Certified vs. sworn vs. notarized vs. apostilled — which do you need?

Certified translation, defined

A certified translation is a translation accompanied by a signed Certificate of Accuracy — a statement from the translator or agency that the translation is complete and accurate. This is what USCIS and most US institutions mean when they say "certified." Note: a certified translation is not the same as a "certified copy," which is a notarial concept for certifying that a copy of a document matches its original — not something this service provides.

Sworn translation, defined

Sworn translation refers to a translation performed or formally attested by a translator holding official, government-recognized "sworn translator" status — a status that exists in many civil-law countries (Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, and others) but has no federal equivalent in the United States. If a foreign court, notary, or government office asks for a "sworn" translation, we'll tell you plainly whether a US-based certified translation can meet that specific requirement, or whether the destination country requires a translator licensed within that country.

Notarized translation, defined

A notarized translation is a certified translation whose Certificate of Accuracy has additionally been signed in front of, and notarized by, a notary public. The notary attests to the identity of the person signing the certificate — not to the accuracy of the translation itself. If your form specifically asks for a notarized translation, this is exactly what that means.

Apostille, defined

An apostille is a certificate issued by a US state's Secretary of State (or the relevant federal authority for federal documents) that authenticates a document for use in a foreign country that is party to the Hague Apostille Convention. We coordinate this process — confirming the correct sequence and submitting the request on your behalf — but we don't issue apostilles ourselves; that authority belongs to the state. For a country that isn't party to the Hague Convention, a separate process called legalization applies instead — ask us if you're not sure which applies to your destination.

Which do I need?

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Compare certified, sworn, notarized, and apostilled