Sworn and legalised translations
Sworn translations, legalisation, consularisation and apostillation are necessary procedures to ensure the legal validity of a translation in the target country.
These services are typically required, for example, when a company needs to participate in a public tender abroad or when a foreign employee must legalise personal documents in order to work at a foreign branch of the company.
Landoor offers these supplementary services with fast turnaround times and the highest level of professionalism, covering all languages and all countries worldwide.
This represents a significant saving of time, costs and internal resources for clients who already rely on Landoor for the translation of legal and financial documents in their specific business sector.
Sworn translation services
Depending on the country of destination and the applicable jurisdiction, documents may require certification by a notary, a court, a consulate or an embassy.
Below are some guidelines to clarify the main procedures involved.
Sworn translation
A sworn translation is a translation whose conformity with the source text has been legally validated. As a result, the translated document maintains the same legal value as the original.
It is a public act handled by the Registry of the Court, which acts as the certifying authority. The sworn translator prepares a formal declaration in which they swear that the translation is complete, faithful and fully corresponds to the original document.
Sworn translations cannot be carried out directly between two foreign languages: one of the languages involved must be the language of the country in which the document is sworn.
The final sworn document consists of a single bundle including:
- the original document
- the translation
- the translator’s oath
Sworn translations should not be confused with certified translations, which are personally certified by the translator. In this case, the translator signs and stamps the translation and attaches a declaration stating that the translation conforms to the original text.
Legalisation
Legalisation, or legalised translation, is the step that follows the sworn translation.
It is required when translated documents must be submitted to authorities in another country and therefore need to acquire legal validity in that jurisdiction.
Legalisation consists of the official certification of the legal capacity of the public officer who signed the document, as well as the authenticity of their signature.
This procedure is carried out by the Public Prosecutor’s Office or by the Court Prefect’s Office.
Consularisation
Consularisation, also known as the application of a consular visa, is the legalisation of a document at a consulate or embassy.
The document must be deposited with the relevant diplomatic authority for verification, after which a consular stamp is applied to confirm its legal validity.
Apostillation
For countries that have signed the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, consularisation may be replaced by apostillation.
An apostille is a special annotation applied by the authorities of the country of origin directly to the original document. It certifies both the authenticity of the document and the legal capacity of the issuing authority.
With apostillation, a sworn translation into Italian is sufficient, and legalisation at the Italian embassy is not required.
The apostilled document is recognised in all countries that are signatories to the Convention.
Countries that have ratified specific international agreements — such as the Brussels Convention (1987), the Budapest Convention (1977) and the Rome Convention (1969) — are exempt from the apostillation procedure, as they accept authentication by a public officer of the partner country without the need for further verification.
Frequently Asked Questions about sworn translations
1. What is a sworn translation?
A sworn translation is a translation that has been legally validated through a formal oath, certifying that it faithfully corresponds to the original document.
2. What is the difference between a sworn translation and a certified translation?
A sworn translation is validated through a public legal procedure, while a certified translation is certified directly by the translator through a signed declaration.
3. When is a sworn translation required?
Sworn translations are required when documents must be submitted to courts, public authorities, universities, consulates or foreign institutions and must retain legal validity.
4. What is legalisation in relation to translations?
Legalisation is a procedure that certifies the authenticity of the signature and legal authority of the public officer who validated the document.
5. When is an apostille required?
An apostille is required for countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention and replaces consular legalisation.