150+ LANGUAGES · ISO 17100 CERTIFIED · SAME-DAY TURNAROUND
Immigration and Visa Translation Services UK
Certified translation for UK visa and immigration applications, accepted by the Home Office and UKVI, in 150+ languages from £30 per page, same-day turnaround.
- 150+ Languages
- ISO 17100 Certified
- Same-day Turnaround
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What we do
Our services
What are immigration and visa translation services in the UK?
Immigration and visa translation services in the UK produce certified English translations of foreign-language documents accepted by the Home Office and UKVI, signed by a professional translator, with a certificate of accuracy that is independently verifiable and delivered in PDF or hard copy.
What are the official UKVI requirements for certified translations?
UKVI requirements for certified translations are 4 mandatory items on the certificate: confirmation the translation is accurate, the date of the translation, the full name and signature of the translator or agency representative, and the translator’s contact details so the Home Office can verify the translation.
What types of documents require certified translation for UK visa and immigration applications?
There are 12 document categories that commonly require certified translation for UK visa and immigration applications, including birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree, passport bio page, bank statements, employment contracts, police clearance certificates, academic transcripts, medical certificates, adoption papers, death certificates, and power of attorney.
Do I need a certified, notarised or sworn translation for a UK visa application?
For a UK visa application a certified translation is sufficient in most cases, a notarised translation adds a notary public witnessing the translator’s signature and is required by some foreign embassies, and a sworn translation is not a UK concept but is demanded by civil-law countries for documents used abroad.
How much does a certified translation for a UK visa cost?
A certified translation for a UK visa costs from £30 per page for standard 24-hour delivery, with same-day rush handling up to 10,000 words at a 25–50% surcharge, and specialist legal or medical documents priced per word at £0.10–£0.16 depending on language pair.
How long does it take to get a certified translation for a UK visa?
A certified translation for a UK visa takes 24 hours for a single-page document, 2–3 working days for a 5,000-word bundle such as a full employment contract, and same-day turnaround for urgent submissions up to 10,000 words, based on the ISO 17100 benchmark of 1,500–2,000 words per linguist per day.
What we do
What are immigration and visa translation services in the UK?
Immigration and visa translation services in the UK produce certified English translations of foreign-language documents accepted by the Home Office and UKVI, signed by a professional translator, with a certificate of accuracy that is independently verifiable and delivered in PDF or hard copy.
How it works
How does the process of ordering and receiving a certified translation work?
The process of ordering and receiving a certified translation works in 4 steps: upload the source document for an instant quote, approve the fixed price and turnaround, the assigned certified translator produces the translation under ISO 17100 TEP workflow, and the signed certified PDF is emailed with a posted hard copy on request.
What’s included
How much does a certified translation for a UK visa cost?
A certified translation for a UK visa costs from £30 per page for standard 24-hour delivery, with same-day rush handling up to 10,000 words at a 25–50% surcharge, and specialist legal or medical documents priced per word at £0.10–£0.16 depending on language pair.
Complete guide
Everything you need to know
Certified translation for UK visa and immigration applications must satisfy UKVI’s independent verification test, use a professional translator’s certificate of accuracy, and reach caseworkers in a format the Home Office accepts. This page sets out the rules, prices, turnaround times, and document matrices that govern immigration and visa translation services UK-wide.
What are the official UKVI requirements for certified translations?
UKVI requirements for certified translations centre on 4 mandatory items on the certificate of accuracy: confirmation the translation is accurate, the date of the translation, the full name and signature of the translator or agency representative, and the translator’s verifiable contact details so the Home Office can confirm the translation independently. Notarisation is not required by UKVI for standard visa applications. Translations produced by the applicant, a family member, or an immigration adviser are automatically rejected, regardless of linguistic quality.
| UKVI mandatory item | What it looks like on the certificate |
|---|---|
| Statement of accuracy | “I confirm this is a true and accurate translation of the original document.” |
| Date of translation | Full date the certificate is signed. |
| Translator identity | Full name and signature of translator or authorised agency representative. |
| Verifiable contact details | UK business address, UK phone number, professional email. |
What must the certificate of accuracy contain?
The certificate of accuracy must contain the translator’s full name, UK business address, UK phone number, professional qualifications, a statement that the translation is a true and complete rendering of the source document, the source and target languages, the date, and a handwritten signature. These elements collectively satisfy the Home Office’s independently verifiable test, which caseworkers apply when assessing whether a submitted translation is valid. Missing or unverifiable contact details — for example, a virtual mailbox address with no real occupant, or a phone number that goes unanswered — are treated as a failure of the certificate, which can result in the document being treated as not submitted on that visa route.
How does the Home Office ‘independently verify’ a translation?
The Home Office verifies a translation by contacting the translator or agency directly using the details printed on the certificate of accuracy. This means the phone number, email address and business address listed on the certificate must be genuine, UK-reachable, and associated with a real professional translator or a registered translation agency. Where a caseworker cannot reach the named translator, or where the contact details fail verification, the document is treated as not properly submitted — an outcome that can trigger refusal on routes where that document is mandatory evidence. This is why our certificates always carry a staffed UK phone line, a registered UK business address, and a professional email that is monitored throughout the translation’s validity period.
Does the UK Home Office publish an approved translator list?
The UK Home Office does not publish an approved-translator list, and no public UKVI register of certified translators exists. Vetting is entirely the applicant’s responsibility: it is the applicant who must ensure the translation provider meets the Home Office’s independently verifiable standard, not UKVI itself. Reputable providers can be assessed using ITI or CIOL individual membership on the assigned translator, ISO 17100 certification on the agency, a verifiable UK Companies House registration, ICO data-protection registration, a genuine UK phone number and physical business address, and a sample certificate of accuracy provided before payment. Use this 6-point checklist before you commit:
- ITI or CIOL individual membership confirmed on the assigned translator.
- ISO 17100 certification held by the translation agency.
- UK-registered entity with a verifiable Companies House number.
- ICO data-protection registration for GDPR-compliant handling of sensitive personal documents.
- Genuine UK phone number and physical UK business address (not a virtual mail-forwarding service).
- Sample certificate of accuracy provided on request before payment is taken.
What types of documents require certified translation for UK visa and immigration applications?
There are 12 document categories that commonly require certified translation for UK visa and immigration applications, including birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, passport bio pages, bank statements, employment contracts, police clearance certificates, academic transcripts, medical certificates, adoption papers, death certificates, and powers of attorney. Every foreign-language document submitted as evidence on a UKVI application must be accompanied by a full certified English translation — not a summary, not machine-translated output, and not a translation produced by the applicant or a family member. The table below maps document category to visa type so you can identify exactly which documents need certified translation for your route.
| Visa type | Documents needing certified translation |
|---|---|
| Spouse visa | Marriage certificate, birth certificate, bank statements (6 months), employment evidence, divorce decree from any prior marriage. |
| Skilled Worker visa | Employment contract, qualification certificates, police clearance certificate, passport bio page. |
| Student visa | Academic transcripts, degree certificates, financial evidence, parental consent letter (applicants under 18). |
| ILR (settlement) | Life-in-UK evidence, police clearance, marriage and birth certificates for dependants. |
| British citizenship | Birth certificate, marriage certificate, prior nationality documents. |
| Asylum | Identity documents, medical certificates, court judgments, translated evidence of persecution. |
Which civil status documents need certified translation?
Civil status documents requiring certified translation include birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, death certificates, and adoption papers, submitted with the visa application to evidence family relationships for spouse, family and dependent visa routes. Each of these documents must be translated in full — every stamp, seal, marginal note and signature on the original must be transcribed and labelled — because UKVI matches the certified translation directly against the original document during caseworker review.
How is a birth certificate translation certified for the Home Office?
A birth certificate translation is certified for the Home Office by producing a complete English rendering of the source document, attaching a signed certificate of accuracy, and pairing the certified translation with the original or a high-quality scanned copy of the foreign-language birth certificate. Every stamp, seal and marginal note on the source must be transcribed and clearly labelled in the English version, so the caseworker can cross-reference each element. For family and spouse visa applications, a full certified English translation of the birth certificate with all stamps and seals reproduced is a mandatory requirement. Our Birth Certificate Translation is delivered from £30 per page within 24 hours, with the certificate of accuracy and PDF delivery included as standard.
What does a marriage certificate translation need to include?
A marriage certificate translation must include every stamp, seal, marginal note and signature appearing on the source document, together with the registrar’s details and the translator’s signed certificate of accuracy, so UKVI can match the certified translation precisely to the original marriage certificate. Incomplete translations — those that omit seals, registration numbers, or official stamps — are treated as insufficient and may cause delays or refusal on spouse visa applications. Our Marriage Certificate Translation covers spouse and settlement visas and is produced by ITI or CIOL-affiliated translators.
Which financial and employment documents require translation?
Financial and employment documents requiring certified translation include bank statements covering the 6-month maintenance period, employment contracts, payslips, tax returns and employer letters, all of which evidence the financial threshold for spouse and skilled worker visas. Bank statements are translated page-by-page, with running-balance labels preserved intact so the caseworker can verify the maintenance requirement without referring back to the foreign-language originals. Our Bank Statement Translation service covers monthly statements across all major language pairs.
Which legal, academic and medical documents are typically translated?
Legal, academic and medical documents typically requiring certified translation include police clearance certificates, court judgments, academic transcripts and degree certificates for student visa applications, and medical certificates or vaccination records for family and asylum applications. Police clearance certificates are required on the Skilled Worker route and for ILR, and must be translated in full with any official stamps and issuing authority details reproduced in the English version. Academic transcripts for student visa applications must carry the full certified translation of grading scales and module titles, not merely the overall result, so the receiving UK university or UKVI caseworker can assess equivalence accurately.
Do I need a certified, notarised or sworn translation for a UK visa application?
For a UK visa application a certified translation is sufficient in the vast majority of cases: a certified translation is one where the translator signs a statement of accuracy, providing the Home Office with the independently verifiable evidence it needs. A notarised translation goes a step further by adding a notary public who witnesses the translator’s signature, but does not validate the linguistic content. A sworn translation is not a recognised UK legal concept — it is demanded by civil-law countries such as France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Poland for documents used within their own jurisdictions, not by UK authorities. The comparison table below maps each translation type to the UK or overseas authority that actually requires it.
| Translation type | What it adds | UK authority that requires it |
|---|---|---|
| Certified translation | Translator’s signed statement of accuracy, with verifiable UK contact details. | UKVI, Home Office, HM Passport Office, UK universities, UK employers. |
| Notarised Translation Services | Notary public witnesses the translator’s identity and signature. | Some foreign embassies in London; occasionally UK courts. |
| Sworn Translation Services | Translator sworn before a court in a civil-law country (France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland). | Not a UK concept; required by civil-law jurisdictions abroad. |
| Apostille and Legalisation Services | Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office apostille under the Hague Convention. | Overseas authorities in Apostille Convention states. |
What is the difference between a certified and a notarised translation?
The difference between a certified and a notarised translation is the identity of the signatory and the purpose of the signature: a certified translation is signed by the translator or agency representative confirming that the translation is accurate and complete, while a notarised translation adds a notary public who witnesses that the translator signed the certificate. The notary public confirms the identity of the signatory — they do not assess, validate, or guarantee the linguistic accuracy of the translation itself. For all standard UKVI visa applications, a certified translation signed by a qualified translator is sufficient; the additional layer of notarisation is not required and does not enhance the translation’s standing with the Home Office.
When does the UK Home Office require a notarised translation?
The UK Home Office rarely requires a notarised translation for UKVI visa applications. However, a notarised translation, apostille, or Statutory Declaration is required when documents are used before UK courts, foreign embassies operating in the UK, or countries that are parties to the Apostille Convention. The Hague Apostille Convention replaces traditional embassy legalisation with a single apostille certificate for documents used abroad; this process applies to the underlying document, and does not affect the certified translation submitted to UKVI inside the UK. Where a foreign embassy in London requires notarisation for a document that also forms part of a UKVI application, both a certified translation (for UKVI) and a notarised translation (for the embassy) may be needed simultaneously.
When is a Statutory Declaration needed alongside a certified translation?
A Statutory Declaration is needed alongside a certified translation when the applicant must swear to the truth of the content of the source document itself, not merely confirm that the translation is accurate. This arises most commonly for change-of-name evidence, missing civil records where no official original exists, or asylum evidence where original documentation cannot be obtained. The certified translation handles the language conversion — producing an accurate English rendering of whatever text appears on the foreign-language source. The Statutory Declaration is a separate legal instrument in which the applicant (or another declarant) swears before a solicitor or commissioner for oaths that the facts contained in the document are true, which a certified translation alone cannot provide.
Pricing
How long does it take to get a certified translation for a UK visa?
A certified translation for a UK visa takes 24 hours for a single-page document, 2–3 working days for a bundle up to 5,000 words — such as a full employment contract or a set of academic transcripts — and same-day turnaround is available for urgent submissions containing up to 10,000 words. Turnaround times are grounded in the ISO 17100 Translation-Editing-Proofreading benchmark of 1,500–2,000 words per linguist per day: a single linguist working at full capacity on an ISO 17100 TEP workflow can produce and certify approximately 1,500–2,000 words of finished, verified output within a standard working day, which is why larger projects span multiple days or require additional linguists at a rush surcharge of 25–50%.
The Translation-Editing-Proofreading workflow means every certified translation passes through three quality stages before the certificate of accuracy is signed: the assigned translator produces the initial English rendering, a second qualified linguist edits the draft against the source document, and a proofreader performs a final check of completeness, formatting and terminology. This three-stage process protects against the errors — mistranslated dates, omitted seals, or inaccurate name spellings — that can trigger UKVI refusals when an application is close to a submission deadline. Same-day turnarounds for volumes up to 10,000 words are fulfilled by assigning additional certified translators to the project in parallel, maintaining the full TEP quality standard rather than compressing or bypassing any stage of it.
What affects turnaround time for a UK visa translation?
The key factors that affect certified translation turnaround time are the total word count of the source document, the language pair, the specialist subject matter, and the delivery format required. Rare language pairs with fewer available ITI or CIOL-affiliated translators in the UK — such as Tigrinya, Amharic, or Pashto — may require an additional 24 hours to assign the appropriate linguist. Specialist legal or medical documents involve additional terminology review beyond the standard TEP workflow, extending turnaround to 2–5 working days for complex files. Wet-ink hard copies for postal UKVI submissions add Royal Mail or courier transit time on top of the translation production time, which applicants should factor into their visa submission planning.
Which languages are supported for UK visa and immigration translation?
Certified translations are supported in more than 150 languages for UK visa and immigration applications, covering the full range of source languages encountered in UKVI, Home Office, HM Passport Office, UK court, and UK university submissions. The most frequently requested source languages include Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Romanian, Ukrainian, Russian, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Turkish, Farsi, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Korean — all of which have dedicated ITI or CIOL-affiliated translators assigned to certified translation work.
Every language pair is served by a translator whose native language is the target language of the certified translation — meaning foreign-language to English translations are always produced by a native English speaker with professional fluency in the source language. This native-target-language principle is a core requirement of the ISO 17100 Translation-Editing-Proofreading workflow and directly reduces the risk of idiomatic errors or mistranslated official terminology on documents submitted to UKVI. For applicants submitting documents from countries with multiple co-official languages — such as Switzerland (German, French, Italian, Romansh), Belgium (French, Dutch, German), or India (Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, and regional languages) — the correct source language and regional variant is confirmed at the quote stage before translation begins.
How are country-specific quirks handled for Japanese, French and German documents?
Country-specific quirks for Japanese, French and German documents are handled by pairing native-speaker translators with UK-based certification, ensuring that format-specific conventions are accurately rendered in the English translation. Japanese koseki (family register) documents carry hanko (personal seal) impressions that must be transcribed and identified in the English version; French état civil documents follow a distinct columnar register format with notarial stamps that require labelling; German documents frequently carry Beglaubigung (official certification) stamps from local authorities that must be described and located within the translation. Every non-textual element on the source document — seals, stamps, embossments, watermarks, official signatures — is labelled in square brackets within the certified translation body, so the Home Office caseworker can match every element of the certified translation directly to the foreign-language original without specialist knowledge of the source country’s document conventions.
How it works
Can I translate my own documents for a UK visa application?
You cannot translate your own documents for a UK visa application because UKVI requires a certified translation by a professional translator or translation agency independent of the applicant, so translations by the applicant, family members, or bilingual friends are rejected by the Home Office. The rule extends to immigration advisers acting for the applicant.
What is the risk of using a bilingual friend or informal translator?
The risk of using a bilingual friend or informal translator is refusal of the visa application on evidential grounds, because the translator lacks verifiable credentials, professional indemnity, and the ability to sign a Home Office-accepted certificate of accuracy. The document is then treated as untranslated, and the caseworker proceeds as though the evidence was not submitted.
What qualifications should a UK certified translator hold?
A UK certified translator should hold membership of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) or the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), work for an Association of Translation Companies member agency, operate under ISO 17100 quality assurance, and carry professional indemnity insurance. These four signals — ITI/CIOL, ATC, ISO 17100, indemnity — substitute for the absent official UK approved-translator register.
How do I vet a translation service without an official Home Office list?
Without an official Home Office list you vet a translation service by checking ITI or CIOL membership, ISO 17100 certification, Companies House registration, ICO data-protection registration, a UK phone number and address, and a sample certificate of accuracy. Every one of these signals is independently verifiable at a public register or standards body — no brand claim required.
Services
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Why use a professional translation service for UK visa applications?
Using a professional translation service for UK visa applications reduces the risk of refusal by producing UKVI-compliant certified translations under ISO 17100, delivering same-day turnaround before visa deadlines, and providing an independently verifiable certificate of accuracy that Home Office caseworkers accept. The cost of one refused visa application (fees, IHS surcharge, lost travel) exceeds the £30-per-page floor by an order of magnitude, so certified translation is the low-cost insurance layer on the whole submission.
Answers to the 6 most frequent questions about UK visa and immigration translation cover acceptance by UKVI, notarisation, delivery format, translator credentials, embassy requirements, and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a certified translation for UK visa applications?
A certified translation for a UK visa application is a translation accompanied by a signed statement from the translator or translation agency confirming that it is a complete and accurate rendering of the original document. The certification must include the translator’s full name, contact details, signature, date, and a declaration of competence in both languages. The translation must cover every element of the source document, including stamps, seals, and annotations. UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requires certified translations for all documents not in English or Welsh.
Does the UK Home Office have a list of approved/accepted translators?
The UK Home Office does not maintain an official list of approved or accredited translators for visa applications. UKVI guidance states that translations must be provided by a ‘competent’ translator, but does not specify a single register or body. In practice, using a translator who is a member of a recognised professional body — such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) or the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) — or a reputable professional translation agency significantly reduces the risk of a document being rejected.
Does the UK embassy have a list of accepted translators?
UK embassies and visa application centres do not publish an approved list of accepted translators. Applicants are responsible for sourcing a competent, professional translator, and the onus is on them to demonstrate translation quality. Embassies assess translations on a case-by-case basis; a translation that is incomplete, poorly formatted, or lacks a signed declaration of accuracy is likely to be rejected. Using a professional agency with experience in UK immigration documents is the most reliable approach.
What’s the difference between a certified translation and a notarised translation?
A certified translation includes a signed statement by the translator or agency confirming accuracy and completeness, while a notarised translation goes a step further — a public notary verifies and authenticates the translator’s signature and credentials. For most UK visa and immigration applications, a certified translation is sufficient. Notarisation is typically required for legal proceedings, sworn affidavits, or documents destined for use in certain foreign jurisdictions. Notarisation adds cost and time, usually requiring an appointment with a qualified notary public.
How much should I expect to pay for a certified translation for a UK visa?
Certified translation for UK visa documents typically costs between £25 and £100 per page, depending on the language pair, document complexity, and turnaround time. Common documents such as birth certificates or marriage certificates tend to sit at the lower end of that range, while highly technical legal or financial documents cost more. Rush or same-day services carry a premium, often 30–50% above standard rates. Always request a full quote upfront, as some agencies charge per word rather than per page.
Can I submit a translation done by a friend or bilingual person?
No — UKVI does not accept translations carried out by the applicant themselves or an untrained bilingual friend or family member. The translation must be provided by a ‘competent’ translator who can certify its accuracy with a signed declaration, contact details, and confirmation of their language competence. Submitting an uncertified or self-produced translation is a common reason for visa application refusals and delays. Always use a professional translation agency or a qualified individual translator for immigration documents.
Can I translate my own documents for a UK visa?
No, you cannot translate your own documents for a UK visa application. UKVI explicitly requires that translations be produced by a competent translator who is independent of the applicant and can provide a signed declaration of accuracy. A self-produced translation — even if you are genuinely fluent in both languages — is not considered impartial or reliable and will be rejected by the Home Office. This also applies to translations carried out by close family members on your behalf.
How long does certified translation take for visa documents?
Standard certified translation for UK visa documents typically takes 1–3 working days per document. Simple, short documents such as birth or marriage certificates are often completed within 24 hours, while longer or more complex documents — such as financial records or multi-page legal contracts — may take 3–5 working days. Most professional agencies also offer urgent or same-day services for an additional fee, which is useful when facing imminent visa application deadlines. Always confirm turnaround time when placing your order.
Does my birth certificate translation need to be notarised for UK immigration?
For the vast majority of UK immigration applications, a certified translation of your birth certificate is sufficient — notarisation is not required. UKVI guidance asks only that the translation be produced by a competent translator with a signed accuracy declaration. Notarisation may be required in specific circumstances, such as when the document is also being used in legal proceedings, or if a particular visa category or country of origin has additional requirements. Check the specific UKVI guidance for your visa route to confirm.
What qualifications does a UK certified translator need to have?
There is no single mandatory qualification for certified translators in the UK, but recognised credentials significantly strengthen the credibility of a translation. Professional membership of bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), or holding a Diploma in Translation (DipTrans) are widely respected benchmarks. For immigration purposes, UKVI requires the translator to be ‘competent’ — meaning they must demonstrate fluency in both languages and sign a declaration of accuracy. Many professional agencies employ or vet translators against such standards.
How to certify a translation in the UK?
To certify a translation in the UK, a qualified translator or professional translation agency must attach a signed statement to the completed translation confirming it is accurate and complete. This certification statement should include the translator’s full name, address, contact details, signature, date, and a declaration of their competence in both the source and target languages. The statement is typically printed on the agency’s headed paper or appended directly to the translated document. No government stamp or official seal is required for UK immigration purposes.
Can I do my own certified translation?
No, you cannot self-certify your own translation for UK immigration or official purposes. A certified translation must be produced by an independent, competent translator — someone other than the applicant — who can impartially vouch for its accuracy. This independence is a core requirement of UKVI’s translation policy. Even if you hold professional translation qualifications, you are not permitted to certify translations of your own documents. You must engage a third-party professional translator or accredited agency.
How much does a certified translation cost in the UK?
Certified translation in the UK typically costs between £25 and £120 per page, with the exact price depending on language pair, document type, complexity, and urgency. Common immigration documents like birth or marriage certificates usually fall in the £30–£70 range per document. Technical, legal, or financial documents command higher rates. Some agencies price by word count (often £0.10–£0.20 per word for common languages), while others charge a flat per-page or per-document fee. Always confirm whether VAT and certification fees are included in the quoted price.
How do I know if an online translation service is legit for UK immigration?
A legitimate online translation service for UK immigration will provide a signed certification statement with every translated document, display clear contact details and company registration information, and employ translators who are members of recognised bodies such as ITI or CIOL. Red flags include very low flat-rate prices with no mention of certification, no named translator, or a refusal to provide a formal declaration of accuracy. Checking reviews, verifying company registration on Companies House, and confirming the agency’s experience with UKVI documents are practical due-diligence steps.