1. Four translation types that get confused
In everyday speech and in CIS countries, «notarial translation» is the familiar name for an official translation. Polish offices and consulates abroad follow different rules. Here are four formats.
Sworn translation
Certified translation
Notarial signature certification
«Notarial» translation from CIS countries
2. What to order in your situation
Where you submit the document determines the format. Polish office — sworn. UKVI or USCIS — certified.
Order sworn translation:
- Karta pobytu, voivodeship office, USC
- Court, prosecutor's office, police, customs
- Employment with translated diploma or certificate
- University admission, diploma nostrification
- Bank, insurer, notary for a transaction
Order certified translation:
- UK visa (UKVI) — applying from outside the UK
- US immigration (USCIS) — visa, green card, citizenship
- Consulate requests certified translation in English
Sworn not required:
- Translation «for yourself» — reading a lease
- Messenger chat without official submission
- Polish office did not request notarial certification in writing on top of sworn
Important!
3. Why documents get returned: common mistakes
Most rejections are due to the wrong translation type, not document content.
- Ordered sworn translation for a UK or US visa instead of certified — UKVI and USCIS require a certification statement and bureau seal, not an MS register seal
- Ordered «notarial translation» from a Polish notary instead of sworn
- Brought a ready translation from CIS countries — even with a notary seal
- Paid for unnecessary notarial signature certification
- Translator not in the MS register or wrong language pair
- Translation from a copy where the original is required
- Names or dates don't match the passport
4. Cost, turnaround, and how to order
Cost depends on document type and volume. We quote the exact price after reviewing scans — before work starts. See our price list for details.
24–48 hours for single-page documents. Diploma with appendix — 2–4 days.
Send scans to LEGIX — we match a translator for your case, quote the price, and deliver by courier. For UK / US visas — certified translation with a bureau seal. For Polish offices — sworn translation. More in our article on sworn translation online.
Before submitting