An official (or sworn) translation is a translation bearing the stamp and signature of an official translator – in the Czech Republic, official translators are appointed by Regional Tribunals. An official translation is basically the Czech version of a text in another language (or viceversa). It is required by law for most official documents such as birth certificates, wedding licenses etc. if these documents are meant for Czech authorities.
Important tips
Every official translation has to be connected to the original documents. That means that the translator has to have the actual paper he or she is translating in order to do this procedure. It is necessary to keep this in mind and eventually (if the original is important – diplomas etc.) have an official copy ready for the translator.
If you need a translation into Czech, also be informed about the eventual necessity of an Apostille. The Apostille is an internationally accepted document certifying the signature and stamp on the original document (i.e. the Secretary of State certifies the signature and stamp of a notary). Czech offices often request the documents to carry an Apostille.
Every official translation also has to be registered under a certain number in the Book of translations. For this reason the translator has to know the name and address of the person or company that orders the translation.
Requested documents
The documents that are requested the most are usually needed for communicating with the various offices and authorities (courts, police, registrar’s office etc.) or for international commercial transactions (sale of a building abroad, contracts with international partners etc.).
Price and time needed
During the years I have been doing this job, I have done many various translation ranging from a hotel’s advertisement to a detailed medical decription of a heart surgery. For this reason I have to say that I refuse to give universal pricelists – it is simply impossible to state a price or the necessary time without seeing the original text.
The price for official translations can range between 300 and 500 CZK for one standardized page. A standardized page is formed by 1800 characters (including spaces). There are more factors that influence the price, such as the complexity of the text, its length, eventual recurrent parts etc..
The simpliest way to obtain information on the price and the necessary time is to contact me and send me at least part of the required text (MS word document, simple .txt file or a scan in any format).
