CASE STUDY: Mr and Mrs Jones

Mr and Mrs Jones got married in the Dominican Republic over the summer. On their return, they realised that their marriage certificate was all in Spanish, and they couldn’t understand a word of it!

Name change

Mrs Jones wanted to have her surname changed on her passport, but as their certificate was not in English the Passport Office wouldn’t accept it as proof of marriage. She was advised that she needed to obtain a certified translation of her marriage certificate into English from a recognised translation company.

Send a copy

Once Mr and Mrs Jones had found TransAction Translators by searching on the internet, we told them that they needed to send us a full copy of the certificate, either a scanned copy by email, a fax, or a photocopy in the post. They read the preparation guide on our website: http://certificatetranslator.co.uk/preparation.asp. We do not need to see original documents, however we do need good, clear copies as they form part of the certified translation.

As the cost for a translation is based on the number of words, we needed to see a copy before we could advise Mr and Mrs Jones of the price. The complexity of the layout, the legibility (e.g. if there is a lot of unclear handwriting to decipher) and the urgency was also taken into account.

Quote

Once we received a copy we counted the number of words using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software. We were then able to create a quote for Mr and Mrs Jones and advise them of the payment options.

Payment

Mr Jones paid for the translation in advance by debit card over the telephone. He gave us his contact details including a daytime telephone number and an email address.

Translation

Once the payment had been logged, we then proceeded with the translation. First one of our project managers created a template for the translator. We try to replicate the layout of the original as much as possible, and include all graphics such as stamps and signatures. Once the translation had been completed by the translator, it was then checked and proofread by at least two members of our team.

Translation ready for approval

After 2-3 working days Mr Jones received a copy of the translation by email for him and his wife to approve before the certified copy was issued. They checked it together that evening, looking in particular for any mistakes in the spellings of their names and addresses and any dates.

Certification

In order for the translation to be an official document it needed to be certified. We attached a declaration to the translation along with a copy of the original document, stating that a true and accurate translation had been provided, and it was then stamped, dated and signed by one of our directors. The translator’s name and qualifications were also stated.

Hard copy

Mr and Mrs Jones received the hard copy by first class post a couple of days later. The original translation, which contained all original stamps and signatures, was then sent off to the Passport Office along with the name change application form and all supporting documents.