Guide
Certified, notarized, sworn, apostilled — which one do you actually need?
These four terms are routinely confused, and paying for the wrong one wastes money. Here is what each means, and what the major authorities actually require for Japanese documents.
Certified translation
A translation accompanied by a signed statement from the translator confirming that the translation is complete and accurate, and that the translator is competent in both languages. The statement includes the date, the translator's name, signature, and contact details. No government body is involved — the certification is the translator's own professional attestation.
This is what USCIS (United States), UKVI (United Kingdom), and the Department of Home Affairs (Australia) require. Nothing more.
Notarized translation
A notary public witnesses the translator signing a sworn statement about the translation. The notary verifies the signer's identity — not the quality or accuracy of the translation. Notarization adds a layer of formality, not a layer of quality control.
Most immigration authorities do not require it. It matters in two cases: IRCC (Canada), which requires a translator's affidavit sworn before a notary when the translator is not a Canadian certified translator; and certain institutions — some US state DMVs, some banks — that ask for it explicitly. If your receiving authority has not asked for notarization, you do not need it.
Sworn translation
In many civil-law countries (France, Germany, Spain, Brazil), courts appoint official "sworn translators" whose translations carry legal status. Japan has no such system — there is no court-appointed or state-licensed translator register, and no Japanese translator can hold a "sworn" title in that sense.
If an authority in a civil-law country asks for a sworn translation of a Japanese document, the usual routes are: a sworn translator of Japanese in the destination country, or a certified translation with additional authentication (notarization or apostille) — ask the authority which it accepts.
Apostille
An apostille authenticates the origin of a public document (a seal or signature on it) for use in another Hague Convention country. It applies to the document itself — or to a notarial certificate attached to it — not to the translation as such. In Japan, apostilles are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You typically need one only when the receiving authority explicitly asks for legalization of the original document.
What each authority requires
| Authority | Requirement |
|---|---|
| USCIS (US) | Certified translation. No notarization, no accreditation (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)). |
| UKVI (UK) | Certified translation with translator's name, signature, date, and contact details. Credentials also required for in-UK applications. |
| Home Affairs (Australia) | Certified translation. Outside Australia, no NAATI accreditation required — translator's details, qualifications, and experience must be stated. |
| IRCC (Canada) | Translation plus translator's affidavit sworn before a notary public (when the translator is not a Canadian certified translator). |
| US state DMVs, universities, state registries | Varies — some only accept designated providers. Confirm before ordering; the order form flags the known cases. |
Common questions
Can I certify my own translation for USCIS?
USCIS regulations do not explicitly forbid translating your own documents, but the certification must attest to competence and accuracy, and officers may question a self-interested certification. Canada (IRCC) explicitly prohibits translations by the applicant or their family members. Where the stakes are an application outcome, third-party certification is the safe default.
Is a certified translation the same as an apostille?
No. Certification attests to the translation's accuracy; an apostille authenticates the original document (or a notarial act) for international use. Some procedures need both, most need only the certified translation.
The authority asked for a "notarized translation" — what now?
First confirm they mean notarization of the translator's statement (common) rather than legalization of the original (an apostille). For translator-statement notarization, we can arrange notarization in Japan — contact us with the authority's exact wording and we will quote it.
Every order from Japan Translations includes a certified translation in the format required by USCIS, UKVI, and Home Affairs — and for IRCC, we prepare the notarized affidavit.
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