Official translations and legalisation

Official translations and legalisations for the recognition of qualifications.

Official translations

In procedures for the recognition of qualifications and professional titles obtained abroad, the official translation of documents is an indispensable step for the validity and admissibility of the application. All documents drawn up in a foreign language must be accompanied by a translation into Italian, prepared by an official translator and sworn before the Court or a notary, unless the competent authority indicates otherwise. In some cases translations may be certified by the foreign consular authorities in the country where the qualification was obtained. That possibility, however, is often limited to procedures that also involve the application for the Declaration of Value. In other legal systems there are State-recognised sworn translators who can produce official translations compliant with local rules. Nonetheless, the experience gained over more than thirty years of practice leads us strongly to advise that translations intended for recognition procedures in Italy be carried out directly by an Italian official translator, specialised in the academic and administrative field.

This is necessary not only to guarantee the linguistic accuracy and formal correctness of the texts, but above all to avoid substantial errors in the interpretation of technical and academic content. For example, the literal translation of the name of a course of study or of the grading system adopted in the country of origin, if not correctly adapted to Italian parameters, may compromise the intelligibility and assessment of the file by the administration. A terminological error in translation may cause confusion about the level, duration or content of the course, hindering acceptance of the application or giving rise to requests for additions. At riconoscimentititoli.com, in partnership with MMW Europe Ltd, we provide a highly specialised service in official translations and legalisations, designed to meet rigorously the procedural requirements linked to the recognition of academic and professional qualifications in Italy. Our practice draws on an established network of official translators, experts in the legal, administrative and academic field, able to guarantee sworn translations compliant with the terminological and formal standards required by the Italian authorities.

Swearing and legal effect

Sworn translations intended to have legal effect in Italy are sworn before the territorially competent Court or, where provided, before a notary. This procedure is governed by Article 5 of Royal Decree No. 1366 of 9 October 1922, which regulates the manner of swearing expert reports and official translations, and by related provisions such as the Ministerial Decree of 4 January 1954 (category 22) on translations from foreign languages and Royal Decree No. 2011 of 20 September 1934, Article 32, concerning the categories of experts and interpreters enrolled with the Chambers of Commerce. Swearing consists of a formal declaration by which the translator, under oath, attests to the correspondence of the translation with the original text, thereby conferring on the document the official character required for administrative and legal uses.

Legalisation and the Apostille

As regards acts and documents issued by foreign authorities, in order for them to be validly used in Italy, they must first be legalised by the competent Italian diplomatic or consular missions in the country of issue, unless they are documents drawn up on multilingual templates compliant with international Conventions in force. Alternatively, if the country is a signatory to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, the act must bear an Apostille.

In every case, documents drawn up in a foreign language must be translated into Italian and accompanied by a declaration of conformity. In those legal systems where the legal figure of the official translator exists, conformity may be attested directly by the translator, whose signature is then subject to legalisation at the competent Italian consular office. In countries where that figure is not provided for, the translation must necessarily be authenticated and certified directly by the consular mission, which attests its conformity for use in Italy. It is important to note, however, that in practice numerous Italian consulates abroad do not provide the translation-certification service except within specific procedures, such as the issue of the Declaration of Value. In such cases it is strongly recommended to proceed with the sworn and attested translation directly in Italy, to ensure the full acceptability of the document before Italian public bodies and to shorten the assessment times in recognition procedures.

Why relying on a specialist matters

In Italy there is no figure of the sworn translator as conceived in other European systems, where authorisation is subject to passing a State examination. Our system does, however, provide for the swearing of the translation, by a qualified translator, before the Court or a notary, with an oath of truthfulness and faithfulness to the original text. Translating an academic certificate or a professional document correctly means not only rendering the content faithfully, but above all respecting the formal and terminological criteria required by the Italian bodies. Errors in translating the type of qualification, the grading system or the duration of studies may compromise the correct assessment and cause the rejection of the application. For this reason we draw on specialists in legal-administrative translation with long experience of recognition applications.

We handle the translation and swearing of diplomas, degree certificates, transcripts of examinations, qualification certificates, CIMEA statements, declarations of value, official letters and any other documentation needed for the formal recognition of qualifications. Each assignment is treated with documentary rigour, confidentiality and attention to the requirements of the individual administrations, whether universities, ministries, professional orders or public bodies.

Legalisation, Apostille and the validity of documents

The legal validity in Italy of an act or document issued by a foreign authority presupposes two fundamental elements: its legalisation, or the affixing of the Apostille, and, if drawn up in a foreign language, the translation into Italian, which must be sworn in accordance with Italian law. Consular legalisation is the procedure by which the Italian diplomatic missions attest the authenticity of the signature and the capacity of the public official who signed the foreign document. Alternatively, in the countries party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, legalisation is replaced by the affixing of the Apostille by the designated domestic authority, as a rule the Ministry of Justice or of Foreign Affairs. The Apostille is recognised automatically by all signatory countries and considerably simplifies the international use of public acts.

Once legalised or apostilled, the foreign document must be translated into Italian by an official translator. That translation, under Article 11, paragraph 5, of Presidential Decree 131/1986, must be sworn before the Court, to confirm its correspondence with the original. In some specific cases, such as the use of the act before notaries, school authorities or Italian universities, the rules in force require not only the swearing but also compliance with further formalities, including verification of the status of the institution that issued the document and a description of the course of training followed. Our practice deals comprehensively with this process: verification of the validity of the document, legalisation or Apostille before the competent authorities, official translation, swearing and delivery of the file ready for submission to the receiving body.

The Apostille is issued by the competent authority designated by each State party to the Convention, generally a Ministry, and is affixed directly on the original document or on an attached sheet. Once apostilled, the document is automatically recognised as valid in Italy too, without the need for further formalities. To identify the authority competent to issue the Apostille in the country of origin of the document, and to consult the updated list of the contracting States of the Convention, you can visit the official website of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH): www.hcch.net.

The documents we handle

We manage sworn translations, attestations and legalisations for a wide range of acts, including university diplomas, degree certificates and transcripts, examination certificates, professional certificates, academic letters, declarations of value, CIMEA statements, language certifications, healthcare qualifications and professional licences. All documents are treated with the utmost confidentiality, according to a codified procedure compliant with the rules in force. Thanks to our many years of experience, an operating structure based in London and a network of partner law firms across Italy, we are able to offer a complete and prompt service, guaranteeing the formal and substantial suitability of the documents intended for recognition. Each case is subject to preliminary verification, to ensure that the translation and authentication meet the requirements of the various receiving bodies.