Answers to the FAQ are provided for information purposes only. The answers were drafted in good faith, using publicly available sources of information. The guidelines contained herein are not intended to serve as legal advice.
A sworn or certified translation is an official translation prepared by a translator accredited by the authorities in the country where the translation will be used. It’s a translation that has to adhere to specific rules governing official translations in the country of destination. Such translation includes the actual contents of the source document, a description of the document’s features—such as raised seals, ink stamps, signatures, watermarks—as well as translator’s notes about any illegible sections of text or hand-written entries. A sworn or certified translation is accompanied by the translator’s certification of accuracy that attests to the compliance of the translation with the original source document, indicates the translator’s credentials, identifies the source document and the language it was drafted in, and includes an official stamp of the translator, signature, and date. Sworn translations into Polish are also assigned a unique sworn translator’s registry number [numer repertorium]. The certification of accuracy statement also indicates if the translation was based on an original document or an electronic file/photocopy.
Certified or sworn translations may be required for a variety of reasons, primarily for official purposes associated with administrative processes involving governmental entities (applying for visas and passports, social or medical benefits, etc.); legal proceedings (adoption, custody and divorce proceedings, civil and criminal lawsuits, etc.); and for academic evaluation purposes when applying to schools and universities abroad.
In the context of official translations, an original document is the actual hard copy of the official record issued by the competent authorities, that has been stamped and signed. A certified copy is also an original document (i.e., it has been stamped and signed by the issuing official). Photocopies, scans, or electronic files are not treated as original records for the purposes of an official translation, and the translator’s note will indicate that the translation is based on a copy.
In most cases, certified translations of documents submitted to a Consulate or to courts and authorities in Poland as part of legal or administrative procedures must be prepared from an original document. A translator can prepare the initial draft of an official translation based on a scan or photocopy, but will need to review the original document before finalizing and issuing the translation.
To learn more about how to submit your official records for certified translation visit How It Works page.
No. If a client requests that only certain fragments of the document(s) are to be translated, the translator’s note will indicate that the document was not translated in its entirety, and the translator will provide a brief description of the contents left out of the translation per request of the client. To find out whether you need to translate all pages of your extensive court judgement or corporate filings, please contact the government entity or court where you will be filing your documents.
In Poland, sworn translators are accredited by the Ministry of Justice, and listed in the register of sworn translators on the Ministry’s website.
In the U.S., certification for translators is offered by American Translators Association, whereas interpreters get certified by various industry organizations, such as the National Center for State Courts (NCSC).
A certified translation is prepared by an accredited translator, whereas a notarization is done by a notary public. A notary public only confirms the identity of the person signing the document or the certification statement but does not notarize or certify the contents of the document.
An Apostille is a special certificate that authenticates documents for use in countries that are signatories to the 1961 Hague Convention. Under the Hague Convention, countries agreed to a uniform and simplified method of authenticating—or legalizing—official documents that is universally recognized by all signatory countries. An Apostille is attached to the original document to verify that the document that will be used in a foreign country is authentic.
Apostilles are generally needed for official records (such as a birth, marriage, or death certificate, court decisions, corporate records, excerpts from registries, or personal notarized documents) that will be used in a foreign country. To find out if your document needs an Apostille, please contact the foreign government entity, court or academic institution where you will be submitting your documents.
In the U.S., Apostilles are issued by the Office of the Secretary of State in the state that issued the document that requires an Apostille. To find out more about the process of obtaining the Apostille in Texas visit the Texas Secretary of State website.
In Poland, Apostilles are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Registration or transcription of a vital record means that the contents of a vital record issued in a foreign country will be transcribed into the Polish registry of vital records, and subsequently a Polish vital record will be issued by Polish authorities. The transcription or registration of vital records is required to apply for a Polish identity document—such as an ID card or a passport—or to get a Polish personal identification number (PESEL).
American vital records or court judgements can be registered in Poland through your local Consulate General of Poland or directly with a Registry of Vital Records [Urząd Stanu Cywilnego] in Poland—by the applicant or their proxy.
In order to get a birth certificate, marriage license, death certificate, or other document registered in Poland, the following must be submitted to the local Consulate or to the Registry of Vital Records in Poland:
– Original U.S. issued vital record
– Translation of the vital record prepared by a sworn translator accredited by the Minister of Justice in Poland
– Application for registration
– Identity document to verify the identity of the applicant
– Notarized power of attorney if the registration application will be filed by a proxy
To find out if the document that is to be registered in Poland requires an Apostille, please contact your local Consulate or the registry in Poland where you will be applying for the registration.
To learn more about getting your vital record transcribed/registered through your local Consulate General of Poland visit the Polish government website.
A person with at least one ancestor born in Poland qualifies for the confirmation of Polish citizenship by descent, regardless of whether they were born in Poland or abroad. Polish citizenship confirmation requires proof of Polish heritage and satisfying the eligibility criteria set out in applicable Polish law.
Polish citizenship can also be restored, acquired through adoption by Polish citizenship holder(s), or granted by the President of the Republic of Poland. Foreigners who satisfy certain eligibility criteria may also be recognized as Polish citizens.
Detailed information about ways of acquiring Polish citizenship can be found on the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
You may apply for confirmation of Polish citizenship through your local Consulate General of Poland or directly to a Provincial Governor’s Office [Urząd Wojewódzki] in Poland. The application needs to be accompanied by original vital records and ancestral documentation together with sworn translations of US issued documents.
To learn more about the process of getting Polish citizenship confirmed through a Consulate General of Poland, visit the Polish government website.
The application for confirmation of Polish citizenship (in Polish) can be downloaded here.
Email your documents to info@annaboyet.com or mail them to:
Anna Palka-Boyet
616 Fairfield Lane
Austin, TX 78751
To learn more about the translation request submission process visit How It Works.
Estimates for written translations are based on the word count of the source document. The minimum fee for an official translation is USD 50.00.
Interpreting and other language services are based on hourly rates.
Non-translation services are subject to flat-rate fees.
You can request a detailed price list or a cost estimate for a specific job by sending an email to
info@alicjac.sg-host.com.
The translation time of your documents will depend on a number of factors, including my current workload, the size of your translation project, and the complexity of your documents.
An average turnaround time for a set of vital records is 1-3 business days. Expedited translation requests are subject to rush fees.
To receive detailed information on the turnaround time please submit your documents to
info@annaboyet.com.
Keeping my clients’ personal information as well as contents of the documents submitted for translation is of utmost importance to me. I treat the threat of identity theft very seriously and take precautions to ensure that the personal details you provide in your emails as well as the information listed in the documents submitted for translation is protected against loss and/or unauthorized access. All files stored on my computer are properly password-protected, only accessible to me, and destroyed in a proper and timely manner.
A confidentiality agreement can be signed upon request.
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