Prospective buyers may need general translation help during the purchasing process. This translation can be sourced through many local sources.

However, many documents require a sworn translation.

The types of documents that need sworn translations are all those that will be used for official or legally-binding purposes. They may include : witness statements, power of attorney, birth certificates, death certificates, divorce papers, marriage certificates, wills, house sale contracts, employment references, academic qualifications, id papers, residence visas, bank statements, etc.

A sworn translator is a qualified person who has stood before the Procureur de la République (State Prosecutor) in the regional Court of Appeal and held up his or her hand to swear under oath to only provide legally exact translations. They are then officially registered and issued with a rubber stamp to prove this commitment. This ‘ceremony’ has been preceded by a long investigation into their moral standing called an ‘enquête des moeurs’.

In order to find a sworn translator, you can contact your Town Hall, Tribunal or Court of Appeal. Many embassies also have them on their lists.

This is a summary of information provided by Peter Rawlingson, himself a sworn translator.

A more detailled article about the subject of sworn translation can be found here.

You can contact Peter Rawlingson through his web site here.