Can I become a "sworn translator" for a country despite not living there? (via Embassy/consulate?) Thread poster: Malcolm Rowe
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Malcolm Rowe
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:07
French to English
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Hello.
A lot of the job offers that come my way ask for a "sworn translator" for a given country (normally France). Often, the translation itself is well within my scope but because I am not a sworn translator I have to turn the job down.
Happily, sometimes when I give that reason, the client will say something like, "Please quote anyway. We will get someone else to deal with the certification formalities." But it feels like I could get more work if I was a sworn trans... See more Hello.
A lot of the job offers that come my way ask for a "sworn translator" for a given country (normally France). Often, the translation itself is well within my scope but because I am not a sworn translator I have to turn the job down.
Happily, sometimes when I give that reason, the client will say something like, "Please quote anyway. We will get someone else to deal with the certification formalities." But it feels like I could get more work if I was a sworn translator.
I live in the UK where there is no "sworn translator" system but I was wondering if it is possible to become a sworn translator via an embassy or consulate or some other means without living in the country in question. I emailed the French embassy a while back on this subject but have had no reply.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Or is it just a matter of becoming a resident in the country and going before the local court?
Kind regards,
Malcolm ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lingua 5B 
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 13:07
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
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| Yes, that's it. | Nov 15, 2022 |
Malcolm Rowe wrote:
Or is it just a matter of becoming a resident in the country and going before the local court?
Yes, that plus a residence address in that country (not a temporary one).
Not possible to do it via an embassy.
Sworn translators have commitments toward the court, including appearing for interpreting sessions at the local court during trials etc. Which is why they are often listed by their town/city, not only the country. They need to renew their license each year to remain "active" sworn interpreters.
There may be some specific requirements for France, but I doubt they differ much from the general terms described above.
| | | | Joakim Braun
Sweden
Local time: 13:07
German to Swedish
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| Yes (Sweden) | Nov 15, 2022 |
In Sweden, where I'm sworn, the answer is yes (= you don't need to have residence here).
https://www.kammarkollegiet.se/vara-tjanster/oversattare/ansok-om-auktorisation-som-oversattare
But you have to pass a test (with a 2,900 SEK fee). The test is run once a year in three Swedish cities, takes a full day, and requires phys... See more In Sweden, where I'm sworn, the answer is yes (= you don't need to have residence here).
https://www.kammarkollegiet.se/vara-tjanster/oversattare/ansok-om-auktorisation-som-oversattare
But you have to pass a test (with a 2,900 SEK fee). The test is run once a year in three Swedish cities, takes a full day, and requires physical presence. I don't think you can do it at an embassy. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Joakim Braun
Sweden
Local time: 13:07
German to Swedish
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| It surely varies | Nov 15, 2022 |
Lingua 5B wrote:
Yes, that plus a residence address in that country (not a temporary one).
Not a requirement in Sweden.
Lingua 5B wrote:
Sworn translators have commitments toward the court, including appearing for interpreting sessions at the local court during trials etc.
Not in Sweden (interpreting is separate from translation here, and there are no "commitments").
Lingua 5B wrote:
They need to renew their license each year to remain "active" sworn interpreters.
Not in Sweden (here, an authority checks up on us every 5 years, mainly to see if we have enough business to qualify as professionals).
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| It varies a lot | Nov 15, 2022 |
As far as I know different countries use different systems for awarding this status to translators. For instance, in Germany, each federal state has different rules on who can be a sworn translator. In Portugal, unlike other countries, there are no sworn translators. To certify a translation, so that a translated document is legally valid, it is necessary to make its certification at the organisations empowered to do so (namely Notary’s Offices and Attorneys).
P.S. Some Embassies... See more As far as I know different countries use different systems for awarding this status to translators. For instance, in Germany, each federal state has different rules on who can be a sworn translator. In Portugal, unlike other countries, there are no sworn translators. To certify a translation, so that a translated document is legally valid, it is necessary to make its certification at the organisations empowered to do so (namely Notary’s Offices and Attorneys).
P.S. Some Embassies provide a list of the sworn translators registered with that Embassy. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Joakim Braun
Sweden
Local time: 13:07
German to Swedish
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| Deal with the certification formalities...? | Nov 15, 2022 |
Malcolm Rowe wrote:
Happily, sometimes when I give that reason, the client will say something like, "Please quote anyway. We will get someone else to deal with the certification formalities."
How is that possible? The translator is either sworn or not, and so is the translation.
Occasionally I get inquiries on the line of "please put your stamp on my translation". I doubt there are many takers.
| | | | | Certified vs Sworn | Nov 15, 2022 |
Joakim Braun wrote: Malcolm Rowe wrote:
Happily, sometimes when I give that reason, the client will say something like, "Please quote anyway. We will get someone else to deal with the certification formalities."
How is that possible? The translator is either sworn or not, and so is the translation. Occasionally I get inquiries on the line of "please put your stamp on my translation". I doubt there are many takers.
Certified translation isn't the same as sworn translation. Where countries like Sweden, France, and Bosnia, Serbia, or Croatia implement the sworn translation system, places like UK, that have no sworn translations system, may implement the certified translation.
My best guess is that the OP doesn't do sworn translations (which would be difficult to pull off and very much illegal) but, rather, the agency he is collaborating with certifies his translation instead.
I do certified translations all the time in SR, BS, HR - EN pairs, and it's the agencies that certify the translation via 'a letter on a company letterhead confirming that the document has been translated by a qualified translator, in a format and with wording approved by the Association of Translation Companies. The letter will then be stamped with the Association of Translation Companies stamp. This certifies that the document is a true and honest translation.'
BTW, if anyone needed me to do a sworn translation into English, I can do that by an affidavit sworn in front of a qualified solicitor, stating that my translation is accurate and true.
Here's more on that: https://www.citylegal.co.uk/en/legalised-sworn-and-certified-translations
I also do certified (in a manner explained above) translation into BS,HR, SR but I cannot do sworn, since I am not a sworn translator in either Bosnia, Croatia, or Serbia.
@OP Perhaps it'd be better to find official government pages of the country in which you'd like to become a sworn translator. There you can learn about that country's unique requirements and, if any are available, potential ways of becoming a certified translator instead.
Edit: I made a comment regarding US having both sworn and certified translators but it seems that this isn't entirely true. I've just looked into it, and it seems to me that what some US agencies call a 'sworn translator' seems to be a certified (by the ATA) translator. So, fixing this not to confuse things further myself.
[Edited at 2022-11-15 23:53 GMT]
| | | | | Ask the embassy and/or the SFT | Nov 16, 2022 |
As others have already pointed out, it varies from one country to another. I would ask the embassy anyway, or the SFT in France (Société Française des Traducteurs).
In Denmark I never managed to become a State Authorized Translator before the protected title was abolished (!) in 2015.
However, I already knew several colleagues who were State Authorized, and I work with them, or the client agency makes whatever arrangements are necessary.
I am a Chartered Lingui... See more As others have already pointed out, it varies from one country to another. I would ask the embassy anyway, or the SFT in France (Société Française des Traducteurs).
In Denmark I never managed to become a State Authorized Translator before the protected title was abolished (!) in 2015.
However, I already knew several colleagues who were State Authorized, and I work with them, or the client agency makes whatever arrangements are necessary.
I am a Chartered Linguist, and in the UK members of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and/or the ITI can certify translations for some purposes. Check with them too. ▲ Collapse
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Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 13:07
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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Malcolm Rowe wrote:
I was wondering if it is possible to become a sworn translator via an embassy or consulate or some other means without living in the country in question.
This depends on the country.
You should ask your question on the French forum, where there may be French translators who know the process better:
https://www.proz.com/forum/french-25.html
And you should contact translator associations in France, for they might be able to give you the correct answer as well:
https://www.proz.com/translator_associations
Joakim Braun wrote:
How is that possible? The translator is either sworn or not, and so is the translation.
In some countries, a sworn translation (or equivalent) can be made by any translator, as long as he/she or sometimes someone else swears by it. And not all translations by sworn translators are sworn translations. Whether only sworn translators can make sworn translations depends on the country.
[Edited at 2022-11-16 11:30 GMT]
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