Translation services for expats in the UK

Any supporting document that is not in English or Welsh needs a full certified English translation. Depending on the visa route, that commonly includes birth, marriage and divorce certificates, police certificates, academic qualifications and transcripts, employment contracts, payslips, bank statements and other financial evidence. Each translation must confirm that it is an accurate translation of the original document and include the date, the full name and signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company, and their contact details. Check the GOV.UK guidance for your specific route before ordering.

A certified translation is accompanied by a signed declaration from a qualified translator or translation company confirming that the translation is accurate, complete and a true representation of the original — often called a Certificate of Translation Accuracy or Statement of Truth. This signed statement is what makes the translation acceptable to official bodies, including the Home Office, UKVI, HM Courts and Tribunals, and universities. A standard translation does not include this certification and is not suitable for official immigration, legal or academic submissions.

The main quality markers are membership of the Association of Translation Companies (ATC), membership of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), and membership or fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL). ISO 17100 is an additional international standard for translation processes. UK government guidance does not require membership of a particular body, but all three keep public registers you can use to check a provider, and in 2024 they published joint best-practice guidance on certifying translations. Choosing an affiliated provider reduces the risk of a translation being questioned.

For most UK immigration applications submitted to the Home Office or UKVI, a certified translation is sufficient — notarisation is generally not required. An apostille is a separate process that authenticates a public document for use in another country; it is typically required when submitting a UK document to a foreign authority, not when submitting foreign documents to UK authorities. If you are unsure which level of certification is needed, check with the authority requesting the document before ordering.

No. UKVI expects translations to be produced by a professional translator or translation company that can provide a signed certification statement, so self-translations are not suitable, and translations by family members or friends who are not professional translators are unlikely to meet the requirements. A translation that does not meet every requirement can delay your application or lead to a refusal, so it is worth using a professional certified translation service from the start.

The range is broader than most people expect. For immigration: birth, marriage, divorce and police certificates. For employment: overseas degree certificates, transcripts, professional licences and references. For healthcare: medical records, vaccination histories and specialist referral letters. For financial purposes: bank statements, tax documents and proof of income. For driving: a foreign driving licence, where the DVLA exchange process calls for it. For family matters: adoption papers, custody agreements and death certificates. Keeping scanned copies of all key documents makes repeat translation requests faster and less expensive.

The UK has no official sworn translator system and no government register of sworn translators, unlike France, Germany, Spain and Italy. In the UK, certified translation is the standard term — a translation with a signed accuracy statement from a qualified translator or translation company. When a UK body asks for a sworn translation, it usually means a certified translation, but check with the authority if you are unsure. If a document needs to be used in a country that requires a sworn translator, a specialist agency can arrange this through a partner translator registered in the destination country.

For a certified translation, most services accept clear scans or photographs uploaded online — you do not need to post the originals. The certified translation is typically delivered as a PDF, with a printed and signed copy available by post if required. Legalised (apostilled) translations are different: the agency may need the original hard copy. Some authorities also ask to see the original document alongside the certified translation, so check the requirements of the authority you are submitting to before ordering.

Certified translation costs are typically calculated per page or per word. Per-page rates for common language pairs generally range from around £25 to £60 for standard documents, with a page usually defined as up to 250–350 words. Express services, rare language pairs and specialist legal or technical content cost more. Some providers quote prices including VAT and others add it at checkout, so compare like for like. Most offer an instant online quote; always confirm whether physical delivery, express service or notarisation carry additional charges.

A certified translation from a UK translation company or qualified translator is the format UK authorities ask for, including the Home Office, UKVI, HM Courts and Tribunals, the DVLA and UK universities. For submitting a UK document to a foreign authority, additional steps may be required — including apostille authentication through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and, in some countries, consular legalisation. Some agencies can manage the full apostille and legalisation process on your behalf.

Turnaround depends on the provider, the language pair and the length of the document. For short standard documents such as birth or marriage certificates in common languages, many agencies deliver within one to three working days, and several offer express or same-day options for an additional charge. Long legal documents, rare language pairs and notarised or apostilled translations take longer. Always confirm turnaround times before ordering if you are working to an immigration or court deadline.

A certified translation has no formal expiry date — it confirms that the translation was accurate when it was made. Some receiving bodies do ask for a recently dated translation, however, and the underlying document, such as a police certificate, may have its own validity period. If you are reusing an older translation, check the current requirements of the authority you are submitting to, and ask the original provider whether they can reissue it with a fresh date.