NAATI Certified Translation in Australia: What It Is and How to Order Online

A NAATI certified translation is a translation completed by a translator who holds a NAATI credential and marks the finished document with their NAATI stamp. If you are lodging a visa application from inside Australia, Home Affairs asks you to include the translator's NAATI practitioner number, so this is the translation most people in Australia need for immigration. Other organisations, such as universities, employers and courts, set their own rules, so check what yours asks for before you order.

With CertifiedWords you can order online: upload your document, choose the service, see the price, pay, and receive the completed translation by email. You can check prices and order here.

What NAATI is, and what it isn't

NAATI, the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters, is Australia's national standards and certifying body for translators and interpreters. It certifies people, not documents. NAATI does not translate documents or approve individual translations, so a "NAATI translation" means a translation by someone who holds a NAATI credential.

CertifiedWords is not NAATI, a government body, a law firm or a migration agent. We provide an ordering service for certified translations.

The translator credentials

NAATI's current system has three translator credentials:

• Certified Translator: the translator has passed a NAATI test.
• Recognised Practising Translator: the translator has not been tested by NAATI, but has met the prerequisites and has recent, regular translation experience. This credential is usually held in languages where NAATI does not offer testing.
• Certified Advanced Translator: awarded under the former system, before 2018. Testing is no longer available, but some translators still hold it.

Credentials are held for specific languages, and NAATI does not test every language or level. Some organisations ask for a particular credential, so read their instructions closely.

What a NAATI translation should show

The stamp is how the organisation receiving your translation can see who is responsible for it and check their credential. A NAATI stamp shows the translator's name, their practitioner number, the type of credential and the language, and a date. A practitioner number is nine characters long and always starts with CPN, for example CPN7MF89K.

What else you need depends on who is asking. As one example, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade asks for the stamp, with the translator's details, the date and a signature or digital authentication, on every translated page. Other organisations may also ask for:

• a statement from the translator confirming the translation is complete and accurate;
• a copy of the original document, submitted with the translation;
• everything on the document translated, including stamps, seals, handwritten notes and the reverse side;
• a printed copy with an ink stamp and signature, instead of a digital copy.

Our article on what a NAATI certified translation is goes through these in more detail.

Digital stamp or ink stamp?

NAATI issues both. A digital stamp is downloaded by the translator from their myNAATI account after signing in with multi-factor authentication, and each stamp has its own QR code. Scanning it shows the translator's credentials and whether the stamp is valid. A digital stamp shows a "Stamp generated on" date, where a physical stamp shows the translation date.

Most of our translations carry a digital stamp. You can print a digitally stamped translation if you need or want a paper copy. Print it at full size, because NAATI says the QR code must be at least 2 cm by 2 cm to scan. Some organisations ask for an ink stamp and signature instead, so when you order we ask where you plan to submit the translation. If the organisation requires an ink stamp, tell us where you will submit the translation (add it to your order instructions, or contact us). The translation is then stamped and signed in ink, and we deliver a scan of it by email. Our guide to online NAATI translations and digital stamps explains how to check what an organisation accepts.

In Australia or outside Australia

Home Affairs asks applicants to have all non-English documents translated into English. The rule depends on where the translation is done:

• In Australia: use a translator accredited by NAATI and include their NAATI practitioner number.
• Outside Australia: the translator does not have to be NAATI accredited, but you need to include their full name, address, telephone number, and qualifications and experience in the language they are translating, all in English.

Requirements for individual visas can go further, so read the checklist for your visa before you order.

Using a NAATI translation outside Australia

Requirements differ between countries and between organisations. Some overseas organisations may accept a NAATI translation, and others have their own rules about who can certify a translation. Ask the organisation what it accepts before you order, and tell us where you plan to submit the translation.

How to order online

1. Prepare your document. Scan or photograph every page, including the back if it carries stamps or notes. Keep all four corners in the frame and avoid shadows and glare.
2. Upload it. Select the language of the document and the language you need. We cover many languages. If yours isn't listed, choose it in the order form or contact us.
3. Choose the service. For Australian documents that need NAATI certification, select the NAATI Certified Translator option. In your order instructions, tell us where you will submit the translation.
4. Check the price and pay. You see the price before you finish the order. It depends on the language pair, the document, the service, the delivery speed and any additional services.
5. Receive your translation. It is delivered by email. If you need or want a paper copy, you can print it yourself. Read it against your passport and other documents before you submit it anywhere.

Our step-by-step guide to ordering a certified translation online covers what to check at each stage. If you need a translation of a birth certificate for a visa, read how to translate a birth certificate for an Australian visa application.