FAQ

There are many advantages to working with a translation agency instead of going it alone: we check the quality; we vet the translators we recruit; we can have the translation proofread by an additional and independent translator; we have a range of translators available for the same language pair; we assign the translation according to the field of specialisation of the source text; we handle all your additional language-related needs. In short, we can save you time, money and a whole lot of stress!

Localisation means adapting your text to a specific country or region, so that it reflects the local culture and is relevant and user-friendly for your end customers. We provide this service as part of our translation package. Just think about it: metric or imperial, check or cheque, bonnet or hood, street names, currencies… these may all seem like minor issues, but they make all the difference when it comes to your text feeling local, and hence more reliable.

Sworn translations are only needed in certain cases, such as when translations of official documents are to be submitted to the authorities. A sworn translator is authorised by law to translate and sign legal and official documents such as certificates, diplomas, articles of association, wills, notary documents or others. Please bear in mind that rules regarding sworn and certified or legalised translations vary greatly across Europe and the world.

There is no such thing as a sworn/authorised translation agency. Each sworn translator is authorised to sign an official translation for the language pair(s) he or she is sworn in. And so, for every translation that needs to be sworn and certified, we work with a different translator according to the language combination of the document in question.

An apostille or legalisation authenticates a document by means of the signature and the capacity of the person signing an official document in accordance with the 1961 Apostille Convention. The apostille means that foreign documents issued by a signatory country can be recognised as valid in another signatory country. Belgian documents can be easily legalised in Brussels at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreign documents need to be legalised in their country of origin.

For further information in this respect, please visit the website of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/legalisation_of_documents/faq/.

Our prices are based on the number of words in the source text. For example, if you need to translate a Dutch document into French, our price will be based on the number of Dutch words that your document contains. For documents of less than 330 words, we charge a minimum job fee. To get an accurate price estimate, we will need to see the documents in question, which you can either bring to our office or email as a scanned version or even send by mail. Diplomas, certificates and other sworn translations are priced per project. If you have several documents to be translated, it is best to bundle them together so that we can offer you a better price and faster turnaround.

We usually require a minimum of two working days to process any translation order. Please keep in mind that the maximum daily output of a translator is between 2,000 to 3,000 words a day, so do not wait till the last minute to place your order. Certified translations require a longer turnaround time, as court certification usually takes at least two working days.

While we are devoted to always getting the best results, we remain open to any queries and corrections. If you are still not satisfied, we can have the translation proofread by an additional independent translator. For critical texts and documents, we recommend that you choose the Premium Plus option.