Authentications

Authentication or Sworn Translation

Authentication is legal certification of perfect conformity of translated contents with original ones. It is also referred to as sworn translation, because the translator must present themselves in person at any Italian court, swear and verbalise that they have fulfilled their professional duty. Self-certification is not possible, therefore the document must be declared on oath by a third person who accepts responsibility for the translation.

Legalisation/ Apostille

One further step is required for an authenticated translation to achieve full legal value abroad: legalisation. Legal recognition of the conformity of translated content with the original is not enough. The signature and stamp of the public official who authenticated the deed must also be legalised.
When the country of provenance of the foreign deed has adhered to the Hague Convention, legalisation is replaced by a simplified procedure called an Apostille.

Certified Translations

The declaration of translated text conformity must be issued by a certified translation agency. In many countries, translators are required to be members of a specific professional register, which gives them the right to personally certify translated text conformity, without the need for authentication. There is no professional register in Italy and the legal value of this procedure within the agency is limited, however in many cases it is enough for certain types of practices and documents.