How to translate important documents correctly so that they are accepted by government agencies in the United States or in the immigrant's home country

We have been providing translation services for a long time. Translations issued in our offices, are accepted by the Immigration Service, the courts, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), universities, medical institutions, and many other agencies and organizations in the United States.

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Among other things, we organize the translation of American documents into Russian with subsequent notarization in Russia, which is the absolute equivalent of a consular certificate. And this is much more convenient than making a power of attorney with an American notary who can drag you into a vicious circle of apostilles and their translations.

Vicious circle and way out of it

Suppose you have issued a power of attorney in the United States to enter into an inheritance. An American Power of Attorney requires further apostille. And even if the power of attorney itself is completely issued in Russian, the notary's certification inscription and the apostille itself will always be in English. At the same time, according to the laws, all inscriptions in English must be translated into Russian. Everyone knows about this, but, unfortunately, few know where and by whom such a translation should be made.

Often in my practice I see homemade translations, executed by an American notary. But any signature of any American notary requires further legalization, that is, affixing an apostille to the document. And the apostille will again be in English, which needs to be translated ... A vicious circle.

But it can be broken if the translation is done correctly. Firstly, the transfer can be processed at the Russian consulate. In this case, the consul certifies the correctness of the translation with his signature and seal, and in this form the document will be unconditionally accepted in Russia.

But getting to the consulate is not an easy task. In addition, the consulate is part of Russia; it also performs notarial functions. This means that with the same success (but without preliminary recordings and queues) the translation can be certified on the territory of Russia. In this case, the accuracy of the translation will be confirmed by a licensed translator and certified by a Russian notary.

What documents must be translated

The rule to translate a document in the jurisdiction where it will be used applies to absolutely all documents drawn up abroad. It applies to Russia, Ukraine and most countries of the former USSR. Everything needs to be translated.

• power of attorney;
• certificates confirming the fact that a citizen is alive;
• statements;
• consent;
• contracts and agreements;
• court decisions;
• birth certificates;
• marriage certificates;
• death certificates;
• other documents.

Our a wide partner network, covering the USA, Israel, Russia, Ukraine and many other countries, allows us to properly organize the paperwork in any jurisdiction.

Translations that do not need to be certified by a notary

Not all translations require official certification. Often people turn to us to translate a book or brochure, a case for the Immigration Service. Sometimes a person needs a translation simply to understand the content of a particular document, such as a divorce lawsuit received from a spouse, a court decision, or an apartment rental agreement proposed by management. Even if you know the language well, you can still miss the details, and in a legal document, every little thing is fatal.

On the subject: Why an expert in Russian law is so necessary in the USA: the story of Karina Duval

Interpreting

Particular attention should be paid to oral translations. For some time now, government agencies and private businesses have made this service incredibly popular. Our interpreters perform simultaneous translation from English into Russian and vice versa; we are invited to official meetings, seminars; we take part in various procedures, including examinations. Interpreting is much more difficult than written translation for at least three reasons.

1. The process of translation is not limited by time. The translator has the opportunity to think, refer to dictionaries and reference books, get advice or consultation from specialists, and so on. When interpreting, a specialist must do it immediately, such a translator is strictly limited in time and cannot resort to the help of experts or dictionaries. This work requires high qualifications and deep knowledge of the language. IN our office there are translators who speak both languages ​​from birth, that is, for them it is not a learned language, but a native one. Such specialists can speak both languages ​​without thinking, they do not need to remember and select the correct wording and expressions.

2. Not everything can be translated literally. Very often, literal translations become completely unreadable: everything seems to be written / said in a language you know, but it is impossible to catch the meaning. This happens as a result of the mechanical replacement of the words of one language with the words of another, without understanding the specifics of the subject under discussion. Our translators are proficient in special terminology in both languages, and under the conditions of an acute shortage of time, they are able to translate everything that is said as equivalently and accurately as possible in terms of meaning.

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3. The text is dispassionate, precise and understandable. Oral speech is often emotional, intermittent and unintelligible. The interpreter is forced to perceive oral speech, regardless of its correctness, pronunciation, tempo or manner of speech of the speaker, and ensure mutual understanding between the participants. In such cases, the translation is often supplemented with elements of adaptive transcoding. This requires the interpreter to be more highly qualified than in the case of a written one.

So if you need an interpreter: for a formal or informal meeting; to conduct a seminar for a Russian-speaking or English-speaking audience; in order to understand the content of the document proposed for your signature; to tell the world about the book you wrote, or issue a certified translation of official documents, - contact usand we will do everything in the most professional way.

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