Certification services
Certified translations. MP Translation Agency binds a translation to an original document (or it's copy). The documents are then stamped to certify the accuracy of the translation and confirm that the translator is aware of the Article 235 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania setting forth liability for fraudulent translations. Certified translations are generally needed for agreements, certificates, and tax returns.
Notarized translations. A notary public confirms the identity of a translator. In other words, a notary public and a translation agency have a cooperation agreement in place. Professional qualifications of translators employed by the translation agency have been presented to the notary public. Notarized translations are required when submitting translations to government agencies (e.g., marriage certificates, personal identity documents, diplomas, official transcripts, etc.). We recommend finding out whether or not you need a notarized translation as in most cases a certified translation is acceptable (and cheaper). Please note that notary public does not certify translations of official documents issued in foreign countries if these documents carry no Apostilles or are not legalized.
MP Translations has cooperation agreements with several notary offices and can certify the translations on behalf of a client. You do not need to visit the Notary public yourself.
Apostille and legalization. An Apostille is an official certificate of authenticity issued by a competent state institution. An Apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature and the capacity of the person who has signed the document, and, where appropriate, the authenticity of the seal or stamp which the document bears. If you wish to use a foreign document in Lithuania, such a document must bear an apostille or be legalized in the country of issuance. The same rules apply if you wish to submit a document issued in Lithuania to an institution in a foreign country. Documents issued by state institution in Lithuania can be apostilized in any Notary public, or an Embassy of Lithuania if you are abroad. MP Translation Agency has cooperation agreements with several Notary offices and can request Apostiles on behalf of a client. You do not need to visit the Notary public yourself.
Examples of affected documents
- Good standing certificates
- Court documents
- Patent and trademark documents (including applications)
- Tax documents
- Directors’ certificates
- Power of attorney
- Birth certificates
- Divorce decrees
- Marriage certificates
- Diplomas
A real life example: You get married in Lithuania, but your spouse does not enjoy cold winters so you decide to move to Fiji and intend to buy a house there. A Notary public in Fiji has never seen a marriage certificate issued in Lithuania and would not know if it is real document of just a pretty piece of paper with hearts and flowers. An Apostille or legalization is the way to proceed in such situation. Before moving to Fiji, you take your marriage certificate to a Notary public in Lithuania where it gets apostilized (extra document with an internationally accepted form gets attached to your marriage certificate). By doing so, you "upgrade" your Lithuanian marriage certificate so that it could be used world-wide. A notary public in any country will see the attachment and will trust that your marriage certificate is authentic. Then you take the document to our office and we translate it for you to Fijian language. Now you and your spouse are ready to move to the paradise on the beach. Bon voyage!
Apostille vs legalization: The main difference is that back in 1961 during Hague Convention a number of countries decided to use a unified template for document legalization and called it an Apostille. Others have not joined the agreement and continue to stick to their bureaucratic ways to this day. Thus if you have a document issued in a country that is a member of Hague Convention and you intend to use it in another country that is also a member of the Hague Convention, you only need to get the document apostilized in the originating country. Here is a quick way to check if you are in luck and an Apostille will suffice: Hague Convention Members. Otherwise, the document must be certified by the foreign ministry of the country in which the document originated, and then by the foreign ministry of the government of the state in which the document will be used; one of the certifications is often performed at an embassy or consulate. For example: a birth certificate issued in Egypt should be certified both by the Embassy of Egypt in Lithuania, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lithuania.
Exceptions:
Documents issued in Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Moldova and Ukraine do not need an Apostille if you intend to use them in Lithuania. They only have to be translated to the Lithuanian language. This is facilitated by bilateral legal assistance treaties that Lithuania signed with neighboring countries.
Documents issued before 11th of March of 1990 and bearing symbols of Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic may not be legalized. Such documents need to be replaced.
Resources:
Lithuanian Foreign Ministry page on document legalization
List of foreign embassies in Lithuania and embassies of Lithuania worldwide
Still confused? Call or email us and we will do our best to assist.
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