Dutch Certified, Notarised and FCO Legalised Translation

Completed by qualified Dutch translators

Getting married? Studying abroad? Do you have legal documents you must have translated? Some authorities demand that you supply certified translations of your official documents. This means that even if you are bilingual, the relevant authority is unlikely to accept your own translation. They will be looking for a translation independently carried out and by an appropriately qualified Dutch linguist.

We offer 3 main types of certification in Herefordshire

It is important that you check with the appropriate authority which type of certification they will accept.

Digital certification

The first type of certification comes in the form of a letter printed on Knockhundred’s letterhead certifying that, as a professional translation company, Knockhundred has undertaken the translation. Each page of the translation itself is also stamped. This type of certification is generally supplied in digital format. By special arrangement, we can also provide the certification in hard copy format by post.

Notarised, sworn or legalised translation

The second type of certification is where the translation is stamped and signed by a Notary Public. A notarised translation is also sometimes referred to as a “sworn” translation, but this phrase isn’t often used in the UK. It can also be called a legalised translation.

A Notary Public is an officer of the law empowered to attest or confirm certain oaths, statutory declarations and documents under his seal.

Working from your documents, our qualified linguists will provide an accurate translation, carefully checking the details. Once certified by us, a Notary Public will add the official seal.

You do not need to be located near our offices as the entire process is conducted digitally and by post.

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) legalisation of translated documents

Some authorities insist on this extra step. Once notarised by a Notary Public and confirmed as true translations, the translations and any associated original documents are further verified and stamped by the FCO.

Whom do we work with?

We work with a wide range of clients in the legal sector as well as private individuals including:

• Embassies
• Solicitors
• Courts
• Police forces
• Prisons
• Accountants
• Public sector organisations
• EU organisations
• Businesses
• Financial organisations

What sort of material?

• Letters
• Birth certificates
• Death certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Divorce certificates
• Academic certificates
• Passports
• Statements

How is the cost for certified Dutch translations calculated?

• The cost depends on the language(s)
• The cost depends on the number of documents
• Translation is calculated per source word of original content
• The cost depends on the level of certification: digital, notarisation or FCO legalisation.

While you’re here… some quite interesting facts about the Dutch language.

Dutch is a West Germanic language with about 28 million speakers (in 2012), mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium. There are small Dutch-speaking communities in northern France, around Dunkerque. Dutch is also spoken in Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, Suriname and in Indonesia. The official or standard form of Dutch is known as Algemeen Beschaafd Nederlands (ABN), ‘General Civilized Dutch’. It is taught in schools and used by authorities in the Netherlands, Flanders (Belgium), Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles. An association known as the Taalunie (Language Union), which was set up by governments of the Netherlands and Flanders, regulates the orthography and spelling of ABN. Alternative names for ABN are Algemeen Nederlands (AN), General Dutch, and Standaardnederlands, Standard Dutch. The Dutch dialects spoken in Belgium are collectively known as Flemish (Vlaams). They differ to some extent from the Dutch spoken in the Netherlands in terms of intonation and pronunciation, and there are minor differences in vocabulary, including loanwords from French and English not found in Standard Dutch.

Where is Dutch most widely spoken?

Dutch is spoken not only in the Netherlands, but it is also the official language of Flanders, the neighbouring northern provinces of Belgium. Worldwide, Dutch is a national language in Suriname (South America), Aruba and the Dutch Antilles (Caribbean).