Certified document translation: how to order without overpaying
Translation and certification are two different parts
A certified translation is a document translated by a translator whose signature or statement is certified. But before you order, find out what the office you are submitting to requires. Sometimes only a certified translation is needed, sometimes an apostille or attestation on the original, and sometimes legalisation by an embassy. That affects both the time and the price.
It is best to ask the office in advance (an embassy, a university, an immigration office) in what form they accept a translation. It saves money and nerves: redoing a document a second time costs more.
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
You write one request: which documents, from which language into which, and whether you need certification. You don't have to attach photos of the documents, a description is enough. Translators and agencies reply in the chat: a price or what it depends on, timelines, how documents are handed over. They compete for your request, so terms often get better. Your phone number stays hidden until you choose a provider.
What to put in your request
- Document — passport, degree certificate with transcript, birth or marriage certificate, a letter or statement.
- Language pair — for example, from Spanish into German.
- Volume — how many documents and pages.
- Certification — certified translation, apostille, legalisation.
- Deadline — when you need the finished translation.
- How to hand over and receive — scans online, the original by courier, a visit to the office.
- City — if you need a meeting.
- Budget — if you want to name one.
Example: “Dubai. I need a translation of a degree certificate with transcript from English into German for a university application, 3 documents, about 5 pages. I need certification and an apostille. I'll send scans online and the original by courier. Needed in 2 days, budget up to AED 180.”
What to compare in the replies
Often the price of the translation and of the certification are quoted separately, and the total is made up of the translation, certification fees and other costs. So ask for the full sum: translation, certification, apostille, sending. Some agencies charge per page, others by number of characters, others per document.
Find out the real timelines. Urgent translations usually cost more. Ask whether the translator has experience with this exact type of document, for example degree certificates with transcripts, which have many specialised terms and names, and how names are written (by which transliteration rule, especially for a passport).
Common mistakes
- A mistake in a name or date because of wrong transliteration: check against your passport.
- Ordering a translation before learning the office's requirements.
- Forgetting to check what exactly the apostille goes on: the original document or a copy.
- Not proofreading the finished translation before it is certified.
For an ordinary written or spoken translation, see translation and typing services. Read how the service works on the “How it works” page.
