When you need to have a document notarized, the number one question on your mind is likely whether or not it needs to be translated. The answer? Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn’t. Read on to find out when a translation is necessary and when it’s not.
Generally speaking, any document that is not in English will need to be translated before it can be notarized. This includes documents written in other languages as well as documents that are written in a foreign alphabet (such as Cyrillic or Mandarin). In some cases, you may be able to find a notary public who is fluent in the language of the document, but this is rare. It’s much more likely that you’ll need to find a professional translator to do the job.
There are a few exceptions to this rule. One exception is if the document is already notarized in its original language – in this case, no further translation is necessary. Another exception is if the document does not need to be notarized in the first place – for example, many countries do not require birth certificates or marriage licenses to be notarized.
If you’re unsure whether or not your document needs to be translated, the best thing to do is to ask the notary public before you bring it in. They should be able to tell you whether or not a translation is necessary.
So, the answer to this question is: it depends. Legally, a translated document does not need to be notarized as long as it is accompanied by a notarized translation of the original document. However, some organizations may still require a notarized translation for official purposes. Always check with the specific organization to see what their requirements are.
