Standard translation
Standard translations include all translations that are not intended for official or government bodies and therefore do not need to be certified.
Trad’Est provides standard translation services in more than 60 languages and in a wide range of professional fields with a network of 1700 translators translating exclusively into their mother tongue. We translate documents in all standard Office software formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), as well as in many other more technical formats.
Certified/official translation
Certified translation is for official documents intended for government bodies and, in France, is performed by a certified translator registered as a legal expert at a Court of Appeal. Certified translators stamp and sign their translations to certify their exactness and make them valid for use by the authorities. Certified translation is, for instance, required for public calls for tenders, visa applications or applications to locate a company in a foreign country.
In order to further increase the legal validity of a translation, additional legalisation and apostille procedures are sometimes required by authorities to which translations are submitted.
Legalised translation
In France, legalisation is most often performed at a Town Hall or Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In order to legalise a translation, the authority concerned checks the identity of the translator and authenticates his or her signature.
Apostilled translation
The apostille is an additional security measure, which enables the State itself to stand as a guarantor for a certified translation. In order to carry out this procedure in France, having first been to the Town Hall or notary to legalise the translation, the certified translator must send it to the court of appeal, which in turn certifies that the signature of the notary or public official is authentic and compliant.