Frequently asked questions

No. USCIS requires a complete English translation accompanied by the translator’s signed statement that the translation is accurate and that the translator is competent to translate — it does not require notarization.

A translation accompanied by a signed Certificate of Accuracy stating that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate. This is what USCIS and most US institutions mean by "certified."

We translate it — margin notes, stamps, and seals are part of the document, not decoration, and are included in every translation, not billed as an extra.

Use the decision table on our Services page or our comparison guide — describe your situation and it points you to the right service. If you’re still unsure, call or email us before ordering.

Certified means a signed Certificate of Accuracy attests the translation is complete and accurate. Sworn refers to a government-recognized translator status that exists in many civil-law countries but has no US federal equivalent. Notarized means that Certificate of Accuracy is additionally signed in front of, and notarized by, a notary public — who confirms the signer’s identity, not the translation’s accuracy. See our full comparison guide for the complete breakdown.

No — a notary attests to the identity of the person signing the Certificate of Accuracy, not to the accuracy of the translation itself.

No — an apostille is issued only by a state Secretary of State or the relevant federal authority. We coordinate the request and sequence the process correctly on your behalf; we’re not the issuing authority.

It usually means the receiving country requires a translator formally recognized under that country’s own system. The US has no federal equivalent, so we tell you plainly whether a US-based certified translation can meet that specific requirement or whether you’ll need an in-country sworn translator.

Both — Litigation & eDiscovery Translation is priced and sized specifically for discovery volume, with a 2,000-word minimum and confidential, terminology-consistent handling across a document set.

Yes, on request, for litigation, patent, and corporate work.

Yes — see Law-Firm & Business Accounts for negotiated volume rates and invoicing terms outside our standard checkout.

Yes — patent and IP translation is assigned by both technical field and patent-claim experience; see the Patent & IP Translation page for details.

At this stage, checkout runs on a demonstration payment system — no card is charged, transmitted, or stored. This is disclosed clearly on the payment step itself, with test card numbers you can use to see the flow end-to-end.

There’s no upload button on the site. After you place an order, your confirmation page gives you an order reference and a ready-to-send email — attach your files and send them to support@legaltranslationservice.com. We confirm receipt and get started.

Standard turnaround is 2–3 business days. Rush (next business day) adds 40% to the affected line. Same-day is available for smaller orders (5 pages or 1,250 words) placed by 10:00 ET, for a flat $95.00.

Add an additional certified hard copy ($19.00 each) and choose USPS Priority ($18.50) or FedEx overnight ($42.00) delivery — digital PDF delivery is included by default on every order.

Yes, depending on timing — full refund before a translator is assigned, partial refund after assignment but before delivery, and a correction/re-translation remedy after delivery if there’s a translation-accuracy issue. Full terms are on our Refund & Cancellation Policy.

A limited team — the assigned translator and the independent QA reviewer — sees your document content, and only for as long as needed to complete and support your order.

No. See our Privacy Policy for exactly what we collect, why, and your rights, including CCPA/CPRA rights if you’re a California resident.

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