What Is a NAATI Certified Translation and When Do You Need One?

If you have ever applied for a visa, enrolled in a course or registered for a profession in Australia using documents written in another language, you have probably been told you need a "NAATI certified translation". This guide explains what that means, what a correct translation looks like, and how to avoid the mistakes that get documents rejected.

What is NAATI?

NAATI (the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) is Australia's national standards and certification body for translators and interpreters. It certifies individual people, not companies. A translation company cannot be "NAATI certified" itself, but it can work with translators who hold NAATI certification.

What is a NAATI certified translation?

A NAATI certified translation is a translation completed by a translator who holds NAATI certification for that language pair, and who officially stamps and signs the translation to confirm it is complete and accurate. The certification applies to the translation only, not to the original document.

This is different from an ordinary translation, which anyone can produce but which official bodies in Australia will often refuse.

When do you need one?

Requirements depend on the organisation receiving your documents, but a NAATI certified translation is commonly requested for:

• Visa and immigration applications
• Birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates
• Police checks and identity documents
• University and school enrolment, including academic transcripts and degrees
• Professional registration and skills assessments
• Legal and court matters, and official government forms

Always check the instructions from the organisation you are applying to. They will tell you whether they require NAATI certification, and whether they accept a digital copy or require a printed, stamped one.

What a correct certified translation includes

A properly certified translation should show:

• The translator's NAATI stamp, either physical or digital, with the translator's practitioner number, the language and the type of certification
• The date of the translation (or the date the digital stamp was generated)
• The translator's signature, or the "Digitally Authenticated by NAATI" mark on a digital stamp
• A statement that the translation is a true and accurate rendering of the original document
• A copy of the original document, so the receiving organisation can compare the two

Digital stamps include a QR code that anyone can scan to confirm the translation is genuine. If you print a digital stamp, keep it large enough to stay readable, because a stamp that is too small can cause rejection.

Do certified translations expire?

According to NAATI, a translation remains valid after it is completed. The "valid to" date on a stamp relates to the translator's credential at the time the stamp was issued, not to the translation itself. Some organisations have their own rules about how recent a document must be, so check with the one you are dealing with.

Common reasons translations are rejected

• The translator is not NAATI certified. Check the translator's credentials before you order.
• The stamp is missing, unclear or incomplete. Every required detail must be readable.
• The translation is incomplete. Stamps, seals, handwritten notes and the back of a page may all need translating.
• You translated it yourself. Even if you are fluent in both languages, official bodies require an independent, certified translator.
• A name or date does not match your passport. Always tell the translator exactly how your name is spelled on your passport.

How to check a translator's credentials

NAATI offers a "Verify a Credential" tool on its website. You can also scan the QR code on a digital stamp to confirm it is valid. If a translator cannot show a credential you can verify, treat that as a warning sign.

Ready to order?

If you need a NAATI certified translation, you can check prices and order online. If you are still working out what to prepare, read our step-by-step guide to ordering a certified translation online, or contact us and we will point you in the right direction.