Frequently Asked Questions

Certling is a professional certified translation service specialising in translating a wide variety of documents from various languages into English, specifically tailored for use in the UK, USA, Ireland and Australia. Our focus is on providing accurate and certified translations for official purposes.

Certling translates a range of documents, including legal papers, academic transcripts, immigration documents, business contracts, medical records, and personal certificates, while adhering to the required standards for official use.

Currently, Certling’s certified translation services are designed for use in the UK, USA, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. We have plans to extend our services to cover more regions in the near future.

Your documents are protected at every step of the process.

All files are uploaded through a secure connection and stored within Certling’s protected system. Once uploaded, your documents are processed using our secure OCR and machine-vision technology, which keeps everything inside our platform. Translators work directly within our system, so files are not shared by email or downloaded unnecessarily.

Access to documents is strictly limited to authorised team members involved in your project. We do not sell, share, or use your documents for any purpose other than completing your certified translation.

Importantly, we only retain documents for as long as necessary to fulfil the translation work. After completion and delivery, files are permanently removed from our servers in line with our data protection policy.

Our approach is simple: if data does not need to be kept, it is securely deleted.

Once your certified translation has been completed and delivered, your documents are not kept indefinitely.

We retain files only for the time necessary to finalise your order, handle any minor revisions if required, and ensure successful delivery. After this period, documents are permanently deleted from our servers in line with our data protection policy.

We do not archive personal documents long term, and we do not use your content for any other purpose.

Our principle is simple: if there is no reason to store data, it is securely removed.

Yes, in certain jurisdictions.

In the United Kingdom, we can provide notarised translations directly.

For Canada, we can provide a translator’s affidavit, which is accepted for many immigration and passport applications.

For the United States, notarisation requirements vary by state. If you require a notarised translation for a specific state, simply let us know your preferred notary and we will coordinate directly with them to arrange the notarisation.

If you are unsure which option applies to your case, our team will be happy to guide you.

Certling charges per word, not per page.

This is important because many translation providers charge per page, often with a word limit (for example, 250 words per page). That means you can be charged the same for a page with 20 words as for a page with 250 words — and sometimes even charged for two pages if a word limit is exceeded.

With Certling, you only pay for the words that actually need translating.

Our system automatically detects and counts the exact number of words in your document in seconds. You can also remove text that does not need to be translated, which helps reduce your cost even further.

In addition, our pricing is volume-based and progressive. The larger the word count, the lower the price per word. This ensures fair and transparent pricing, whether you are translating a short document or a larger file.

No page limits. No hidden thresholds. Just accurate pricing based on real content.

Certling uses advanced machine-vision technology to automatically detect and extract text from your document when you upload it.

Instead of manually analysing each page, our system identifies every text area, separates them into structured sections, and counts the exact number of words in seconds. This allows us to generate an instant, accurate quote based on real content.

You will then see the detected text areas before checkout. If certain sections do not need to be translated; for example, reference codes, repeated content, or text already in English; you can remove them. This gives you full control over your final word count and price.

Once your order is confirmed, the extracted text is verified and refined before being assigned to a professional translator. Translators work directly within our secure platform, ensuring quality, consistency, and data protection throughout the process.

The result is faster quoting, greater transparency, and lower costs; without compromising accuracy.

Certling works with carefully vetted professional translators who specialise in official and certified translations, including immigration, legal, academic and medical documents.

All translators go through a strict selection process. We assess their qualifications, subject-matter expertise, experience with certified translations, and familiarity with official requirements in countries such as the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

For specialised fields such as medical documents, we assign translators with relevant subject expertise to ensure accuracy, correct terminology and compliance with official standards.

Importantly, translators do not receive your documents by email or external file transfer. They work directly within Certling’s secure platform. Documents remain on our servers at all times, and access is strictly limited to authorised professionals involved in your project.

Our approach combines human expertise, subject specialisation, secure technology and rigorous quality control.

The result: translations that are accurate, compliant and handled with the highest level of confidentiality.

Placing an order with Certling is quick and fully online.

Upload your document securely through our platform, certling.com/en/quote.

Our system will automatically analyse the file and detect the text.

You will instantly see the exact word count and price.

You can remove any sections that do not need translating.

Select your options and complete payment securely online.

Once your order is confirmed, your document is assigned to a qualified professional translator. When the certified translation is ready, you will receive it in PDF format by email. If required, you can also select postal delivery.

The entire process is designed to be simple, transparent and fast; with no need to wait for a manual quote.

Yes.

Certling provides a dedicated client portal where you can track the status of your order at any time:

certling.com/en/customer

Inside your account, you can view your order progress, and access your order history.

In addition, our team is available online. If you need an update or have a question, you can contact us directly via live chat on the website and we will be happy to assist you.

You can contact Certling’s team directly through the live chat available on our website.

Our team is online and ready to assist with questions about pricing, document requirements, turnaround times or order updates.

If you prefer, you can also email us directly at: [email protected]

We aim to respond as quickly as possible.

At Certling, you speak to real people, not automated bots, and we are here to guide you every step of the way.

Yes, Certling places a high priority on data security. Our website employs industry-standard measures to protect your personal and payment information.

Certainly, you can cancel your order. The possibility of cancellation depends on the stage of the translation process. If you made an error or need to cancel your order, contact us urgently on [email protected]

In the UK, a translation can be certified by a professional translator or a translation company that attests to the accuracy of the translation. They must attach a signed statement confirming that it is a true representation of the original document. For more information see the the government website.

In short NO! As an individual, you cannot usually certify a translation of your own documents. Certification is typically provided by a professional translator or an authorised body to ensure impartiality and accuracy.

Certified translations are often required for official purposes where the document must be recognised by legal authorities or government agencies, such as immigration applications, court documents, and educational admissions. It ensures that the translation is accurate and can be trusted.

The cost varies depending on the length and complexity of the document, the language pair, and the turnaround time required. Prices can range from around £40 to several hundred pounds. It’s best to get a quote from several providers to compare prices. Certling provides an instant free quote from a picture or scan here.

A certified translation typically includes the translator’s or translation company’s contact details, a statement attesting to the accuracy of the translation, a signature and date, and often includes the translator’s credentials. An official stamp or seal may also be present, along with a cover letter, especially when required by specific legal authorities or for formal purposes. This comprehensive approach ensures that the translation is recognised as valid and official by those who require it.

Certified translations do not typically expire. However, the requesting authority may require a translation to be recent, especially if the original document has been updated or changed. It’s essential

Certified translations in both the UK and the USA require a signed statement by the translator or translation company attesting to the accuracy and completeness of the translation. Certified translations from the UK are generally recognised by the USCIS as they meet or exceed the requirements.

An apostille is a certification provided under the Hague Convention that authenticates the origin of a public document for use in another member country. You need one when you are presenting legal documents like birth certificates or court orders abroad, and the receiving country requires this level of authentication to accept the document as valid.

First, get your document translated by a certified translator or company. Then, a notary typically notarises the translation and sends it to the FCO for apostillisation. Services like Certling, through their notary partners, can manage this process for you.

To obtain a certified translation of a birth certificate, you should engage a professional translation service recognised for such work. They will provide the necessary certification to accompany the translation. Certling provides an instant free quote from a scan or picture here.

For a certified translation of a marriage certificate, a professional translator or agency must be employed. They will ensure the translation meets the official requirements for certification. Certling provides an instant free quote from a scan or picture here.

Your friend may be able to translate the document, but for the translation to be certified and officially recognised, it should ideally be done by a professional translator or a recognised translation company. Translations without verifiable professional credentials or those not performed by someone recognised as a professional translator risk being rejected by official bodies.

In most visa applications, you are required to submit a copy of the original document together with the certified translation.

Immigration authorities typically need to see both:

A clear copy of the original document in its original language

The certified English translation

Certling’s certified translations are issued with the required certification statement confirming that the translation is complete and accurate.

However, requirements can vary depending on the country and the specific visa category. Some authorities may request original documents at a later stage or during an in-person appointment.

If you are unsure about the specific requirements for your application, we recommend checking the official guidance of the relevant immigration authority or speaking to your immigration adviser.