A certified translation is a professionally completed translation accompanied by a formal statement attesting that the translation is accurate and complete. This statement, often referred to as a certification, ensures that the translated document is a faithful representation of the original. Certified translations are typically used in official, legal, or academic settings where accuracy and legitimacy are crucial.
When Is a Certified Translation Required?
Certified translations are required for various purposes, including:
- Legal documentation: Marriage certificates, divorce decrees, contracts, court judgments.
- Immigration purposes: Birth certificates, visas, passports, or residency applications.
- Academic submissions: Diplomas, transcripts, or degrees for international studies or employment.
- Medical records: For international healthcare or insurance claims.
- Business purposes: Articles of incorporation, patents, financial statements.
What Does a Certified Translation Include?
A certified translation typically consists of:
- The translated document: A word-for-word translation of the original text.
- A copy of the original document: Included as a reference, if required.
- A signed certification statement: A declaration by the translator or translation agency confirming:
- The accuracy and completeness of the translation.
- The translator’s qualifications.
- The date of certification and contact details.
Certified vs. Notarized Translation
- Certified Translation:
A qualified translator or agency certifies the translation’s accuracy with a formal declaration. - Notarized Translation:
In addition to certification, a notary public validates the translator’s signature. This adds an extra level of formality, often required for government-related documentation.
Who Can Provide Certified Translations?
Certified translations are generally provided by professional translators or reputable translation agencies. Some countries require certified translations to be done by a sworn or authorized translator recognized by official institutions.
Why Choose a Professional Translation Agency for Certified Translations?
Agencies like Baltic Media® offer:
- Experienced translators specializing in legal and official documents.
- Compliance with country-specific certification requirements.
- Accurate and timely service.
- Multilingual support for various global languages.
Choosing a trusted provider ensures your certified translation meets the requirements of authorities or institutions and prevents delays or rejections.
Why is Baltic Media a Good Choice for Certified Translation Services?
If you need certified translation services — especially in or around Latvia / Northern Europe — there are several strong reasons why Baltic Media is often considered a good choice. Here’s what makes them stand out (and a few caveats).
✅ What Baltic Media does well
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ISO-certified quality management. Baltic Media works under the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system, which helps ensure consistency, accountability, data security and a structured quality-control process for their translations.
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Native-speaker, specialised translators. Their translators work only into their native language (and live where that language is socially dominant). This helps ensure translations are linguistically and culturally accurate.
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Wide language and domain coverage. They support over 150 languages — including Baltic, Nordic, Slavic, and global languages — and handle many types of content: legal, medical, technical, business, marketing, localization, and more. This breadth is useful if you need complex, specialised or multilingual documentation.
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Certified and notarized translations available. For official documents (e.g., diplomas, contracts, court/legal papers), they offer certified or even notarized translations — which tend to be required by authorities, courts, or institutions.
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Professional project management & confidentiality. They assign project managers to coordinate translation projects, which helps manage deadlines, liaise with translators, and ensure quality control. They also claim to handle client data with confidentiality and security.
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Reputation and trust. Having operated since 1991 and serving many clients (including institutions in the EU) gives Baltic Media credibility. Their long experience and European-wide orientation make them a solid bet if you care about reliability across borders.
