The biggest confusion around this term is that "certified" means different things in Georgia and in, say, the United Kingdom. In Georgian practice it is often used loosely as a synonym for "official, attested translation". In the Anglo-Saxon system it is a specific form that must carry specific elements.
So when an authority asks you for a certified translation, the first thing to do is read its exact requirement: it usually states what the confirmation has to contain. Send us that text and we will prepare it in precisely that form.
What goes into a certified translation
The full package normally has three parts, each with its own purpose.
The translation
- The complete text of the document, nothing omitted
- Every stamp and signature accounted for
- The structure of the original preserved
- Names in the passport spelling
- Figures, codes and dates exactly as in the original
The declaration
- A statement that the translation is complete and accurate
- The name and competence of the translator or bureau
- The language pair
- The date and signature
- Contact details so it can be verified
Added where required
- The bureau stamp on the document
- Notarization
- Apostille or legalization
- A copy of the original bound with the translation
- Electronic and printed versions in parallel
A practical tip: if the authority's requirement says "certified translation by a qualified translator", "translator declaration" or "statement of truth", a notary is probably not needed and you will save that fee. If it says "notarised" or "sworn", a notary is required. Those two words are the difference between one cost and two, and between one day and two.
When you need it
At embassies and consulates. For visa and residence applications. The exact requirement varies by country: British and American practice asks for a declaration, while continental Europe more often wants notarization. At universities and schools. For admission, recognition of qualifications or an exchange programme. Here the most frequently translated items are the diploma, the supplement, the school certificate and the transcript of grades. In court and legal proceedings. When evidence is in a foreign language or, conversely, a Georgian document is submitted in a foreign proceeding. Accuracy is especially critical here because the other side reads the text too. For companies and tenders. Registration documents, proof of qualification, financial statements, certificates. A formal defect in a tender often causes disqualification before the substance is even considered. For any official use abroad. Any case where a Georgian document crosses a border. Here an apostille is almost always needed as well, and it belongs to the document rather than to the translation.Which documents are translated most often
Personal
Educational
- Diploma and supplement
- School certificate and transcript
- Professional certificates
- Curricula and syllabuses
- University confirmations
Financial and corporate
- Bank statement
- Registry extract
- Power of attorney
- Articles of association and corporate papers
- Tender documentation
Certified, notarized or apostilled
Not every official process has the same requirement, and confusing these three terms is the most common reason money is spent for nothing.
Certified translation - an accurate translation prepared for an official purpose, accompanied by a written confirmation from the translator or bureau. Responsibility rests with the translator and the bureau. Notarized translation - the same translation, with a notary adding confirmation that the translator's signature is genuine. This is the state-recognised form and Georgian authorities almost always ask for it. Apostille - an international confirmation that belongs to the document, not to the translation. Required when the paper is going to a Hague Convention country. Full comparison under notarization or apostille.These three do not substitute for one another. The most common real combination is all three at once: apostille on the original, then the translation, then notarization.
Why an official translation gets returned
When an authority sends a document back, the reason is almost never "the translation is poor". It is one of five specific types, four of which are preventable before ordering.
1. The wrong form. Notarization was required and a stamped version was submitted - or the reverse, a notary was paid where a declaration would have done. The most common and the most easily avoided. 2. Missing apostille, or one at the wrong stage. The document crossed a border without an apostille, or the apostille was added after the translation and so does not appear in it. 3. Name spelling. Three documents in a package, three spellings of the name, or a spelling that differs from the passport. The authority sees three different people. 4. Document age. The criminal record certificate or extract is old and the authority wants one issued within the last three or six months. Here the quality of the translation is irrelevant - the paper comes back anyway. Which is why we check validity before translating. 5. A genuine inaccuracy in the translation. The rarest reason, and the only one we are answerable for. In that case the correction is free and treated as a priority.How the process runs
Receiving the document
You send it by WhatsApp, by email or through the site form. We clarify the language, the purpose and the deadline. If you have the authority's written requirement, send that too - it decides the form.
Assessment and agreeing the deadline
We check the volume, the document type and whether certification is needed, then give you the price and the turnaround. The price is agreed after the material is seen and is fixed when the order starts.
Translation and quality control
A translator in the right field does the work; then the content, terminology, names, figures and format are checked. Detail under quality control.
Certification and delivery
If notarization, an apostille or another procedure is required, we agree the route with you in advance. You receive the finished translation in the agreed form: electronically, printed or certified.
Price and turnaround
The price is agreed after the material is seen and depends on the language, the volume and the form of certification required. It is important to understand that these are three independent components: the translation fee is ours, the notary's tariff is the notary's, the apostille fee is the state's. We quote all three in advance, in one reply.
Turnaround: a standard one-page certificate - the same or the next day; a diploma with its supplement - one to two days; a tender or corporate package - according to volume; notarization adds half a day; an apostille follows the Public Service Hall schedule and is not done the same day.
We work in more than fifty languages. If the language is a rare one the turnaround may be longer - and we tell you that in advance, not after the order.
Need an official or notarized translation? Send us the document and the authority's requirement - we will tell you which form to prepare it in.
Call: 501 113 200Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a certified translation?
A translation prepared for an official purpose, accompanied by a written confirmation from the translator or bureau that it is complete and accurate. It is produced with strict fidelity to the content and format of the document. Where required, notarization can be added on top.
Is an apostille the same as a notarized translation?
No. Notarization confirms that the translator's signature is genuine. An apostille belongs to the document and confirms that the seal on it is from a genuine Georgian authority. The two do not replace each other and are frequently needed together, depending on the requirements of the specific country.
When is a notarized translation required?
Frequently for documents submitted to an embassy, a university, a court, a state body, a company, or officially abroad. Georgian state authorities almost always require it. Commercial organisations and many foreign universities are often satisfied with the bureau stamp or a declaration.
Do the UK and the US want a different form?
Yes, and it matters practically. In the Anglo-Saxon system a notary is often unnecessary; instead a translator declaration is required, containing specific elements: a statement of completeness and accuracy, the translator's identity and competence, the language pair, the date, a signature and contact details. Send us the authority's requirement and we will prepare it in exactly that form.
Which documents are translated officially?
Most commonly the birth certificate, marriage certificate, diploma, school certificate, criminal record certificate, power of attorney, bank statement, medical certificate, contracts and company documents. In practice, almost any document submitted to an authority or an official organisation.
Does a copy of the original have to be attached?
Many authorities require exactly that: the translation bound together with a copy of the original, so it is clear which document was translated. We do this as standard where notarization is involved. If you need a different arrangement, tell us and we will prepare it that way.
Can I have both an electronic and a printed version?
Yes. The electronic file is sent in every case as standard. A printed or notarized version is collected at the Tbilisi office, 118 Davit Aghmashenebeli Avenue, or sent by courier to any city in Georgia.