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Sworn Translation Services — 40+ Countries (Europe · Latin America · Asia)

Sworn Translation (also known as "certified sworn translation" or "official translation") is a Civil Law tradition in which translators are sworn in before a court or Ministry of Justice, giving their translations legal status equivalent to the source document. NYC Legal & Notary Services Co., Ltd. is the only firm in Thailand that maintains an active coordination network with more than 40 sworn-translator registries worldwide — covering French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Turkish, Russian and every Latin American variant. We handle every step end-to-end: Thai source document preparation, MFA legalization, Hague Apostille (effective 14 February 2026), and delivery of the sworn translation ready for use before courts, embassies, universities and civil registries abroad.

Sworn Translation vs Certified Translation — the legal difference

Certified Translation is a translation accompanied by a Certificate of Accuracy signed by a professional translator or agency; it has no legal standing on its own and must be validated by a Notary Public or Ministry of Foreign Affairs before submission. Sworn Translation, on the other hand, is produced by a translator who has been sworn in before a court or Ministry of Justice, with a personal seal and registered signature. The translation therefore carries the same legal weight as the original document. Civil Law jurisdictions — France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico — require sworn translation for all official filings, while Common Law countries (US, UK, Australia, Canada) rely on Notary Public + Certified Translation instead. Thailand sits closer to the Common Law model and uses the Lawyers Council Notary Public system.

When you need a Sworn Translation

Sworn translations are typically required for birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates; university diplomas and transcripts; police clearance certificates; single-status affidavits; powers of attorney; company incorporation documents; court judgments; and medical records. Any document supporting visa applications, marriage registration abroad, citizenship petitions, residency permits, court filings or property transactions in a Civil Law country will need sworn translation to be accepted.

Impact of the Hague Apostille Convention on Thailand (14 February 2026)

From 14 February 2026 Thailand officially joins the Hague Apostille Convention. Thai-issued public documents destined for any of the 125 member countries no longer require destination-embassy legalization — a single Apostille from the Department of Consular Affairs (MFA, Chaeng Watthana) is sufficient. However, an Apostille only certifies the original document and the signature of the issuing officer; it does not certify translation. When the destination authority requires the document in its local language, a sworn translator in that country must still translate the apostilled document. NYC Legal coordinates directly with sworn translators in 40+ countries so the entire chain is handled from Bangkok.

Five-step standard workflow

1) Gather original Thai documents; 2) Notary Public + MFA + Apostille (for Hague members) or Notary + MFA + destination embassy (non-members); 3) NYC Legal transmits HD scans of the apostilled originals to the sworn translator abroad; 4) The sworn translator produces and stamps the official translation with a wet-ink personal seal and registered signature; 5) Return delivery to Thailand by DHL/FedEx or direct courier to the destination authority. End-to-end turnaround: 7–14 business days depending on target country and language.

Fees and turnaround

Total cost breaks into three parts. (1) Thai-side preparation (Notary + MFA + Apostille): THB 3,500–5,500 per document. (2) Sworn translator fee at destination: THB 2,500–8,000 per document depending on length and language — French, Spanish, German, Italian and Portuguese run THB 2,500–4,000, while Eastern European languages (Polish, Czech, Romanian, Hungarian) and Nordic languages run THB 4,000–6,500. (3) International courier: THB 1,500–3,500. Total turnaround: 7–14 business days for Western Europe, 14–21 days for Eastern Europe and Latin America, 21–30 days for remote destinations.

Countries with a formal sworn-translator system

France (Traducteur Assermenté — Court of Appeal seal), Spain (Traductor-Intérprete Jurado — MAEC registry), Germany (Beeidigter Übersetzer — Landgericht registry per state), Italy (Traduttore Giurato — Asseverazione at court), Belgium (Traducteur Juré — SPF Justice central registry), Netherlands (Beëdigd Vertaler — Bureau Wbtv), Austria (Gerichtsdolmetscher), Poland (Tłumacz Przysięgły), Czech Republic (Soudní tlumočník), Romania (Traducător Autorizat), Hungary (OFFI), Greece (via MFA), Brazil (Tradutor Público Juramentado), Argentina (Colegio de Traductores Públicos), Mexico (Perito Traductor), Peru, Colombia, Chile and Turkey (Yeminli Tercüman).

Countries without a sworn system — use Notary + Apostille

Portugal, Russia, Ukraine, Japan, Korea, China and India do not maintain a dedicated sworn-translator registry. They use Notary Public offices (or 公证处 in China) to attest translator affidavits instead. The workflow is similar to Thailand. NYC Legal can coordinate both directions — preparing Thai documents for onshore translation, or receiving and re-legalizing incoming translations for use in Thailand.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can a sworn translation from one country be used in another? A: In general, no — the sworn translator must be registered in the destination country. Certain EU cross-recognition applies (e.g., German sworn in Austria, French sworn in Belgium). Q: Does Thailand have sworn translators? A: Thailand uses Notary Public + Ministry of Justice registered translators as a functional equivalent. NYC Legal provides both. Q: If a document is apostilled, do I still need sworn translation? A: Yes — Apostille certifies only the original and the issuing officer's signature. Translation requires a sworn translator in the destination country if that language is required.

Countries with Sworn Translation Services

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