Businesses have gone global. As a result, professional translation is now vital for any successful company. Even though English has been recognized as a universal business language, there are numerous situations where it just won’t cut it.
Furthermore, moving to another country for work or other reasons has become more common than ever before. This means that we need to translate a lot of personal documents from our native language to the language of the country where we intend to move.
Here are just some examples of documents that are often translated these days:
- Qualification certificates;
- Birth and marriage certificates;
- Divorce papers;
- Death certificates;
- Notarial deeds;
- Criminal records;
- Licenses;
- Contracts;
- Driver’s licenses;
- Medical reports;
- Sick leave documents;
- Financial information;
- Invoices;
- And many, many more.
Take Dubai, for example. Being that Dubai is a city that is home to a vast multicultural population, and many companies with multinational workforces, the need for translation services is undeniable.
We are going to explore what translated documents are commonly used for and why one should go for a company certified by the ISO International Quality Standards when looking for such services.
Certified translation in Dubai and document types
The legal authority for the translated documents is associated, through certification, with a state entity, body, or a representative specified by the law of the country where it needs to have legal legitimacy. In the UAE, for instance, as anywhere else, you should seek out services from a certified Dubai translator team.
They should be certified by the ISO International Quality Standards to be recognized by legal and government entities in the UAE.
Of course, this is a requirement for legally binding and official documents that need to have legitimacy in the UAE court of law or other official situations. Basically, the procedure consists of a certified translation of public documents which verifies the authenticity of public documents issued in another country and makes it legible to local officials and representatives.
There are three forms in which these documents can be presented for translation:
- An original;
- A simple photocopy of that original;
- A certified translated photocopy of the original document;
The form in which the document will be presented largely depends on the requirements of the legal entity requesting the document. We recommend that you inquire about the form in which the document needs to be handed in for translation so that it is considered legitimate by the legal system.
For example, if translating a qualification certificate, the original certificate needs to be provided to the certified translation entity handling the translation.
In some cases, you can attach a simple photocopy of the original document. Also, if the original document is required for the translation, and the person or organization doesn’t need to keep that original document, the process is easier to manage.
However, some situations may require an authenticated photocopy to be created. This way, the original document can be kept, and, at the same time, the copy will meet the requirements of the entity that requests a translated version.
The certified version of the final draft consists of the document made available for translation and the translation itself. It also contains a signature of a lawyer with a license to practice law in UAE and all information related to the translation process.
Some documents may require a team with technical competence to carry out translations in different areas. This includes but is not limited to legal, financial, or commercial documentation where being certified as well as being familiar with the technical aspects of the legal processes is a must.
Things to look for in an ISO Certified Translation Company in Dubai
First things first, you always want to hire a translation company that has a good rapport with its clients. This means that, from the get-go, they should strive to understand your needs and help you understand the steps you need to take to get a legitimate document that will serve the intended purpose.
Often, inexperienced individual translators or unprofessional companies will do the required translation. Still, the end document draft will not meet the legal standards required for it to be considered legitimate within the legal system. This means that the client wasted time and money without getting what they paid for.
The quality of all certified translations is also a thing to look out for. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for clients to assess the quality of the final draft since they are not proficient in the language in question.
One way to go about checking the quality of their previous work is to contact their previous clients and inquire about their experience. Another is to check online reviews and their social media channels, looking for comments from people and companies that collaborated with them in the past.
As we mentioned above, some translation projects require translators with specific educational backgrounds to provide an accurate translation. In these situations, look for translation agencies that have teams that consist of professionals with the right profile for the job in question.
Finally, look for experienced partners for this kind of work. Even though everything looks right on paper, there are quite a few things that can go wrong when translating a legal document if the translator is inexperienced. Seek out companies that have a good track record and more than a few years of experience in the field.
Bad translations can be deal-breakers, they lose people’s money, waste time, cause issues with starting a new job in UAE. So, take your time, do your research, and find a reliable partner.
Why you should avoid amateur translators for your dealings in UAE and Dubai
Nowadays, more and more people are fluent in several languages (as presented by data from Duolingo) and are often available to carry out the required translations. Although they may know the source and target languages well, they are often not experts. Such people are at risk of providing incorrect translations that are not adapted to a specific country.
A translation company that has been at it for a while can guarantee that its certified translation professionals are native speakers and experts in the target language. With every team member having a higher education degree, you can rest assured that the quality of translation services performed will be adequate for dealing with businesses and legal entities in Dubai, for instance.
Quality control is also a factor here. When you allow an amateur to handle the translation of your documents, they don’t go through any third-party screening before they are delivered to you. Translators are only human, and they make mistakes, which is why having a procedure for quality control is highly recommended.
Frequently, time will be a factor. Tight deadlines are not something amateur translators are used to, and this will impact the quality of their work. If you are facing a deadline and you need something done quickly, hire professionals to handle it.
And finally, there is a question of the follow-up. The client’s relationship with a translation company does not end with the first version of the translated material. Professionals will help the client modify the delivered work until the client is fully satisfied with the end result. You won’t get this kind of treatment from a friend who just happens to speak the language.
We hope you find this information useful and we wish you the best of luck with your dealings in UAE and Dubai.
