1. What is the difference between an Official Translation and an Unofficial Translation?
In Colombia, a Certified Translations includes the signature and stamp of the translator with the number of the Certificate of Suitability/Resolution issued by one of these three entities: National university of Colombia, University of Antioquia or the Ministry of Justice and it is valid as a certified or sworn translation at an international level, which means that it is valid to have full legal effect abroad**.
In contrast, one unofficial translation it does not include such credentials; In other words, it can be done by a person with knowledge of the language of origin and the language of arrival, but it is generally not accepted for immigration, legal (such as apostille or legalization), professional or academic procedures at an international level. Official translation is recommended for documents such as academic qualifications, certifications from government entities, and medical or notarial documentation.
All our official translations also include contact information for the official translator, as well as a footer with the date, handwritten signature, seal of resolution or certificate of suitability and other details specific to the translation of each document.
** Important: If you are going to apostillise or legalize your official translation before the Chancellery (Ministry of Foreign Relations), you must first authenticate the signature of the official translator before a Notary Public. Remember to mention that you require this service at the time of request your quote (See questions 2 and 3).
2. In case they ask me for an apostille, what should I apostille: the original or the translation?
In the vast majority of cases, you must first apostille the original document. Why? The apostille of the original document corroborates its validity and the quality of the entity that issues it. For example, the apostille of a university diploma confirms that both the educational institution and the program exist and are suitable.
By apostilling a translation you will only be corroborating the signature of a Colombian Notary Public, since the Foreign Ministry does not apostille or legalize the content of the translated document or the signature of the official translator.
If your documents were issued outside of Colombia, those original documents must be apostilled or legalized (by the country that originally issued them), before being translated.
If you definitely confirm that you must apostille your translations, before proceeding we recommend reading this Guide to Apostille Official Translations in Colombia.
3. So, in which cases should I apostillise/legalize an official translation?
Only when requested explicitly the entity to which you must present your documents. In most cases it is only necessary to present a translation with the signature and seal of an official Colombian translator.
Keep in mind that each apostille has a cost of COP$32,000 for this year and said document is only required in very specific cases and that as of December 1, 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia does not issue translation apostilles Colombian official documents whose country of destination is Colombia, since said translations already have full effects in the country and, in this sense, do not require any additional procedures before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Chancellery).
That is, when it comes to official translations of foreign documents made in Colombia by Certified Translators recognized or accredited as such and that must be presented before Colombian authorities, the process of Legalization or Apostille of said official translations there's no need since they already have that status of officials by reason of having been carried out by duly accredited official translators.
The condition or exercise of the office of official translator corresponds to a suitability that is regulated by law (Law 962 of 2005, article 33). Consequently, before the entity or national authority that requires it, the official translator, directly, must demonstrate the corresponding accreditation or document: Certificate of suitability (issued by UNAL or by the U of Antioquia) or the Resolution of the MinJusticia (for official translators certified before 1999).
Remember that if your translations were issued abroad (by an official translator from a country other than Colombia), they must be apostilled or legalized from the country of origin (not in Colombia) for them to have legal effects in Colombia (See Resolution 1959 of 2020).
4. Do I have to notarize any official translation?
No. Notarial authentication is only a prerequisite for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Chancery) to apostille/legalize the official translations of your documents (see question 3). If the entity to which you will present your documents does not ask for an apostille/legalization of the translation, it is not necessary for the official translation to be authenticated.
5. Do I have to post my Spanish translation to be valid in Colombia?
No. As of December 1, 2020, official translations prepared in Colombia, which have legal effects before any Colombian entity, are not apostilled or legalized, because the signature of the official translator gives 100% validity throughout the national territory. .
The apostille is a document whose purpose is to give international validity to a document. In other words, an apostille issued in Colombia is of no use to a Colombian entity. For example, if you want to homologate a diploma issued by a university in the US, all you have to present to the Colombian Ministry of Education is the official translation of the diploma and the apostille (issued by the US). It is not necessary to obtain a Colombian apostille for such translations..
6. What should I do if I am asked to apostille / legalize the translations and not the original documents?
Although this is an unusual case, sometimes some foreign entities may ask you to apostille the official translations and not the original documents in Spanish. In these cases you must take your original official translations to the Notary where the signature of the official translator is registered so that each document can be authenticated.
We recommend you read our 2024 Guide to the authentication and apostille process for official translations.
7. How do I verify that my translations are carried out by a translator who is effectively certified in Colombia?
After the publication of the Resolution 1959 of August 3, 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) of Colombia, stopped publishing the list of official translators in Colombia. To verify that your translations were or will be carried out by a official translator in Colombia Duly certified, you can request the lists from the National University of Colombia, the University of Antioquia or the Ministry of Justice.
Don't worry, we know that it is a time-consuming job, that's why the credentials of all the translators that you will find in Translators.co have already been validated and are verified periodically.
When you carry out your translations with Translators.co directly, or with any of the translators published in our Directory of Certified Translators in Colombia You have the peace of mind that your translations are in the hands of real certified official translators.
8. How can I request a certificate from a translator?
Currently, in Colombia the only The authorized entity that issues official translator certificates is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia and it only does so for those translators whose credentials were endorsed by the UNAL or the U. de Antioquia (between 2002 and 2018). The request must be made at the Correspondence Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at Carrera 5 No 9 – 03, Marco Fidel Suárez Building or through the Comprehensive Citizen Service Center – CIAC.
It is important to note that the certificates on translators issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are only issued to registered translators until December 14, 2018.
IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that the translator's seal, with its resolution number or suitability code, acts as a certificate and is sufficient proof that your translation was carried out by a duly authorized official Colombian translator. It is not necessary to provide additional documentation.
9. Which entities accept translations from Traductores.co?
The official translations you will receive from Traductores.co They are accepted by more than 2600 entities national and international documents of an academic, migratory, educational, governmental and professional nature and are valid for any procedure that requires an official/certified/sworn translation. Click here to know more.
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