You might have been asked to get an official translation of your birth certificate for a visa application. Or official translations of your academic transcripts so that you can apply for a scholarship. This article explains why official translations exist and how you can obtain one in Bogotá, Colombia.

A translation involves converting a document that is written in one language into another language. An official translation is when this document is translated by someone who has been certified as skilled in this task.

The history of official translations

The first official translators were interpreters for Kings in royal courts in medieval times. Official written translations really began with World Wars I and II, when classified military documents needed to be translated between the languages of allied countries. Following World War II, the idea of certifying civilian translators to ensure the accuracy of these translations became popular as countries in the world became more and more connected. When the boom of globalization began in the 1980s, and at a time when the internet didn’t exist and communications were slow, official translations were a way of ensuring the veracity of identity documents.

How do you become an official translator?

Official translation requirements vary from country to country. In Colombia, official translators have to pass an exam that is administered by the National University in Bogotá, which involves both written and oral components. The exam is famous for being extraordinarily difficult, with the passing grade any score above 4.5 out of 5 (90%).

After passing the exam, Official Translators in Colombia receive their Official Translator Certificate, which entitles them to carry out official translations. They are required to make a stamp that contains their details and Official Translator registration number. In Colombia, Official Translators are certified to carry out translations between two languages, one of those being Spanish.

What should an official translation include?

Any official translation in Colombia should have the following:

1. 1. This stamp should have the Official Translator’s name, their Offical Translator registration number and the languages that they are certified to translate.
   2. All official translations must be signed by the Official Translator.
   3. Official translators number each document that they translate, which certifies that they are not falsifying their work. This is a sequential number and it gives you an idea of how experienced the translator is (if it is numbered 6, then they are just starting. If it is No. 4,833, they have been doing this for a while).
   4. At the top, your official translation should say “Official Translation”.

Previously, written translations were only provided in physical format (hard copy). With the arrival of new technologies, it is common that an official translator provides both a digital copy (scan) and physical version (paper) of the written translation. You should always request a physical copy of the translation, as this is often required for different procedures.

ONG Traducciones has been providing official translations for more than a decade. You can find out more about this service by clicking here.