Frequently Asked Questions
faq: our services
WILL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACCEPT YOUR TRANSLATIONS?
Yes, both federal and state departments, bureaus, offices, and organizations accept our certified translations.
WHAT DOCUMENT TYPES DO YOU TRANSLATE?
Our company specializes in translation of different documents and texts, video/audio materials, software, websites, etc. You name it - we translate it! Read more about the various types of translations we cover...
WHAT IS CERTIFIED TRANSLATION?
A certified translation is performed by an accredited company on their letterhead and it is always accompanied by a signed and notarized affidavit attesting that the translation is accurate and complete to the best of the translator’s knowledge and belief.
WHY AND WHEN DO I NEED AN APOSTILLE?
If you have a document issued by U.S. authorities and you need this document to be used abroad then you should get an Apostille or Certification. Both Apostilles and Certifications are used by foreign governments to assess the authenticity of an official signature on a document; the capacity in which the person signing the document acted; and the identity of any stamp or seal affixed to the document.
Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been part of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. The Convention provides for the simplified certification of public (including notarized) documents to be used in countries that have joined the Convention.
Apostilles require no further diplomatic or consular legalization.
For documents intended for use in countries which are not signatories to the Hague Convention, the Department of State attaches a Certification. Note that unlike Apostilles, Certificates of authentication may require further diplomatic or consular legalization before being sent overseas. This may require further authentication by the U.S. Department of State and the Foreign Embassy of the country of intended use.
Please reference Hague Convention 1961 for more information on this law.
IN WHAT STATE(S) DO YOU PROVIDE APOSTILLE?
We prepare Apostille services in all 50 states of the United States.
TRANSLATION VerSus INTERPRETING – WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
Simply put - translators write, interpreters speak.
Translation is the act or process of of translating something from a source language into a different target language; normally result is in written or text form but a translation can also be spoken. If you need a written document in foreign language that needed to be read and understood – you'd need a translator.
Interpreting, or language interpretation, on the other hand, is usually a spoken form of translating something from a language into another. If you want to interact with people in a foreign language on the spot – you need an interpreter.
WHAT COUNTIES DOES YOUR NOTARY PUBLIC SERVE?
Our Notary Public currently are qualified in 2 counties in New York: New York County (Manhattan) as of 2016 and Kings County (Brooklyn) as of 2001. You can visit our two locations in Brooklyn or request a mobile notary public visit.
I HAVE A COMPLICATED LEGAL DOCUMENT TO BE TRANSLATED AND MANY TRANSLATORS REFUSE TO WORK WITH LEGAL CONTENT. MAY I RELY ON YOU?
Absolutely! The secret is simple: a translator must have legal education in the target language. Some of our translators on our team have legal education in both, source and target languages! The person translating a contract, for example, must be familiar with judicial language and be able to draft contracts and to understand terms and content professionally.
Our company has a long history of providing legal documents' translations from and into numerous languages. Our translators have extensive experience in translating various legal documents, including but not limited to: judgments, court orders, contracts, agreements, etc. Read more about the various legal documents we have experience translating...
DO YOU TRANSLATE ACADEMIC RECORDS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES?
Yes! All translations of academic records performed by our team are accepted as true and accurate by federal, state, municipal, and private education facilities in the United States of America.
DO YOU OFFER DIPLOMA EVALUATIONS?
We do not. Certified translation and evaluation of your foreign academic records are two different processes. Sometimes you will need both: a translation and an evaluation. We can, however, provide a word-for-word certified translation of your academic credentials so they can further be used by specialized evaluation agencies.
DO YOU TRANSLATE FROM THE PHOTOCOPY OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT?
Yes, we do! If you have only the photocopy of the original document we can still do the translation of that document. We will also indicate in the affidavit of accuracy that the translation was done from the photocopy of the original document.
DO YOU KEEP THE ORIGINAL OF DOCUMENT TO BE TRANSLATED?
No, we do not. If you have the original document you can bring it to our office and we will make a copy for the translation. You can also send us the scanned version of the document yourself, in which case the affidavit of accuracy will note that the translation was done from a photocopy of the original document.
HOW CAN I ORDER AND RECEIVE TRANSLATION IF I LIVE IN ANOTHER STATE?
If you live or work in another state or outside the USA and are unable to bring the original document for translation to our office please, do not hesitate to send us the scanned version of the document via e-mail. When we receive your document, one of our representatives will contact you and provide a quote with the price & time needed to complete the translation. When you agree to the quoted price & timing, we will send you an invoice via e-mail, which will include a postal services fee. Once the translation is ready we will mail the hard copy to the address you provided and e-mail you a copy of the translation. The translation's affidavit of accuracy will note that the translation was done from a photocopy of the original document.
DO YOU PROVIDE A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE TRANSLATION THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE?
Yes! If we have translated something for you in the past you may request as many copies as you need. We keep our records for at least 5 years and charge a small fee for copies. Please contact us regarding your needs.
FAQ: Payment & Prices
DO YOU HAVE PRICE LIST?
Every customer’s needs are unique. Prices vary depending on many factors: type of document, length, complexity, formatting, and urgency or amount of time we're given to complete the service. In order to know how much your project will cost you, submit your needs including the source and target language if it's a translation via our free quote (it's quick and easy!) form and we will get back to you promptly.
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM PRICE FOR TRANSLATION?
Because every document and translation job is different, our prices are heavily dependent on the size of the job. Please, do not hesitate to contact us and explain your needs - even if you need a few words to be translated we can provide you a free quote quickly.
i submitted my documents, now what?
After you submit your documents we send you an invoice via Square, an easy, secure, and innovative payment system where you can submit payment via credit/debit cards, cash, checks, and money orders.
what forms of payment do you accept?
We accept all major credit cards, cash, checks, money orders, and PayPal. We typically process payments via Square an easy, secure, and innovative payment system.
DO YOU ACCEPT PERSONAL CHECKS?
Yes, we accept checks, money orders, personal checks, and cash.
WHAT IF I AM UNHAPPY WITH THE TRANSLATION?
We stand behind our translations, however, if for any reason you are unhappy or unsatisfied with the translation, please, let us know and we will do everything to ensure your satisfaction in our services in a timely manner.
FAQ: WHY CHOOSE US
WHY IS YOUR COMPANY IS DIFFERENT?
Our team and over 15 years of extensive experience is what sets us apart. Since 2001 we have have been committed to quality certified translations and Apostille services, the foundation of our business. No other company in NYC has such professional and highly internationally educated Notaries preparing Apostilles for use in foreign countries.
What else makes our company unique? Our methods in achieving perfectionism: our team members are native speakers with specialized knowledge of your industry. Whether it is law, business, education, medicine, engineering, chemistry, marketing, etc. our translators are dedicated to conveying nuances from any language for precise professional understanding.
WHY DO I NEED YOUR COMPANY IF I CAN TRANSLATE THE DOCUMENT MYSELF?
Some departments and organizations require certified translations performed by accredited companies (that's us!). If you can do the translation yourself and the result will be accepted by the target department or organization, then you probably don't need our services. Perhaps you want to join our team instead?
WHAT MAKES YOUR TRANSLATIONS "PROFESSIONAL"?
Not every person who can play tennis becomes a professional tennis player. Not every bilingual person who can read and write a foreign language is capable to translate professionally. Bilingualism, on its own, does not guarantee fluency in writing or skills in translation.
Our company requirements for professional translations are dynamically changing. We work only with educated and professional translators who are fluent in their source language and produce translations that read perfect in the target language.
WHAT MAKES YOUR TRANSLATIONS THE BEST?
We take pride in our quality. Our team are perfectionists who have often been told by our customers that our translations are the best.
Our translators are carefully chosen based on the results of tests purposefully created for evaluation of their professionalism, fluency in foreign languages, and ability to work with multicultural customers! Each and every employee is independently reviewed before they can translate any project for our company.
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE YOUR COMPANY RATHER THAN FREE AUTOMATIC TRANSLATION ONLINE?
The Wall Street Journal gave free automatic translation services a test run and concluded: “These services are passable for travelers or for those wanting to translate a letter from a distant cousin. [You] definitely wouldn’t use them for business or anything that remotely requires accuracy.” At the end of the day, nothing can replace the educated and experienced mind of a human being!
WHAT CREDENTIALS DO YOU HAVE FOR TRANSLATION?
We are a corporate member of the American Translators Association (ATA) since 2005. Our team includes professionals who have ATA accredited certificates that give them the right to provide high-quality translations. You are in good hands!
FAQ: PRIVACY
I HAVE a VERY SENSITIVE PERSONAL DOCUMENT, HOW CAN I BE SURE THAT MY DOCUMENT REMAINS PRIVATE? HOW DO YOU GUARANTEE CONFIDENTIALITY?
Your confidentiality is a priority for our company and something we take very seriously. Whether you need to translate a psychiatrist’s report, company research papers, Judgment of Divorce, business contract, or another personal document - confidentiality is guaranteed. All of our employees abide by our company's privacy policy and confidentiality agreement to ensure protection against disclosure of any customer information.