certificate.
Who may translate or certify, office by office
| Office | Who may translate or certify | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Home Office | The translator or an authorised official of a translation company; for leave to remain and ILR, a qualified translator with credentials | Immigration Rules, para. 39B(f) |
| HM Passport Office | Online guidance: a certified translation. Paper guidance: signed and stamped by "a translator who is a member of a recognised professional organisation" | GOV.UK passport pages and paper guidance |
| Civil courts, England and Wales | The translator signs the foreign-language witness statement and certifies the translation is accurate | PD 32, para. 23.2 |
| Family court, divorce | A translation "verified by the translator" and either certified by a notary or backed by a statement of truth | FPR PD 7A, para. 3.1 |
| Companies House, paper filings | An officer of the company, such as a director or secretary, certifies the translation as accurate | Registrar's Rules, Vol. 2, r. 158 |
| DVLA licence exchange | Japan and South Korea: an official translation through the embassy; Taiwan: a Taipei Representative Office | GOV.UK exchange tool |
| UK ENIC | "certified translations from professional translators", unless its waiver covers your language | UK ENIC |
| University of Edinburgh, postgraduate | The awarding institution, a sworn translator from a non-UK court, or an ITI member or fellow | Edinburgh admissions |
| GMC | Strongly advises "court or council appointed translators" or reputable commercial services with recognised accreditation or membership | GMC |
| NMC | "a legally licensed and authorised translator", with name, address, signature, contact details and stamp | NMC |
| HCPC | An "official translator" authorised to translate official documents in your country or state | HCPC |
Official Translations does not provide embassy translations. For the Edinburgh rule and HM Passport Office's paper guidance, use a translator who meets that office's rule; for those DVLA exchanges, go to the embassy or the Taipei Representative Office; for the NMC and HCPC, ask the regulator what its wording means for your documents. More detail: driving licence translation for the DVLA, Companies House filings and academic transcripts.
Common mistakes that get translations refused
- A relative's translation for an in-country application, with no qualified translator or credentials.
- A company certificate for ILR naming no translator and stating no credentials.
- The wrong translator for an office with a list, such as a university that names ITI members.
- A solicitor's certification treated as proof of accuracy.
- A private translation of a Japanese or South Korean licence where the DVLA wants the embassy's.
Questions people ask
Can I certify my own translation for a UK visa?
The Immigration Rules do not expressly forbid it, but for leave to remain and indefinite leave to remain the certification must come from a qualified translator with stated credentials. For any application, a self-made translation is the easiest kind for an officer to doubt, so use an independent translator.
Can my husband, wife or another relative translate my documents?
The same applies: nothing in the Rules names relatives, but a relative is rarely a qualified translator and is not independent of you. Some offices rule it out, such as Cambridge, which accepts transcript translations only from the school, college or university or an official translation service.
Does the translator need to be a member of ITI or CIOL?
Not for the Home Office, whose rule names no professional body. Some offices ask for membership or one of a few alternatives they list, including the University of Edinburgh for postgraduate applications and HM Passport Office's paper application guidance, so check before ordering.
Does the translator have to be based in the UK?
No, unless the receiving office says so. The Home Office rule sets no location requirement, and GOV.UK points people abroad to the FCDO's lists of translators who have confirmed they are qualified in their country.
Can my solicitor certify the translation?
A solicitor can certify a copy or witness a signature, but cannot vouch for a translation they did not make. A solicitor's or notary's certification matters mainly for documents going abroad, where an apostille is needed, or where a court rule offers a notary as an option.
Is a translation from my embassy acceptable?
Sometimes it is the only option: the DVLA asks for an official translation through the embassy for Japanese and South Korean licences. For the Home Office, an embassy translation must still meet paragraph 39B(f): dated, with the confirmation of accuracy, the translator's full name, signature and contact details, and for leave to remain or ILR a qualified translator's certification and credentials.
Can I use Google Translate or AI and have someone certify it?
No UK rule treats a machine as a translator. The certificate is a named person's confirmation that the translation is accurate, so whoever signs is responsible for every line and should never certify unchecked machine output.
