Whether you wish to apply to a foreign university or you need a visa, document translation is an important requirement. By obtaining translated documents, there will be lesser problems along the way. Fortunately, there are many translation agencies you can consider.
However, finding a reputable agency is challenging. To help you get started, here’s a list of what to look for:
Turnaround
When you are dealing with requirements, time is of the essence. With this, you need to ensure that the translations and other requirements are submitted on time with minimal delay. You need to check with the agency turnaround time so you can plan accordingly.
Native translators
For the translations to be accurate, the agency should employ native translators. If you need italian visa translation, you will be assured that native translators are handling the document. There are agencies that offer few document or language translations but it is prudent to choose an agency that offers more than 60 languages.
With this, you will be assured a faster turnaround. If you want to check the languages, you should see their FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page. There, you will see the languages that they provide a translation. If you do not see any list, you have to check with their customer support either through email or phone call.
Pricing
The agency should provide simple pricing so you will not get confused. Ideally, pick an agency that charges per page – not by words. For instance, there are agencies that charge $25 per page – up to 250 words.
Security
The security of your documents is important. With this, you need to pick an agency that takes pride in its security. You should look for an agency that employs state of the art encryption. At the bare minimum, the address bar should have a padlock icon followed by “https” then the name of the website.
Inclusions
Aside from the translated document, you should also look into the inclusions of the service. There are agencies that offer document layout reconstruction and mail delivery in the event that you require a hard copy.
Whatever translation you need, the right agency is around – you just need to remember the following things:
- Provide the company with spelling references: you should prevent misspellings and inaccurate translations. With this, you need to provide spelling references, especially for names and addresses. This is crucial for documents that do not employ the Roman alphabet.
- Ensure it contains the right information: there are times that documents are written. It will be difficult for a translator that is why you need to give a version that contains more information. Whether you need long or short versions of documents, the translation should contain your full name, place of birth, date of birth and parents’ information (like name, date of marriage, date of birth and place of birth).
- Check the experience of translators: it is important that you check the experience of the translators. It is not enough that translators speak the language. The translators should also be familiar with legal terms. The translator should have superior knowledge to assure a better translation.