Certified Translation Services in the UK
A UK certified translation is a translation accompanied by a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy - a Statement of Truth confirming the translation is true and complete, plus the translator's credentials and our agency seal.
- ISO 17100 accredited and an ITI corporate member
- 200+ languages, all into UK English
- From £35, with an instant no-commitment quote
- Same-day return available
- GDPR-compliant, files stored in the UK
What we certify
Certified translations accepted across UK courts, government, universities and business.
Court & tribunal documents
HMCTS-accepted certified translations for civil, family, criminal and employment tribunals. Court orders, witness statements, foreign judgments, affidavits, exhibits.
Registry office documents
Birth, marriage, civil partnership, divorce and death certificates certified for UK Register Offices, the General Register Office and overseas registries.
Academic credentials
Diplomas, degree certificates, academic transcripts, school reports and language qualifications - accepted by UK universities and Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC).
HMRC & financial
Foreign tax returns, foreign income statements, foreign employment records and bank statements for self-assessment, mortgage and credit applications.
Legal & contractual
Contracts, deeds, powers of attorney, articles of association, board minutes, certificates of incorporation and shareholder agreements certified for UK use.
Medical & regulatory
Medical records, fitness-to-work certificates and professional registration documents for the GMC, NMC, GDC, GPhC and other UK regulators.
What certified means in the UK
A UK certified translation is a translation accompanied by a signed Statement of Truth from a qualified translator or an accredited translation agency, confirming the translation is a true and accurate rendering of the original document. It is the format every UK authority asks for when a document is in a language other than English or Welsh. It does not need to be sworn or notarised for UK domestic use - those concepts come from civil-law countries and are imported only when a document is destined for use abroad.
The minimum elements UK authorities require
A certified translation that will be accepted by UK courts, registry offices, universities, HMRC, banks and professional regulators must include, at minimum, six elements. We include all of them on every translation we issue, regardless of which body the client is submitting to.
A signed Statement of Truth
The exact wording our certificates use: "I confirm that this is a true and accurate translation of the original document into English." Signed by the translator or, in the case of an accredited agency, by an authorised representative.
The translator's full name and qualifications
A surname-initial does not count. Receiving authorities want a name they could in principle contact and a qualification they can verify (MITI, DPSI, NRPSI, or equivalent academic qualification with documented experience).
The agency name and registered address
A PO box is not enough. Lingo Service Translations Ltd, with our Cardiff registered office on every certificate.
The agency's accreditation references
We cite our ITI corporate member reference and our ISO 17100 accreditation reference, both verifiable on the relevant register.
The date of translation
Some receiving authorities reject certificates older than three months; we always issue with the current date, and a reissue with a fresh date is available later for a small fee when an older certificate is no longer accepted.
The source attached
The certified translation is issued as a single combined PDF containing the source scan and the translation, so the receiving authority can confirm the source matches what they have.
Why "certified" in the UK is different from elsewhere
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have no sworn-translator system. There is no government register of authorised translators the way Spain, France, Italy and Germany maintain. Instead, the UK relies on professional accreditation (ITI, CIOL) and on quality standards (ISO 17100, ATC). A certified translation by a qualified translator at an accredited agency is the accepted form. When clients ask us for a "sworn" translation, what they usually mean is one of three things:
Sworn for foreign use
The document is going to a country that requires sworn translation. We arrange this by routing through a partner sworn translator registered in the destination country.
Notarised
A notary public has confirmed the translator's identity and signature. We arrange this for clients submitting to countries that require it; UK domestic use rarely needs it.
Apostilled
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has added an apostille stamp under the Hague Convention. The apostille goes on the notary's signature, not on the translation. Required for some destination countries; never required for UK domestic use.
The five most common reasons a certified translation gets rejected
We see rejected certifications when clients have used unaccredited translators, freelance bilinguals or family members. The rejections we see most often, in order:
No verifiable translator qualification
"Sarah, native speaker, has translated this" is not a qualification. Receiving authorities look up the translator on the ITI or CIOL register; if there is nothing to find, the certificate is rejected.
Missing Statement of Truth
A translator's signature without a clear statement that the translation is true and accurate is not a certification - it is just a signed translation.
Wrong format
The translation is delivered as a Word document with no source attached. UK authorities want a single PDF with source and translation visible side by side.
Source mismatch
The translator certified a translation from a photocopy of a photocopy, with critical text illegible. The certificate cannot truthfully say "true and accurate" if half the original is unreadable.
Translator translated their own document
Translators cannot certify translations of their own personal documents - the receiving authority will reject the obvious conflict of interest.
Who accepts our certified translations
Our certified translations are accepted by every UK authority that asks for a certified translation, plus the international bodies operating in the UK. We do not maintain a separate format per authority - the single format with a signed Statement of Truth, translator credentials, our seal and ISO 17100 reference is accepted across all of them. Below is the actual list, with the document types each authority typically requests.
UK courts and tribunals
His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) covers the civil, family, criminal and employment court systems in England and Wales, with parallel structures in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Our certified translations are accepted for: foreign witness statements, foreign court judgments produced as evidence, contracts being litigated, exhibits referenced in pleadings, affidavits sworn abroad, and foreign-language correspondence between parties. We routinely prepare court-ready certified translations for solicitors.
UK registry offices and the General Register Office
Local Register Offices, the General Register Office (GRO) and the Marriage Registrar service accept our certified translations of foreign birth, marriage, civil partnership, divorce and death certificates for marriage and civil partnership appointments, the Notice of Marriage process, and the conversion of overseas marriages into UK records. The Register Office requirements are specific: the source certificate must be the original or a certified copy issued by the foreign authority (we do not certify translations of photographs or scans of unclear quality), and the translation must include the apostille or legalisation stamp if one is on the source.
UK universities and Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC)
Ecctis is the official UK body for recognising international qualifications. UK universities accept Ecctis Statements of Comparability and our certified translations of foreign diplomas, degree certificates, academic transcripts, language qualifications and school reports for admissions, credit transfer and professional registration. We follow the Ecctis format closely - source attached, full Statement of Truth, translator credentials, our seal, and the date.
HMRC
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs accepts our certified translations of foreign tax returns, foreign income statements, foreign pension statements, foreign employment records and foreign bank statements for self-assessment, double-taxation treaty claims and foreign-income disclosures. The format is the same single combined PDF; HMRC stores the translation alongside the original on the taxpayer's record.
UK banks and mortgage lenders
UK banks and mortgage lenders accept our certified translations of foreign identity documents, foreign credit reports, foreign payslips, foreign bank statements and foreign mortgage statements for proof of identity, source of funds, affordability checks and credit applications. Each bank has slightly different document combinations; our quote includes a checklist of what your specific lender will need.
Embassies, consulates and overseas registries
Foreign embassies and consulates in the UK accept our certified translations of UK-issued documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, criminal record certificates) for use abroad. For documents destined for non-Hague Convention countries, we coordinate the notary, apostille and consular legalisation steps so the client receives a single complete document set.
UK professional regulators
The General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), General Dental Council (GDC), General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Bar Standards Board (BSB), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and other UK professional bodies accept our certified translations of foreign medical degrees, foreign nursing qualifications, foreign professional registrations and foreign disciplinary records for UK professional registration. The format is the same; we add specific accuracy on technical terminology (medical specialisms, legal qualifications) by routing to specialist linguists.
Employers and recruitment
UK employers and recruitment agencies accept our certified translations of foreign academic transcripts, foreign professional certificates, foreign reference letters and foreign criminal record certificates (ACRO and overseas equivalents) for employment vetting. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and the BS 7858 standard reference certified translations as the acceptable form for foreign-credential verification.
Visa and Home Office submissions - see the dedicated pages
The same certified translation is accepted across all UK government bodies, including UK Visas and Immigration and the Home Office. Because those applications have extra requirements (specific document combinations, originals vs copies, when to send hard copies), we maintain dedicated pages: UKVI translation requirements for visa applications and Home Office certified translation for asylum, settlement and family applications.
The documents we certify most
The list below is built from our actual production records - these are the document types we certify week after week. Each entry includes the typical receiving authority and the routine source-language pairs. Where we maintain a dedicated page for a document type, the link goes to it; the certification process is identical regardless of document type, but the dedicated pages explain that specific document's quirks.
Personal and civil-status documents
- Birth certificates - receiving authorities: Register Offices, universities, HMRC, mortgage lenders, employers
- Marriage and civil-partnership certificates - Register Offices for re-marriage notice, family courts, HMRC for tax-status changes
- Divorce decrees and final orders - Register Offices for re-marriage, family courts for cross-border matters
- Death certificates - Probate Registry, life-insurance claims, pension providers
- Passport pages - universities, employers, banks, ID verification
- National ID cards - bank identity verification, employer right-to-work checks
- Driving licences - DVLA exchange, car-hire companies, insurance providers
- Criminal record certificates (ACRO, overseas police clearance) - employers, professional regulators, voluntary-sector vetting
Academic and professional credentials
- Diplomas and degree certificates - Ecctis, UK universities, employers, professional regulators
- Academic transcripts (full marks records) - Ecctis credit comparability, university credit transfer
- School reports and secondary qualifications (GCSE-equivalent foreign certificates) - sixth-form admissions, foundation-year applications
- Language qualifications (IELTS substitutes, country-issued language certificates) - universities, professional registration
- Professional registration certificates - GMC, NMC, GDC, ACCA, SRA registration
- Continuing professional development records - annual professional revalidation
Legal and contractual documents
- Contracts (employment, commercial, lease, sale) - solicitors, in-house legal teams, courts
- Court orders, judgments and tribunal decisions - cross-border litigation, enforcement
- Witness statements and affidavits - court evidence, sworn declarations
- Powers of attorney - banks, solicitors, government bodies
- Wills and probate documents - Probate Registry, estate administration
- Articles of association and certificates of incorporation - Companies House comparisons, due diligence
- Board resolutions and shareholder agreements - corporate transactions, M&A
Financial documents
- Bank statements - mortgage lenders, banks, HMRC
- Foreign tax returns and tax-residency certificates - HMRC, double-taxation claims
- Payslips and employment-income certificates - mortgage applications, credit applications
- Pension statements - HMRC, pension transfer, retirement planning
- Credit reports (foreign credit-bureau reports) - UK banks, mortgage lenders
- Audited accounts and financial statements - corporate due diligence, regulatory filings
Medical and health documents
- Medical records - UK NHS providers, ongoing care, second opinions
- Vaccination records - NHS, travel health, school registration
- Fitness-to-work certificates - employers, occupational health
- Medical degrees and specialty registration - GMC certification, specialty recognition
- Prescription records - UK GP transitions, controlled-drug certifications
Business and corporate documents
- Certificates of incorporation and good-standing certificates - UK due diligence, banking, M&A
- VAT and tax registration certificates - UK VAT registration, cross-border trading
- Memoranda and articles of association - corporate restructuring, parent-company verification
- Annual returns and filings - comparative analysis, due diligence
- Director and shareholder identification - banking, KYC, anti-money-laundering
Don't see your document type? Most certified translations fall outside any standard list - wills with attachments, foreign court bundles, technical regulatory documents, specialist medical reports, religious documents (marriage records held by churches, mosques, temples). Send it to us; we quote within an hour with a recommended translator profile and a turnaround commitment.
What is on your certificate
Every certified translation we issue is delivered as a single combined PDF. The document contains, in this order: the source document scanned in full, the translation laid out to mirror the source page-by-page, and a Certificate of Translation Accuracy on Lingo Service letterhead. The certificate is the legal instrument that makes the translation "certified" - the rest of the document is the translation itself.
A sample Certificate of Translation Accuracy. Placeholders replace identifying details.
The structure of our certificate
The certificate is a single page on letterhead, sealed and signed. It contains, in order:
- Document description. What was translated, identified by source language, target language, document type and any reference numbers visible on the source (e.g. "Italian-to-English certified translation of an Italian birth certificate, registry of births reference no. 1234").
- Statement of Truth. The exact wording: "I confirm that this is a true and accurate translation of the original document into English. I have not amended, added to or omitted from the source. Where original-language formatting could not be reproduced exactly, this is indicated in square brackets."
- Translator credentials. Full name, the translator's professional qualification (e.g. MITI, DPSI, MA in Translation Studies, X years professional experience), and the translator's signature.
- Date of translation. The date the certificate is issued. Some receiving bodies reject certificates older than three months; a reissue with a fresh date is available for a small fee.
- Lingo Service company details. Full registered name (Lingo Service Translations Ltd), Cardiff registered office address, company registration number, VAT registration number, telephone and email.
- ITI corporate member reference. Our membership reference with the Institute of Translation and Interpreting, verifiable on the ITI public register.
- ISO 17100 accreditation reference. Our certification number, verifiable on the certifying body's register.
- Company seal. Our embossed seal applied at the bottom of the certificate.
PDF, paper, or both?
The PDF certificate has the same legal status as a printed and signed paper certificate in the UK. Every UK court, registry office, university and professional regulator we work with accepts the PDF. The original signature is captured digitally and embedded; the certificate is locked against editing once issued.
You can also request a hard copy with a wet-ink signature on letterhead and an embossed seal. We offer tracked and guaranteed next-day options across the UK, same-day delivery in central London by arrangement, plus international delivery; the delivery cost is shown at checkout. Hard copies are dispatched within one business day of the certified translation being released.
Reissue and revocation
Need another copy in three months because a different authority is asking? One click in your client account; we reissue with a fresh date for a small fee. If a translation needs correcting after delivery (e.g. the source contained an error the client subsequently amended), we revoke the original certificate (mark it superseded) and issue a corrected version with a clear note explaining the change.
Transparent pricing
Certified translation with Lingo Service starts at £35, and the price you see is the price you pay. We never add a separate "certification" charge, because the certified format is the only format we issue. Upload your document for an instant, no-commitment quote with the exact price and turnaround for your pages and language.
Delivery options
- PDF delivery: Free, included with every order. Same legal status as the hard copy in the UK.
- Hard copy: tracked and guaranteed next-day options across the UK, same-day delivery in central London by arrangement, plus international delivery; the delivery cost is shown at checkout.
If your destination country needs apostille or consular legalisation, we coordinate the FCDO apostille and consular legalisation, quoted before you commit.
VAT and B2B billing
All prices include VAT at 20% for UK consumers. For UK VAT-registered businesses, we invoice with VAT shown separately, suitable for VAT recovery. For EU and non-UK businesses, we apply the reverse-charge mechanism where applicable. Our VAT number is on every invoice and on the certificate itself.
What we do not charge for
- The certification. The signed Statement of Truth, our seal and our ITI corporate member reference are included on every translation. We do not list a "certification fee".
- Minor corrections. If the source contained a typo the client subsequently amended, we reissue the corrected translation at no additional cost, within 30 days of original delivery.
- Quotes. Quotes are free, with no commitment.
When you get it back
Turnaround depends on the length of your document, the language pair, and the time of day you order. Here is how our standard options work; we confirm your exact delivery time on the quote before you commit.
Same-day return
For orders placed early on a weekday, in our most-requested language pairs, we can return the certified PDF the same business day. A same-day surcharge applies and is shown on your quote.
Standard turnaround
Standard delivery is 48-72 hours, with no surcharge. Need it sooner? Choose the guaranteed 24-hour, 12-hour or same-day option on your quote.
Longer documents and court bundles
Longer documents and court bundles take a little longer. We agree a fixed delivery commitment at the quote stage, with status updates in your client account.
Weekend and court-deadline work
We handle court-deadline and family-court emergencies by arrangement. Ring our Cardiff office on 029 2008 0010 and we will tell you whether we can commit before you order.
What can affect turnaround
Specialist documents (such as medical records or complex contracts), rare language pairs, and source documents with unusual seals or security features can each add a little time. We always tell you at the quote stage if any of these apply.
Tracking
Every order has a live status page in your client account, and you receive an email at each stage from received through to delivered.
The linguists who handle your translation
We certify translations in over 200 languages, all into UK English, covering everything from the most common community and European languages to regional languages of South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Every translation is matched to a qualified linguist and certified within our standard turnaround.
Right-to-left and complex script handling
Arabic, Urdu, Farsi and Pashto are right-to-left scripts. They are not just a font change; they require translators trained in RTL document layout, bidirectional text rules and the specific ligature behaviour of each script. Our specialist linguists work in our LingoSecure workspace with the right typesetting tools, so when a translated birth certificate comes back to a client, the text flows correctly in RTL and the numbers (which remain LTR even in RTL contexts) sit in the right places.
The same applies to CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) and Indic scripts (Bengali, Tamil, Punjabi, Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu, Marathi). Indic scripts in particular use complex conjuncts and matras that auto-translation tools regularly mishandle; our Indic translators are native speakers with formal training in document typesetting for their script.
The credential standard for every certified translator
Every translator who signs a Lingo Service Certificate of Translation Accuracy meets the same minimum credential bar:
- Qualification: MITI (Member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting), DPSI (Diploma in Public Service Interpreting), MCIL (Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists), NRPSI (National Register of Public Service Interpreters), or an equivalent academic qualification (MA in Translation Studies or equivalent) plus documented professional experience.
- Experience: Minimum five years professional translation experience in the relevant language pair.
- Specialism: Each translator is matched to documents in their declared specialism (legal, medical, civil-status, academic, financial). Birth certificates go to civil-status specialists; medical records go to medically-trained linguists.
- Native target language: All into-English certified work is delivered by native-English translators. The reverse is true for our into-target-language certified work.
This is not a marketing claim; it is the requirement of our ISO 17100 accreditation and our ITI corporate membership. Both bodies audit the translator pool annually.
The two-linguist rule for certified work
Under ISO 17100, certified translation is always handled by two linguists: one drafts the translation, a second qualified linguist revises it against the source. The reviser is a separate person - never the same translator checking their own work. The reviser checks: source-target accuracy (no omissions, no additions, no misreadings), terminology consistency, names and numbers exactly transcribed, document layout preserved, and formatting indicators (square brackets for illegible source, footnotes for translator's notes) applied correctly.
The Statement of Truth on the certificate is signed by the lead translator, but the work has passed through two qualified linguists before the certificate is issued. The reviser's name is available on request.
Rare and specialist languages
For less common languages, the certificate is still issued by Lingo Service Translations Ltd with our seal and ITI corporate member reference, and the named translator's qualifications are shown on the certificate, exactly as for our most-requested pairs.
200+ language pairs. These are our most requested.
Our process, end to end
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1. Quote in minutes
Upload your document via our secure portal or paste text. Instant quote on page count, certified surcharge and turnaround. No commitment until you order.
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2. Translator matched to document type
Birth certificates go to civil-status specialists, court orders to legal translators, academic transcripts to credential specialists. Always a human linguist qualified for the document.
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3. Translate + revise (ISO 17100)
Translator drafts in our LingoSecure workspace. Second qualified linguist revises against the source. Numbers, names, dates and document IDs cross-checked separately.
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4. Certify
Statement of Truth signed and dated. Translator credentials, company seal and ITI corporate member reference applied. Issued as a single combined PDF with the source and translation.
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5. Deliver
PDF by email immediately. Hard-copy courier optional - Royal Mail Tracked 24 next business day, or DPD/FedEx for international. Permanent download link in your account.
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6. Reissue & support
Need a second copy three months later? One click in your account, free reissue with a new signed and dated certificate. Bundle support for solicitors handling cases.
Verifiable credentials, not marketing claims
Every translation agency in the UK claims accuracy, speed, professionalism and acceptance. The differences that matter are verifiable on a public register. Below is what we hold and where you can confirm it independently - not our claim about our quality, but the third-party evidence.
ITI corporate member (Institute of Translation and Interpreting)
We are a corporate member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting, the UK's primary professional body for translators. ITI corporate membership is granted on the basis of business credentials, the quality of the translator pool, and adherence to the ITI Code of Professional Conduct. The membership is verifiable on the ITI's public corporate-member register at iti.org.uk; our membership reference is printed on every Certificate of Translation Accuracy we issue.
ISO 17100:2015 accredited
We are accredited to ISO 17100:2015, the international standard for translation services. ISO 17100 specifies requirements for the resources, processes and quality management of translation service providers. The two requirements with the most direct impact on certified translation:
- Translator qualifications. Translators must have a recognised qualification or documented experience in the relevant language pair. Self-declared bilingualism is not acceptable.
- Two-linguist process. Every translation passes through a translator and a separate qualified reviser. Self-revision is not acceptable.
Our ISO 17100 accreditation reference is printed on every certificate. The certifying body publishes our accreditation status on their public register.
Cardiff, UK - registered office and operational base
Lingo Service Translations Ltd is incorporated in England and Wales, with the registered office in Cardiff. UK incorporation matters for clients who need a UK supplier for procurement, for VAT recovery, and for data residency - our LingoSecure workspace is hosted on UK servers, under UK GDPR jurisdiction, and we do not transfer client files to non-UK servers without explicit client consent.
The Cardiff registered office address, our company registration number and our VAT registration number are published in full on every certificate, on the contact page, and on our Companies House public record at Companies House.
UK GDPR compliance, in practice
We hold an Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) registration as a data controller. Our certified-translation workflow is engineered for the kind of personal data certified translation routinely handles - birth certificates, passports, medical records, financial documents, criminal record certificates. The practical effect:
- Files are uploaded to our UK-hosted LingoSecure workspace via HTTPS; never by unencrypted email.
- Access is limited to the assigned translator, reviser and project manager, with audit logs retained.
- Files are automatically deleted 90 days after delivery, unless the client requests earlier deletion (we honour same-day deletion on request) or longer retention for ongoing court cases.
- Client content is never used to train AI or machine-translation models, internal or third-party. Our translators do not use public AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) on client documents; their work happens inside our isolated workspace.
Public reviews and accountability
We are reviewed publicly on Trustpilot, Google Business Profile and Reviews.io. The reviews are not curated - every customer who orders is invited to review. The link to each is on our About page.
The team and the company
Lingo Service Translations Ltd has been delivering professional translation services to UK clients since 2011. The leadership team is named on our About page with full credentials and contact details. Mohamed, our founder, has operated the company for over a decade. The Cardiff office is the operational base; we do not subcontract certification work to overseas agencies.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between certified, notarised and apostille translation in the UK?
In the UK, a certified translation is a translation accompanied by a signed Statement of Truth from a qualified translator or accredited agency, confirming it is a true and accurate translation. This is what UK courts, registry offices, universities, HMRC, banks and employers accept by default.
A notarised translation adds a notary public's signature confirming the identity of the translator who signed the certificate. UK use rarely needs this - it is mainly required when documents are intended for use abroad in countries that demand notarisation.
An apostille translation adds a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) apostille stamp under the Hague Convention, recognising the document for use in another Hague Convention country. Apostilles are applied to the notary's signature, not the translation itself.
If you are not sure which you need, see our certified vs notarised guide, or send us the receiving body's requirement letter and we will tell you.
Do I need a sworn translator for use in the UK?
No. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland do not have a sworn-translator system. A signed Statement of Truth from a qualified translator or accredited agency is the UK standard. The "sworn translation" requirement comes from civil-law countries (Spain, France, Italy, Germany, etc.) - we can arrange that format separately when a document needs to be used in those countries.
Will UK registry offices accept your certified translations for a marriage?
Yes. UK Register Offices, the General Register Office (GRO) and the Marriage Registrar service routinely accept our certified translations of foreign birth certificates, divorce decrees and civil-status documents for marriage, civil partnership and conversion appointments. We include the format the Register Office expects: source attached to translation, signed Statement of Truth, translator credentials, our seal and ITI corporate member reference.
How fast can you do an urgent certified translation?
For orders placed early on a weekday we can return same-day PDF. Our standard turnaround is 24 to 48 hours. For court-deadline work we can arrange evening and weekend translators by prior arrangement; ring our Cardiff office on 029 2008 0010 or email info@lingoservice.com for true emergencies.
Do I get a hard-copy original or just a PDF?
You get both, if you want both. The PDF is the same legal status as the hard copy - UK courts and registry offices accept either since 2020. Most clients choose PDF only (instant, free, accepted everywhere). For international use or when an original is preferred, a courier-delivered hard copy is available; the delivery cost is shown at checkout.
Are your translations accepted by UK universities and Ecctis (UK NARIC)?
Yes. UK universities and Ecctis (the official UK body for international qualification recognition, formerly UK NARIC) accept our certified translations of foreign diplomas, degree certificates, academic transcripts and language qualifications. We follow the Ecctis format - source attached, Statement of Truth, translator credentials and our seal.
For visa or Home Office applications, do I order on this page?
You can - the same certified translation is accepted across all UK government bodies - but our visa-specific and Home Office-specific pages explain the extra requirements those applications often have (specific document combinations, originals vs copies, when to send hard copies, etc.). See UKVI translation requirements for visa applications and Home Office certified translation for asylum, settlement and family applications.
What's in the Certificate of Translation Accuracy?
Every certified translation we issue includes a single combined PDF containing: (1) the source document scanned in full, (2) the translation laid out to mirror the source, (3) a Certificate of Translation Accuracy on Lingo Service letterhead with a signed Statement of Truth confirming "this is a true and accurate translation of the original document", the translator's full name and qualifications, the date, our company name and Cardiff registered office, our ITI corporate member reference, and our ISO 17100 accreditation reference. See the sample image on this page for the exact format.
Do certified translations expire?
No - a certified translation does not have an expiry date. The certification confirms the translation was accurate at the time it was made. Some receiving bodies do ask for a recently issued translation (commonly within the last 6 or 12 months), so if your translation is several years old, check the receiving organisation's current requirements before reusing it. The underlying document's own validity (for example a police check) is separate from the translation's.
Can anyone certify a translation in the UK?
The UK has no state register of "sworn" translators, but UKVI, courts and universities expect certification from a professional translator or an accredited translation company that takes legal responsibility for accuracy - not from the applicant, a relative, or a friend, even if fluent. Self-certified or family-certified translations are routinely rejected. Every Lingo Service certificate carries our ITI corporate member reference and ISO 17100 accreditation, which is exactly the proof receiving bodies look for.
Ready for your certified translation?
Upload your document for an instant quote, or talk to our UK team about what you need.
ISO 17100 accredited. GDPR-compliant. Based in Cardiff, UK.
