Certified translations online

What is a certified translation and when might you need one?

A certified translation, also known as a sworn translation in Poland, is a translation completed or certified by a sworn translator authorised by the Polish Minister of Justice.

Unlike a standard translation, it includes a certification statement confirming that the translation corresponds to the source document, an entry number from the translator's official register, and either a handwritten signature and stamp or a qualified electronic signature.

Certified translations are often needed for official, legal and administrative matters, as well as when dealing with universities, employers and institutions abroad.

Standard or certified translation?

• Standard translation

  Suitable for documents that don't need official certification, such as correspondence, information materials, marketing content or documents for internal use.

• Certified translation

  Suitable for documents that need to be certified by a sworn translator. This may be required when submitting documents to government authorities, courts or other institutions.

Electronic or paper certified translations

You can receive your certified translation electronically or on paper. Both formats are recognised under Polish law, but they differ in how they're certified and used.

• Electronic certified translations

  You'll receive a PDF with the sworn translator's qualified electronic signature. This is an officially certified translation in electronic form, which you can send directly to the receiving organisation.

  It's a convenient option if the authority, university or other institution accepts electronically signed documents.

  Important: Printing the PDF does not turn it into an original paper certified translation. The qualified electronic signature must be verified in the original digital file.

  Find out when an electronic certified translation is sufficient

• Paper certified translations

  You'll receive a document bearing the sworn translator's handwritten signature and official stamp.

  Once your translation is ready, we'll email you a scan and dispatch the paper copy within 24 hours. We can arrange delivery to an InPost parcel locker or by courier to your chosen address.

  More about delivery and shipping

You don't always need the original document

In many cases, we can prepare a certified translation from a scan or clear photograph of your document. That means you won't need to send us the original or visit a translation office.

Just make sure the whole document is clearly visible and easy to read. If you're taking a photo with your phone, use good lighting, include all four corners and avoid glare.

The translator's certification statement specifies whether the translation was prepared from an original document, a copy or a scan.

Translating from the original document

Some organisations require the translation to be prepared directly from the original document.

If that's the case, we can arrange for your original to be sent to the sworn translator. Once the translation is complete, the original will be returned together with your certified translation.

We recommend checking the receiving organisation's requirements before placing your order.

How to order a certified translation

You can arrange everything online, from sending us your document and receiving a quote to paying and receiving your translation.

1. 1. Send your document

   Fill in our contact form and attach the document you need translated. You can upload a PDF, scan or photograph.

2. 2. Get your quote

   We'll review the document and confirm the price, completion date and delivery options. During office hours, we usually reply within one hour.

3. 3. Accept and pay

   Happy with the quote? Simply use the secure payment link we'll send you. You can pay by BLIK, card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, among other methods.

4. 4. We translate your document

   Once you've paid, we arrange for a sworn translator to complete your translation. You'll know the agreed completion date before making a payment.

5. 5. Receive your translation

   We'll send electronic translations online. For paper translations, we'll email you a scan of the completed document and arrange dispatch of the original paper copy.

How we calculate translation pages

For certified translations, one billable page is 1,125 characters, including spaces, in the translated text. Each page started counts as a full billable page.

The number of billable pages isn't necessarily the same as the number of pages in your original document. For example, a two-page A4 document might become four or five billable pages once translated.

The final length depends on the language, content and any descriptions of stamps, signatures or other details that need to be included.

Turnaround times and urgent translations

How long your certified translation takes depends on the length and type of document, the language combination and the translator's availability.

Short documents can often be translated quickly, while longer or more complex documents may take more time.

If you need your translation urgently, let us know when you send your document. We'll check availability and whether express translation is possible.

We'll confirm the exact completion date in your quote, before you make a payment.

For paper translations, please also allow time for delivery.

Using Polish certified translations abroad

A Polish certified translation may also be used outside Poland, but acceptance depends on the rules and requirements of the receiving organisation.

Some authorities and institutions accept translations certified by Polish sworn translators. Others may require additional translator details, a particular form of certification or a translation prepared under local rules.

Before ordering, we recommend checking exactly what the receiving organisation requires.

Apostille and document legalisation

In some cases, documents intended for use abroad may also need an apostille or legalisation.

An apostille confirms the authenticity of a public document for use between countries that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Legalisation is a separate procedure used in other circumstances.

A certified translation does not replace an apostille or legalisation. Depending on the requirements, the source document, the translation or both may need additional authentication.

It's worth checking the requirements and the correct order of these steps before placing your order.

Certified translations in multiple languages

At TextLab, we work with sworn translators registered on the official list maintained by the Polish Minister of Justice, covering languages including:

• Polish
• English
• German
• French
• Spanish
• Ukrainian
• Russian

We'll confirm translator availability, pricing and turnaround time once we've reviewed your document.

Confidentiality and document security

We understand that the documents you send us may contain personal, financial or other sensitive information.

We treat your documents confidentially and use them only to process and complete your order. We don't upload their contents to public AI or online translation tools.

You can password-protect your files and send us the password separately if you prefer. We can also sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for projects requiring additional confidentiality.