Aka "traductions certifiées", "traductions jurées" or even "traductions assermentées", done by a "traducteur assermenté".
Firstly, 'translating' is not 'interpreting'. If you want someone to interpret for your English-speaking guests while you and Brigitte tie the knot in Brive, you need an interpreter. Some translators are also interpreters - we are not. Further down this page, you'll find details of Limoges translators & interpreters specialising in English. H.1. denotes interpreters, H.2. translators, both numbers under the name denotes an 'expert' who is both.
Certified / Authenticated documents
Certified documents
You may be asked by your Mairie, the CAF, CPAM, URSSAF, RSI, MSA et al to provide a traduction certifiée - by a traducteur assermenté - of your birth certificate or NVQ certificate in Rocket Science before you can marry, register for health care or open a Rocket shop.
Marriage in France: you need a birth certificate issued within the last 3 months. Once you have it (currently £9.25 from the UK General Register Office), send it to us by recorded delivery (LRAR). We will then translate it and certify both documents and send them back to you by LRAR. Turnaround is 2-7 days, depending on our current commitments when we receive your certificate(s). You'll need a fistful of other documents too…British subjects should consult the Paris Embassy site for full details of how to get married (or contract a civil partnership) in France: How to get married in France
Other purposes: when having an official document translated, first ask the body concerned whether they'll accept a translation of a certified photocopy of the original document (ask your Mairie for a copie certifiée conforme of the document). This service is usually free. If acceptable, this will not only save you the return LRAR costs (currently around €10), but also removes the risk of original documents being lost in the post. Send the certified copy by ordinary post or scan and e-mail it (the whole document must appear on the scan: save it as a PDF).
Authenticated (légalisé) documents
If you've decided to try your luck elsewhere and teach Rocket Science to the Danes, the chances are you'll need the translation to be légalisée. We translate and certify the documents and take them to our local Mairie to have the translator's signature authenticated (légalisée). We then send the whole caboodle back to you, usually by LRAR as the document will be an original.
Finally, we don't (usually) ask you to pay in advance, but we do expect you to pay up, preferably on time. Translators have to eat too…
