150+ LANGUAGES · ISO 17100 CERTIFIED · SAME-DAY TURNAROUND
Home Office Certified Translation Services in the UK
Home Office certified translation services accepted by UKVI, HM Passport Office and UK authorities. ISO 17100 certified translators, 150+ languages, same-day.
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What is a Home Office certified translation?
A Home Office certified translation is a complete English rendering of a foreign-language document, produced by a qualified translator or translation company, signed and dated with a statement of truth confirming the translation is true, accurate and complete, and accepted by UK authorities including UKVI and HM Passport Office.
What are the Home Office and UKVI certified translation requirements?
Home Office and UKVI translation requirements are set out on gov.uk: every translation must be a full and accurate English rendering, must carry the translator’s confirmation that it is a true translation of the original, must be dated, and must state the translator’s full name, contact details, and credentials so the receiving authority can independently verify it.
Which documents require certified translation for the Home Office or UKVI?
Documents that require certified translation for the Home Office or UKVI include birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees, passports and ID cards, police clearance certificates, bank statements, payslips, employment letters, academic transcripts, diplomas, and any supporting evidence issued in a language other than English or Welsh.
Will my certified translation be accepted by the Home Office and UK authorities?
Certified translations produced by a professional translator or translation company registered with CIOL, ITI or ATC and carrying a signed statement of truth are accepted by the Home Office, UKVI, HM Passport Office, HM Courts and Tribunals, UK universities, UK ENIC (Ecctis), the DVLA, and other UK government agencies.
Can I translate my own documents for the Home Office?
You cannot translate your own documents for the Home Office; UKVI requires certified translations to be full, independent, and independently verifiable, so self-translations, translations by a friend or family member, and machine translations are automatically rejected regardless of language accuracy.
What is the difference between certified, sworn, notarised and apostille translations?
A certified translation carries a signed statement of truth from the translator; a sworn translation is produced by a translator sworn before a court in civil-law jurisdictions; a notarised translation adds a notary public’s attestation of the translator’s signature; an apostille translation is legalised under the Apostille Convention for use abroad.
What we do
What is a Home Office certified translation?
A Home Office certified translation is a complete English rendering of a foreign-language document, produced by a qualified translator or translation company, signed and dated with a statement of truth confirming the translation is true, accurate and complete, and accepted by UK authorities including UKVI and HM Passport Office.
How it works
How much does a Home Office certified translation cost?
A Home Office certified translation costs from £30 per page including certification and VAT for standard documents such as birth and marriage certificates, with longer documents priced per word and same-day rush jobs carrying a 25–50% surcharge.
What’s included
How long does it take to get a Home Office certified translation?
A Home Office certified translation takes 24 hours for a single page, two to three working days for a 5,000-word document, and same-day turnaround for urgent submissions up to 10,000 words, based on an ISO 17100 benchmark of 1,500–2,000 words per linguist per day.
Complete guide
Everything you need to know
Home Office certified translation is the gateway artefact for every UK visa, passport, court and university submission where the original document sits in a language other than English or Welsh. This page explains what UKVI accepts, what gets rejected, how much it costs, and how our ISO 17100 workflow delivers it inside 24 hours across the UK.
What are the Home Office and UKVI certified translation requirements?
Home Office and UKVI translation requirements are set out on gov.uk: every translation must be a full and accurate English rendering carrying the translator’s confirmation of accuracy, the date, the translator’s full name, contact details, and credentials so the receiving authority can independently verify it. If any supporting document is in a language other than English or Welsh, UKVI may refuse the visa application when no certified translation is supplied.
The certified translation requirements break down into four checks a UKVI caseworker runs:
- Is the translation complete and word-for-word, including stamps and seals?
- Does the certification statement of truth appear on the document?
- Are the translator’s name, signature, date and contact details present?
- Is the translator or translation company traceable through CIOL, ITI or ATC?
What must the certification statement of truth contain?
The certification statement of truth must contain a declaration that the translation is a true and accurate rendering of the original, the date of translation, the translator’s full name and signature, their contact details, and their professional body membership number. These are the six anatomy elements UKVI caseworkers verify — a missing element is one of the four leading rejection drivers we handle below.
Does a Home Office certified translation need stamps and signatures?
A Home Office certified translation must carry the translator’s or translation company’s signature on every page and a company stamp; stamps and signatures are how UKVI caseworkers confirm the certification came from a qualified professional and not the applicant. Wet-ink signature is required on posted hard copies; digital PDFs carry the electronic equivalent and are accepted for online UKVI submissions.
Should the translation be issued in English or Welsh?
Translations for the UK Home Office must be issued in English or Welsh; UKVI, HM Passport Office and HM Courts accept documents in either official UK language, though English is used for the overwhelming majority of visa and immigration submissions.
Which documents require certified translation for the Home Office or UKVI?
Documents that require certified translation for the Home Office or UKVI include birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees, passports and ID cards, police clearance certificates, bank statements, payslips, employment letters, academic transcripts, diplomas, and any supporting evidence issued in a language other than English or Welsh. Every foreign-language supporting document in a visa application must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
| Document category | Examples | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Birth, marriage, divorce, death certificates, national ID | Spouse/family visa, Skilled Worker dependants, passport |
| Financial | Bank statements, payslips, tax returns, sponsorship affidavits | Maintenance requirement, financial evidence |
| Academic | Diplomas, transcripts, Ecctis statements | Student visa, Skilled Worker, UK ENIC evaluation |
| Immigration & legal | Passports, BRPs, police clearances, court orders, contracts | UKVI, HM Courts, Home Office casework |
Which personal documents need certified translation for a UK visa?
Personal documents that need certified translation for a UK visa include birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce papers, adoption records, death certificates, and national ID cards, all submitted in full with the certified English translation. See our Birth Certificate Translation and Marriage Certificate Translation for document-specific pricing and turnaround.
Which financial documents need certified translation?
Financial documents that need certified translation include bank statements, savings account records, payslips, tax returns, and sponsorship affidavits used to prove income and maintenance requirements for UKVI applications. Multi-month statements are priced per word rather than per page because volume varies from 500 to 15,000 words.
Can my bank provide a bank statement in English instead of translating it?
Some UK banks such as HSBC can issue bank statements directly in English at branch on request, which removes the need for a certified translation and saves £30–£150 per applicant. This shortcut does NOT work in three cases:
- Statements from foreign banks (a Turkish, Polish or Indian bank statement always needs a certified translation)
- English-language statements that still carry foreign-language stamps, headers or footers
- Statements from UK banks that only issue in the account holder’s original chosen language
Which academic and professional documents need certified translation?
Academic and professional documents that need certified translation include diplomas, degree certificates, academic transcripts, professional qualifications, and CVs, most often for Skilled Worker visas, Student visas, and Ecctis (UK ENIC) credential evaluation. Our Academic Transcript Translation service is calibrated to the format UK ENIC and universities across the UK expect.
Which immigration and legal documents need certified translation?
Immigration and legal documents that need certified translation include passports, biometric residence permits, police clearance certificates, court orders, contracts, and affidavits submitted to UKVI, HM Courts and Tribunals, or Home Office casework teams. Legal contracts commonly run to 5,000–20,000 words and are priced per word.
Will my certified translation be accepted by the Home Office and UK authorities?
Certified translations produced by a professional translator or translation company registered with CIOL, ITI or ATC and carrying a signed statement of truth are accepted by the Home Office, UKVI, HM Passport Office, HM Courts and Tribunals, UK universities, UK ENIC (Ecctis), the DVLA, and other UK government agencies. Acceptance rests on independent verifiability, not on a state-issued licence.
Which UK bodies accept certified translations from a professional agency?
UK bodies that accept certified translations from a professional agency include:
- Home Office and UKVI (visas, settlement, nationality)
- HM Passport Office (UK passport applications)
- HM Courts and Tribunals Service (civil and family proceedings)
- UK ENIC / Ecctis (credential evaluation)
- UK universities (admissions and enrolment)
- DVLA (foreign driving licence exchange)
- NHS trusts and local authorities across the UK
Why do certified translations get rejected by the Home Office?
Certified translations get rejected by the Home Office in four fixable cases: self-translation, missing statement of truth, wrong certification tier, and untraceable translator identity. The table below maps each rejection driver to the exact fix.
| Rejection driver | What UKVI sees | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Self-translation | Applicant, friend or family member translated the document | Commission an independent translator registered with CIOL, ITI or ATC |
| Missing statement of truth | No declaration of accuracy, or missing name, date, contact or credentials | Include all six statement-of-truth elements on the translation |
| Wrong certification tier | “Sworn” or notarised where certified is required — or the reverse | Confirm whether the receiving authority wants certified, notarised or apostille |
| Untraceable translator | No CIOL, ITI or ATC membership number a caseworker can verify | Use a professional body member; verify the number via the body’s public register |
Can I translate my own documents for the Home Office?
You cannot translate your own documents for the Home Office; UKVI requires certified translations to be full, independent, and independently verifiable, so self-translations, translations by a friend or family member, and machine translations are automatically rejected regardless of linguistic accuracy. Independence is the point — the translator must have no personal stake in the visa outcome.
Can a friend or family member certify my translation?
A friend or family member cannot certify your translation for the Home Office because the translator must be independent of the applicant and traceable through a recognised professional body such as CIOL, ITI or ATC. A bilingual relative fails the independence test even when the translation itself is word-perfect.
Do I need a professional body member to do my certified translation?
You need a translator who is a professional body member — typically CIOL, ITI or ATC — because Home Office caseworker guidance specifies that certified translations should be conducted by a member of a professional body so the credentials can be independently verified. A UKVI caseworker checks the membership number against the body’s public register; unaffiliated translators fail that verification path.
What is the difference between certified, sworn, notarised and apostille translations?
A certified translation carries a signed statement of truth from the translator; a sworn translation is produced by a translator sworn before a court in civil-law jurisdictions; a notarised translation adds a notary public’s attestation of the translator’s signature; an apostille translation is legalised under the Apostille Convention for use abroad. UKVI needs certified — not sworn — while overseas authorities receiving UK-issued documents typically require an apostille.
| Type | Who signs | Used for | UK submission? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified | Translator or translation company (CIOL/ITI/ATC) | UKVI, HM Passport Office, HM Courts, universities | Yes — the standard |
| Sworn Translation | Court-sworn translator (civil-law countries) | Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland authorities | Not required in the UK |
| Notarised Translation | Certified translator + notary public | Specific courts, some foreign consulates | Only when explicitly requested |
| Apostille Translation | Notary + FCDO legalisation | Overseas use in Apostille Convention states | For documents leaving the UK |
Do I need a sworn translator for use in the UK?
You do not need a sworn translator for use in the UK because the UK does not operate a sworn-translator system; a certified translation from a professional translator or translation company registered with CIOL, ITI or ATC meets Home Office and UKVI translation requirements. “Sworn translation” is a civil-law concept from France, Spain, Germany, Poland and similar jurisdictions.
Do I need to notarise my certified translation for UKVI?
You do not need to notarise your certified translation for UKVI in standard visa or immigration cases; a signed certification statement from a professional translator is sufficient, and notarisation is only required when a UK court, foreign authority or specific institution explicitly demands it. HM Courts and Tribunals accept certified — not notarised — translations for the majority of civil and family proceedings.
When is an apostille translation required?
An apostille translation is required when a UK-issued document or its certified translation will be submitted to authorities in another country that is party to the Apostille Convention; the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issues the apostille, which legalises the document for international use. Common triggers include marrying abroad, enrolling children in overseas schools, or presenting UK academic records to a foreign employer.
Pricing
How do I order a certified translation for the Home Office?
You order a certified translation for the Home Office in four steps: upload a scan or photo of the original document, receive an instant quote by email, confirm and pay online, and receive the certified PDF within 24 hours with an optional posted hard copy.
- Upload a clear scan or phone photo of every page of the original
- Receive a fixed-price quote by email within minutes
- Approve, pay online, and confirm the delivery deadline
- Receive the signed certified PDF; request a posted hard copy if needed
How can I get an instant quote for certified translation?
You can get an instant quote by uploading a photo or PDF of your document to the Instant Quote for Certified Translation form; a project manager confirms word count, language pair, and delivery deadline, and returns a fixed price by email within minutes.
How will I receive my certified translation?
You receive your certified translation as a signed PDF by email within 24 hours, and hard copies with wet-ink signature and company stamp are posted by tracked delivery across the UK and abroad on request.
What languages are supported for Home Office certified translations?
Home Office certified translations are supported in 150+ languages under ISO 17100 quality assurance, covering every language pair UKVI, HM Passport Office and UK universities encounter:
- European — Polish, Romanian, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Dutch, Bulgarian, Czech, Hungarian, Greek
- Middle Eastern — Arabic, Persian (Farsi), Turkish, Hebrew, Kurdish, Pashto, Dari
- South Asian — Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Tamil, Nepali, Sinhala
- East Asian — Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese
- African — Swahili, Amharic, Yoruba, Somali, Tigrinya, Twi, Igbo
Why us
Why choose our ISO 17100 certified translation services in London and across the UK?
Our ISO 17100 certified translation services deliver Home Office and UKVI-accepted translations in 150+ languages from £30 per page, with same-day turnaround, CIOL, ITI and ATC-registered linguists, and hard-copy delivery across London, Belfast, Edinburgh, Bristol, Westminster, Southwark, Richmond, Barnet, Bexley and Hounslow. Our Professional Translation Services in London UK combine local courier delivery with UK-wide tracked post.
- ISO 17100 — the international standard for translation services, covering translator qualifications, revision, and quality management (iso.org)
- CIOL — Chartered Institute of Linguists, the UK’s Royal Charter body for language professionals
- ITI — Institute of Translation and Interpreting, the leading independent UK membership body
- ATC — Association of Translation Companies, the UK trade body operating quality assurance for member agencies
Frequently asked questions about Home Office certified translations cover acceptance, expiry, notarisation, university use, translator qualifications, and free-service risks. The answers below address the page-level concerns applicants raise most often.
Frequently asked questions
Can I translate my own documents or have a friend do it for the Home Office?
No — the Home Office does not accept self-translations or translations done by a friend or family member. All translations submitted for visa, immigration, or nationality applications must be carried out by a qualified, independent professional who is not related to the applicant. The translator must provide a signed statement confirming accuracy, their full name, contact details, and the date of translation. Using an unqualified translation risks automatic rejection of your application.
Does a Home Office certified translation need stamps and signatures?
Yes — a Home Office certified translation must include a signed statement of accuracy from the translator or translation agency, along with their name, contact details, qualifications or company credentials, and the date. While a physical rubber stamp is not always legally mandatory, most reputable UK agencies include a company stamp as standard practice to meet Home Office expectations. The certification statement must appear on every translated document, confirming it is a true and accurate representation of the original.
What’s the difference between a certified translation and a sworn translation?
A certified translation includes a signed statement from a qualified translator confirming the accuracy of the translation, while a sworn translation is one produced by a translator who has taken an oath before a court or notary and is legally recognised in that capacity. In the UK, the Home Office and UKVI generally accept certified translations — a formal sworn translator system (as used in countries like Spain or France) does not exist in the same way here. For most UK immigration and visa purposes, a certified translation from a professional agency is sufficient.
Do I need a professional body member to do my certified translation for a UK visa?
The Home Office does not strictly require translators to be members of a specific professional body, but using a member of a recognised association significantly strengthens credibility. Bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) or the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) set professional standards for accuracy and ethics. Many Home Office-compliant agencies employ translators who are members of these organisations. Choosing a translator with verifiable credentials reduces the risk of your application being queried or refused.
Which translation services are accepted by the Home Office?
The Home Office accepts certified translations produced by professional translators or agencies who provide a signed statement of accuracy, their full contact details, and confirmation of their competence to translate. There is no official government-approved list of agencies, but translations must not be done by the applicant or someone known to them. Reputable UK translation agencies that follow UKVI guidelines — providing full certification documentation — are widely accepted. Agencies affiliated with bodies like ITI or CIOL, or those with a strong track record in immigration translation, are a reliable choice.
How much does a certified translation cost in the UK?
Certified translation in the UK typically costs between £80 and £150 per standard document, though prices vary depending on language pair, document complexity, and turnaround time. Per-word rates generally range from £0.10 to £0.20, with a minimum fee per document. Rush or same-day services can attract a premium of 30–50% above standard rates. Common documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and academic transcripts are usually priced at the lower end of the range.
How to certify a translation in the UK?
To certify a translation in the UK, a qualified translator or professional agency must produce the translated document and attach a signed certification statement. This statement confirms that the translation is accurate and complete, and must include the translator’s full name, contact information, qualifications or company details, and the date. Unlike some countries, the UK does not require notarisation for most immigration purposes. The certification is provided by the translator themselves — not by a government body or court — making it straightforward to obtain through a reputable agency.
Where can I get a certified translation for my UK passport?
You can get a certified translation for your UK passport application or related documents from a professional translation agency based in the UK that specialises in Home Office-compliant translations. London-based agencies offering certified translation services are a common and reliable option, with many able to handle urgent requests within 24–48 hours. Ensure the agency provides a full certification statement with the translator’s credentials. Avoid using online machine-translation tools or uncertified freelancers, as these are not accepted by the Home Office or UKVI.
Can I do my own certified translation?
No — you cannot certify your own translation for Home Office or UK visa purposes. The Home Office explicitly states that translations must be carried out by a qualified, independent professional who is not the applicant. Even if you are a professional translator by trade, you are not permitted to translate your own documents for an immigration application. Submitting a self-certified translation is grounds for rejection of your application, and in some cases could be treated as a misrepresentation.
Who can certify a translation in the UK?
In the UK, a translation can be certified by a professional translator or an accredited translation agency that provides a signed statement of accuracy. There is no requirement for a notary or court-appointed translator for most immigration and Home Office purposes. Translators who are members of recognised bodies such as the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) or the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) are widely trusted. The key requirement is that the certifier is independent, qualified, and not related to the applicant.
Can I translate my own documents for a UK visa?
No — UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) does not accept translations produced by the applicant themselves. All foreign-language documents submitted with a UK visa application must be accompanied by a certified English translation from a qualified, independent professional. The translator must provide their full name, contact details, a statement of their competence, and confirmation that the translation is accurate. Submitting a self-translation can lead to delays, refusal, or a finding of dishonesty on your application.
How can I get an instant quote for a certified translation?
Most professional UK translation agencies offer an instant online quote tool where you upload your document and select your language pair and turnaround time. You can typically receive a quote within minutes based on word count, document type, language combination, and urgency. Some agencies also offer quotes via email or phone within a few hours for more complex documents. Providing a clear scan or photo of your document ensures the most accurate pricing upfront.