By applying for a study, tourism, or work visa, we put all our dreams and efforts to achieve the response we look forward to, which is, VISA APPROVED! Therefore, one of the most important factors to keep in mind is the credibility of the translations that support your application.
Translations of documents must be taken very seriously. It is a job that demands the utmost scrutiny thus not everyone can perform. The best way to ensure that we are making the application well is always to review the information in official government sources. For example, the Australian Embassy in Chile page gives detailed information about documents and translations supporting a visa application. About translations, it reads as follows:
"All documents supporting a visa application that are not in the English language must be accompanied by a translation. Both the original version and the translation must be provided. The lack of supporting documents and their English translations will delay the processing of an application."
Did you know that you should not translate the financial statements or bank statements?
The embassy explicitly states: "Bank statements and annual tax returns, where the information is clear, do not need to be translated," "Only documents that contribute to understanding the applicant’s general personal, academic and professional circumstances in his country of residence and his incentive to return to his country should be attached to an application and translated into English".
Now the question we are really are interested in is, who can translate my documents?
For this question, there are two answers:
If your translator is in Australia, they must be NAATI (National Translator and Interpreter Accreditation Authority)
If your translator is outside Australia, you can use an accredited/certified translator in your country of residence.
If your document is backup (not issued by an official entity), you can use an accurate translation.
*"Accurate translations" do not necessarily have to be done by accredited translators. However, they must accurately reflect the content of the document. The Department will not accept translations that are inaccurate or of poor quality.
If you are unsure of which translation best suits your case, please contact us!
Mafe G. | Director of Operations and Customer Service | Entrelingo