Quiere enviar su documentación a la oficina de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de Canadá (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) para solicitar una Tarjeta de Residente permanente, pedir su primer pasaporte canadiense o iniciar los trámites de ciudadanía. Recolectar todos los documentos y rellenar todos los formularios es ya una tarea bastante abrumadora. Además, necesita traducir algunos de sus documentos personales y no sabe bien dónde encontrar un traductor calificado. ¿Qué son las declaraciones juradas (affidavits) y las copias certificadas (certified copies)?

He preparado esta breve guía para ayudarle a entender algunos términos y requisitos.

Entonces, vamos a "traducir" algunos términos primero.

Traductores y Traductores Certificados
Tiempo atrás había escrito un artículo explicando qué es un traductor certificado. Para no repetir todo de nuevo, le sugiero que lea el artículo aquí. En el mismo artículo también encontrará enlaces directos a los sitios web de varias asociaciones de traductores e intérpretes en Canadá.

Algunas asociaciones de traductores tienen miembros en las categorías de asociados y certificados. Tenga presente que a la fecha de estar escribiendo este artículo, solamente Passport Canada exigía que las traducciones estuvieran hechas por un Traductor Certificado. Por lo tanto, las traducciones de documentos para la solicitud de ciudadanía o tarjeta de residente permanente también las puede preparar un traductor asociado o aquellas personas que saben bien tanto el idioma oficial (inglés o francés) y el idioma no oficial. Siempre consulte con la oficina a la que estará enviando su solicitud para confirmar cuáles son los requisitos vigentes.

De acuerdo con la oficina de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de Canadá:

• Las traducciones pueden estar hechas por una persona que sepa bien ambos idiomas (inglés o francés y el idioma no oficial). Sin embargo, se necesitará presentar una declaración jurada.  (Este requisito también es de aplicación para los traductores no certificados y que son asociados.)

Información importante: Las traducciones no pueden estar hechas por los mismos solicitantes o por miembros de la familia del solicitante. Se define como miembro de la familia a: padre o madre, tutor o custodio, hermanos, esposos, concubinos, abuelos, hijos, tíos, tías, sobrinos, y primos hermanos.
 
Y:

• Los traductores que están certificados y tienen su membresía al día con una de las asociaciones de traductores e intérpretes provinciales o territoriales en Canadá no necesitan presentar una declaración jurada.
  

Nota: Tenga en cuenta que si no usa un traductor certificado, tiene que pagar los honorarios de un fedatario público (commissioner of oaths) o un notario público (notary public) además de los de la persona que traduce o el traductor asociado. El traductor certificado debe adjuntar a la traducción su declaración, la que debe incluir su nombre, dirección, teléfono, correo electrónico, idiomas, número de membresía, fecha y firma (para ver una muestra haga clic aquí)

¿Qué es una declaración jurada (affidavit)?
Una declaración jurada es un documento sobre el que el traductor jura, en presencia de una persona autorizada* para tomar el juramento en el lugar donde se jura la declaración jurada, expresando que el contenido de la traducción es una traducción exacta del documento original.

Vamos a interpretar un poco todo esto. El traductor prepara una declaración (para ver una muestra haga clic aquí) y la lleva junto con la traducción y el documento original a un fedatario público o un notario público. Esta persona verifica la identidad del traductor y le toma el juramento de que el contenido de la traducción es la traducción exacta del documento original. El fedatario público o un notario público firma y sella la declaración, la traducción y el documento original. ¡Y la declaración jurada está lista!

*En Canadá una declaración jurada se debe hacer en presencia de:

• un notario público,
• un fedatario público, o
• una persona autorizada para tomar declaraciones juradas.

El traductor que está a cargo de hacer la traducción del documento se ocupa por lo general de hacer la cita con el fedatario público o el notario público.

¿Qué es un fedatario público o un notario público?
En Canadá, un fedatario público es una persona que puede tomar juramentos, declaraciones juradas y testimonios.
El notario público es similar a un fedatario público. Sin embargo además de tomar juramentos, declaraciones juradas y testimonios, el notario público puede legalizar y certificar documentos.

¿Qué es una copia certificada?
Una copia certificada es una copia exacta (fotocopia) del documento original con la firma y el sello de un notario público además de la fecha para certificar que tuvo en su presencia el documento original.
La persona autorizada para certificar copias varía según la provincia y el territorio. Es importante que consulte con las autoridades locales provinciales o territoriales para saber quiénes son las personas autorizadas en su provincia para certificar copias.

Nota: En Alberta y según la Ley de Notarios y Fedatarios Públicos en vigencia (Notaries and Commissioners Act), únicamente un notario público está autorizado para certificar copias. Por eso, tenga mucho cuidado con las organizaciones (agencias de traducción) que dicen que su fedatario público está autorizado para certificar (sellar y firmar) copias.

Seguidamente, he incluido la lista de requisitos según la solicitud estará presentando. Recuerde siempre de consultar con la oficina a la que estará enviando su solicitud para confirmar cuáles son los requisitos vigentes.

1. Si está solicitando una tarjeta de residente permanente
Todo documento que no está en inglés o francés debe estar acompañado de:

• la traducción en inglés o francés; y
• una declaración jurada de la persona que hizo la traducción*; y
• una copia certificada del documento original

 
*Recuerde que: si la traducción no la hizo un miembro con membresía al día con una de las asociaciones de traductores e intérpretes provinciales o territoriales en Canadá, la traducción debe estar acompañada de la declaración jurada indicando la exactitud de la traducción y la competencia lingüística del traductor.
Traductores asociados y certificados no necesitan una declaración jurada ante fedatario público o notario público y sólo tienen que adjuntar una declaración de traductor.
 
2. Si está solicitando su pasaporte canadiense
Todos los documentos presentados como parte de una solicitud de pasaporte necesitan presentarse en inglés o francés.

• Si el documento no está en francés o inglés, necesita estar traducido por un traductor certificado.

 
Traductores certificados
La oficina de Passport Canada acepta traducciones hechas por un traductor certificado cuya certificación se puede comprobar ya sea por su sello oficial o su número de membresía* con una asociación profesional de traductores. Según su sitio web: "En caso de que la exactitud de la traducción parezca sospechosa, el Programa de Pasaporte se reserva el derecho a solicitar una nueva traducción" (para ver esta declaración en inglés, haga clic aquí).
 
*Esto significa que debería pedirle al traductor que incluya en su declaración su número de membresía o su sello oficial, además del nombre de la asociación de traductores correspondiente.
 
3. Si está solicitando la ciudadanía canadiense
Todo documento que no está en inglés o francés debe estar acompañado de:

• la traducción en inglés o francés; y
• una declaración jurada de la persona que hizo la traducción*, de ser necesario

 
*Recuerde que: Traductores certificados con su membresía al día con una de las asociaciones de traductores e intérpretes provinciales o territoriales en Canadá no necesitan suministrar una declaración jurada ante fedatario público o notario público y sólo tienen que adjuntar su declaración de traductor.
 
Recuerde que la lista de requisitos puede cambiar en cualquier momento. Le recomiendo encarecidamente que siempre consulte con la oficina a la que estará enviando su solicitud para confirmar cuáles son los requisitos vigentes.
 
Cuánta información para procesar, ¿no? Bueno espero que al explicar ciertos términos, que no usamos por lo general todos los días, se sienta más cómodo(a) y le resulte más fácil navegar el proceso de compilar su solicitud ya sea para su primer pasaporte canadiense, su tarjeta de residente permanente o para solicitar la ciudadanía canadiense.

Atentamente,
Patricia
 
Descargo de responsabilidad. La información que se incluye en este artículo se ofrece sólo con finalidad informativa. Aunque la información que se incluye en este artículo se considera que es exacta e informativa, tanto Patricia B. McGrory como PMG Language Services no se hacen responsables ni ofrecen garantías sobre la exactitud de la información incluida en este documento o de la idoneidad de la misma para los fines que desee utilizarla. De la misma manera, con el tiempo, parte de la información que se incluye en este artículo puede que se vuelva obsoleta. Cualquier dependencia en este artículo será por su propia cuenta. Tanto Patricia B. McGrory como PMG Language Services no asumen ninguna responsabilidad por cualquier daño que pueda estar asociado con este artículo.

You are applying to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a permanent Resident Card, a brand new passport or citizenship. Gathering all the documents and filling out all the forms is already a very daunting enterprise. In addition, you need some of your personal documents translated and you are not sure where you can find a qualified translator. What about affidavits and certified copies?

I prepared this quick guide to help you understand terms and requirements.

Let's "translate" some terms first.

Translators and Certified Translators
A while back I wrote a post explaining what a certified translator is. Please click here to read it. In the same post you will find direct links to several associations of translators and interpreters in Canada.

Some translation associations have Associate and Certified members. At the time of writing this article, only Passport Canada required translations done by Certified Translators; therefore, translations of documents for citizenship and permanent resident card applications can also be prepared by Associate Translators or individuals fluent in both official and unofficial languages. Always check the list of requirements with the department to which you are submitting your application.

According to CIC:

• Translations may be done by a person who is fluent in both languages (English or French and the unofficial language). However, they will need to supply an affidavit. (This requirement also applies to Associate Translators.)

Important information: Translations must not be done by the applicants themselves or by members of the applicant’s family. Family member is defined as being a: parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, common-law partner, grandparent, child, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew and first cousin.
 
And:

• Translators who are certified members in good standing of one of the provincial or territorial associations of translators and interpreters in Canada do not need to supply an affidavit.

Note: You may want to have the translation done by a certified translator in order to avoid paying a commissioner of oaths or a notary public in addition to the translator. A certified translator should attach to the translation their declaration containing full name, contact information, language pair, membership number, date and signature (click here to view a sample).

What is an affidavit?
An affidavit is a document on which the translator has sworn, in the presence of a commissioner* authorized to administer oaths in the place where the affidavit is sworn, that the contents of the translation are a true translation and representation of the contents of the original document.

Let's unpack this. The translator prepares a declaration (click here to view a sample) and takes it along with the translation and the original document to a commissioner of oaths or notary public. Then they verify the identity of the translator and take the translator's oath who swears that contents of the translation are an exact translation of the original document. The commissioner of oaths or notary public signs and seals the declaration, the translation, and the original document. And the affidavit is done!

*In Canada an affidavit must be sworn in the presence of:

• a notary public,
• a commissioner of oaths, or
• a commissioner of taking affidavits

The translator translating the documents usually takes care of making the appointment with the notary public or commissioner of oaths.

What is a Notary Public or a Commissioner of Oaths?
In Canada, a commissioner for oaths is an individual who can administer oaths and take affidavits and declarations.
A notary is similar to a commissioner for oaths. But in addition of being able to administer oaths, take affidavits, and declarations, a notary public can also attest or certify documents.

What is a certified copy?
A Certified Copy is an exact copy (usually a photocopy) of the original document with the signature of a Notary Public on the document as well as the date and the seal to certify that they have seen the original.
Authority to certify varies by province and territory. It is important that you consult your local provincial or territorial authorities to find who is authorized to "certify" copies.


Note: In Alberta and according to the current Notaries and Commissioners Act, only a Notary Public is authorized to certify copies. Beware of (translation) agencies claiming that their commissioner of oaths can seal and sign the copy.
 
Now, let's have a look at the list of requirements.  
Always check the list of requirements with the department to which you are submitting your application.

1. You are applying for a permanent Resident Card
Any document that is not in English or French must be accompanied by:

• the English or French translation; and
• an affidavit from the person who completed the translation*; and
• a certified copy of the original document.

 *Remember: If the translation is not provided by a member in good standing of a provincial or territorial organization of translators and interpreters in Canada, the translation must be accompanied by an affidavit swearing to the accuracy of the translation and the language proficiency of the translator.
 
2. You are applying for a brand new passport
All documents submitted as part of a passport application need to be submitted in either English or French.

• If the document is not in French or English, it needs to be translated by a certified translator.

 
Certified translators
Passport Canada accepts translations that were produced by a certified translator whose certification can be confirmed by a stamp or membership number* with a professional translation association "Should the accuracy of the translation appear suspect, the Passport Program reserves the right to request a retranslation" (click here for website).
 
*This means that you should ask the translator to include in their declaration their membership number or their stamp, and the name of the professional translation organization.
 
3. You are applying for Canadian citizenship
Any document that is not in English or French must be accompanied by:

• the English or French translation; and
• an affidavit from the person who completed the translation, if required*.
  

*Remember: Translators who are certified members in good standing of one of the provincial or territorial organizations of translators and interpreters of Canada do not need to supply an affidavit.

 
Please remember that the list of requirements can change at any time. I strongly advise you to always check with the department or agency to which you are submitting your application.
 
A lot of information to digest, right? However, I hope that by clarifying some terms (that we do not use on a daily basis) you will feel more at ease navigating the process of compiling your application either for a brand new passport, a permanent resident card or becoming a Canadian citizen.

Yours truly,
Patricia
 
Disclaimer. The material contained in this article is information provided for informative purposes only. Although the information contained in this blog post is believed to be accurate and informative, Patricia B. McGrory and PMG Language Services make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information contained herein or as to its suitability for the purpose for which you may wish to rely on it. As well, over time, some of the information contained herein may become outdated. Any reliance on this blog post shall be at your own risk. Patricia B. McGrory and PMG Language Services assume no responsibility for any liability which is in any way associated with this blog post.

In the publishing world, editing, copy editing and proofreading have very specific meanings. Since these processes are very well defined, an editor receiving a request from a publishing or communications company to edit or copy edit a text knows exactly what is expected. The publishing or communications company often "speaks" the same language as the editor.

Unfortunately, it is not always the case in the translation world (at least in my experience). Certainly, many translation agencies and translators understand the difference between revision, proofreading, and review, but many others do not. In many opportunities I received requests to "proofread" a translation; however, after a few questions, what the translation agency, an inexperienced translator or a client requires is a revision of an already translated text. Since my intention is to keep this article short and to the point, I am providing a quick guide to understand the services I perform when I put my bilingual editor hat on: revision, review and proofreading.
 
Revision
Revision is the process of comparing the translated text against the original one. This is what I call a bilingual editing. There are many ways to proceed with a revision, but a revision always involves three operations: examining the target text, comparing the source text and the target text, and recommending changes. First, I read the source text to understand the document as a whole and identify tone and audience, for example, and then, I compare the two texts side by side. The purpose is to look for mechanical and linguistic errors, such as omissions, mistranslations, punctuation, excess verbiage, etc., making sure that nothing has been left out, the translation flows smoothly, and the text is appropriate to the audience. As you can imagine, this is a time consuming process that takes several stages.  It also adds to the cost of the project.
When I produce a translation, I always self-revise the final product; it is also called "check". My approach is to leave the translation for a while and come back to revise it with "fresh eyes". I have also developed my own revision process in which, for example, I identify recurring typos that a spellchecker will not correct, e.g. form instead of from, or gatos (cats) instead of gastos (expenses). Depending on the client's needs and what/how the translation will be used for, I send my translations to be revised by a third-party.
 
Review
Review is what I call a monolingual editing.  In this case, I only work with the translated text and, if needed, I consult the source text if I cannot understand the translation or I suspect omissions or inconsistencies.  During the review process, I check grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics of style; I check for consistency of mechanics and internal consistency of facts. I make sure that the text flows and that the translation does not read as a translation. This process takes less time than a revision because I do not spend time going back and forth between two documents.
 
Proofreading
In my lexicon, proofreading is a very specific task. I subscribe to the definition used by the Editor's Association of Canada: reading proofs of edited manuscripts. This is also a monolingual task. When I work with a colleague on a project and we revise each other's work, proofreading is the final stage of the revision/review process. I make sure that all approved changes have been incorporated in the final product and the translation is ready for publishing.
 
According to the ISO 17100 on quality standards for translation services, it is required to involve a reviser other than the translator to revise a translation. However, in my opinion and when cost is a concern, a self-revision done by a translator who is experienced, meticulous, and competent will suffice; in particular when the translator has been trained in the techniques of editing and copy editing (as I have).
When the project involves translating websites, marketing materials and articles to be published, a revision by a third party can be quite beneficial, since a "second pair" of eyes can find minor spelling mistakes or missing punctuation marks. 
 
Final words
The role of the reviser or editor is to improve the translation by identifying mechanical and linguistic problems, and resolve them. However, "judging" a translation by imposing one's own writing style or changing words because of preference is not revising or reviewing.  When returning corrections to an author or translator, it is recommended to "propose" changes and support them with evidence; this approach allows the author or translator to learn from his or her mistake or to explain the reasons behind certain choices he or she made.  
 
What about rates and cost of revision and review? It depends on the professional. In my case, my rate is per hour because a translation done by another translator whom I do not know professionally is like a box of chocolates, you never know "what you're going to get".

Yours truly,
Patricia

I had the same expression as Agent 86 when I read the "Need a one-page translated, cost?" line on an email I received a couple of weeks ago.

Can you guess what crossed my mind when I read it? One word: scam! Depending on my level of paranoia (fed by news and Facebook posts about identity theft) at the moment of receiving emails like that one, I may close my web browser in a panic, or if I am calm because I haven't read many Facebook posts and news about identity theft and scams, I may simply delete the email.

In any event, a request worded in that way raises more suspicion and eye-rolling than an obliged urgency to reply and seek more information from the sender. However, the above example is an extreme case. The majority of inquiries I receive are polite and well-phrased, but sometimes they lack information. In a way it makes sense! Why should someone already know what kind of information the translator needs?

So if you need your personal documents translated, the following is a quick list of five questions that I may certainly ask you if you did not provide enough information on your email.

1. What language pair? Remember to indicate the language combination for your document. Source language is the language in which the document is originally written and target language is the one into which the document is translated. It is possible that you need a language combination that I do not offer; however, I may know someone who can help you.

2. What kind of document? If you need a birth or marriage certificate translated, please do not say "it's only a few words." When translating official documents, every word on the page must be reproduced, including headers and footers, and the layout has to match the original. Believe me, it takes times. A Translator's Declaration is usually attached to the translation of official documents.

3. Do you need a certified translator or not? Some government agencies (like Passport Canada) require that the translation to be done by a certified member of a provincial association of translators. Other organizations may require that the translator belongs to a provincial association of translators, but he or she does not necessarily have to be certified (it means that an associate translator can do the job). Some translators are certified in a specific language combination and they do not feel comfortable translating into their passive language.

4. Do you need the translation notarized? If this is the case, after preparing the translation, I prepare a declaration (affidavit) and make an appointment with a notary. At the notary's office, I swear an oath and sign the affidavit before the notary. The notary simply verifies my identity and affirms that I have given my word that the translation is a true representation of the original. The notarization does not assess the quality of my work.

5. Please email me a scanned copy of the documents. This is not a question but a request, I know, but it is a very important one. Without seeing your documents, it would be very difficult for me to provide you with an accurate quote and turnaround time.

I hope I shed some light on what information to provide me or to another translator when you need a personal document translated.

Yours truly,
Patricia B. McGrory

So you are confused about what is a certified translation and who is a certified translator?
Let's begin with certified translations. In Canada, only certified translators can produce certified translations of documents. A certified translation means that a declaration signed by a certified translator is attached to a translation. The declaration should also include the certified translator's contact information (full name, physical address, phone number, email address), membership number and official stamp, if applicable. 
In other words, a certified translation comes with a guarantee of quality, because the translator's skills and experience have been certified by an official governing body (CTTIC, in Canada).
You may obtain quotes from "providers of certified translations" such as translation agencies. However, since the certification is personal and not transferable, a certified
translation can only be provided by a Certified Translator, not
an agency. Some of these "providers" will simply consult the directory of a provincial professional translation and interpretation association or society, such as ATIA, ATIO, or STIBC and subcontract the work to a Certified Translator (and you may be charged a hefty markup).

So now let's talk about certified translators. In Canada, the only certifying body is the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC). To be eligible for certification, candidates must first apply for and be accepted as a member of one of CTTIC's member organizations. 

In my case, I am a certified translator member of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA), and member by affiliation of CTTIC. When I prepare a certified translation, in addition to attaching my translator's declaration, I also sign and, if applicable, imprint with my official stamp each page of the translated document.

I hope I have shed some light on the topics of certified translations and certified translators. If you are still not sure about these topics, just drop me a message and I will try to clarify any questions you may have.

Yours truly,
Patricia