Frequently Asked Questions

A certified translation is an official translation accompanied by a signed declaration of accuracy from a qualified translator, confirming it is a true and complete rendering of the original. In Canada, it is the standard required by IRCC, courts, universities, and most institutions for documents not in English or French.

Whenever an authority or institution asks for an official translation of a foreign-language document — for immigration, citizenship, study, professional licensing, court, or civil status purposes. If you are unsure, check the exact wording from the organization requesting your documents.

A certified translation attests to the accuracy of the translation. A notarized translation adds a sworn affidavit witnessed by a notary public, who attests to the translator's signature rather than the content. Learn more on our notarization page.

Yes. Our certified translations are produced by accredited translators and meet IRCC's requirements, with no separate affidavit needed. See our IRCC certified translation page for details.

No. IRCC and most institutions do not accept translations done by the applicant, a family member, or a representative — even if that person is bilingual or a qualified translator. The translation must come from an independent, accredited third party.

The translation itself does not expire. However, some authorities require the source document to be recent (for example, issued within the last six months). The translation stays valid as long as the source document is still accepted.

Certilingua is a Canadian certified translation agency with over 20 years of experience and a member of the Canadian Language Industry Association (CLIA). We help individuals, families, businesses, and institutions turn foreign-language documents into translations that authorities accept.

Our certified translations are produced by accredited translators who are members in good standing of a CTTIC-recognized provincial association, such as OTTIAQ in Quebec or ATIO in Ontario. We match each project to a translator with the right language pair and subject-matter expertise.

Yes. We serve every province and territory. Everything can be done online, from upload to delivery, and we maintain local pages for major cities — you can find yours under our locations.

Always. Documents are transferred over encrypted connections and stored securely on Canadian servers. For businesses and law firms, we also work under non-disclosure agreements on request.

Very. Free quotes are typically answered within 30 minutes during business hours, and we confirm a clear delivery time before you pay. When timing is tight, our express 24-hour service moves your file to the front of the line.

More than 60, including French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Hindi, Punjabi, Tagalog, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian, and many more. Explore them on our languages page.

Civil status records, academic credentials, legal and corporate documents, and more — from birth certificates to contracts. Browse the full list on our documents page.

PDFs, scans, or clear photographs (JPG, PNG) are all accepted. As long as the text is legible, our team can work from it. A clearer source means a faster, more accurate translation.

Upload your document online, tell us what it's for, choose your options, and confirm. For standard documents you get an instant price; for larger files we send a free quote first. You can order online here.

Securely by credit card. An official tax invoice with applicable GST/HST/QST is issued immediately, ready for your records or reimbursement.

It depends on who will receive the document. Always check the exact requirements from the institution or authority — whether they want a standard, certified, or notarized translation, and whether an apostille applies. Our pricing page explains each level, and if you're unsure, send us the instructions and we'll tell you exactly what you need before you order.

Standard delivery is a few business days. When a deadline is tight, our express 24-hour service returns most documents within a day, with same-day possible for short files.

Standard documents are priced instantly when you upload them. For larger or non-standard requests, a free quote is typically answered within 30 minutes during business hours.

Every order includes a digitally signed PDF accepted by IRCC and Canadian authorities. If you need an original, we can mail a hard copy with a wet signature across Canada or abroad.

Price depends on the document, its length, the language pair, and the level of certification, plus any options. See the breakdown on our pricing page, or get a free quote for an exact figure.

Only if the receiving authority asks for one — commonly foreign governments, embassies, or some courts. For most Canadian purposes a certified translation is enough. Our notarization page explains when it applies.

Documents for use abroad often need to be notarized and then apostilled. Since January 2024, Canada is part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille replaces consular legalization for member countries. Tell us the destination and we'll map out the steps.

Yes. We ship hard copies with a wet signature across Canada and internationally, priced per project by destination and service level.