The legal arena is among the fields in which translations are most prevalent, where an emphasis is placed on the document accuracy and reliability. Our translations are performed by professional translators specializing in legal translations and able to apply the correct terms for conveying the matter properly. Our translators are experienced with “legalese” writing in various fields:
- Judicial rulings
- Court orders
- Contracts
- Patents
- Wills
- Prenuptial and property agreements
- Affidavits
- And more…
Legal translations often require certification. There are three types of such certification:
- Notarial certification – In Israel, a notary is a lawyer who is authorized to authenticate, approve and prepare legal documents. A notarial certificate is applied to a translated document examined by the notary and checked against the original document.
The notary’s signature and stamp confirms the originality of the document, the identity of the person signing it or the notary’s signature. Notarized documents are intended as evidence in court or for other authorities, in Israel and abroad.
Authenticating a notarial document signed in Israel and intended for use abroad requires an Apostille.
Notary Responsibilities:
- To authenticate a signature to a document.
- To confirm that the signatory was authorized to sign the document.
- To confirm the correctness of a copy of a document.
- To depose and approve any affidavit or other declaration.
- To confirm the correctness of an inventory list.
- To witness a negotiable document.
- To prepare a document or take any action required of a notary by law, including as required by foreign law or any other document.
- To exercise the authority of a notary public by law.
- To authenticate a property relations agreement, signed as a prenuptial document or after marriage.
Official notarial seal in Israel, embossed and bearing the notary’s name in the middle.
Official notary public seal in the State of New York.
According to the Notary Law, a notarial certificate will bear the notary’s embossed seal. The metal seal shall bear the notary’s name and the title “Notary” in Hebrew, English, Arabic or French. Where the notarial certificate related to several documents, the sheets are bound with a red ribbon, attached to the red label with the notary’s embossed stamp. Notarial documents vary in form in different countries.
Notarial document (in Israel)
- Apostille certificate – Identical in nature to a notary certificate, where the main difference is that this certificate is required when the translated document is used by a foreign country. This certificate is most often required for translated vital statistic certificates and it is issued by a governmental body after the notarial authentication.
The certificate is issued by an official state authority. As such, the title of the person authenticating the signature to the public certificates (i.e. marriage certificate, birth certificate or any other official document issued by a governmental authority) is included in the Apostille, confirming that the certificate is official, original and that it was issued by the competent authority. In addition, the Apostille confirms the notary’s authority to approve notarial documents. The Apostille authenticates the notary’s signature and confirms that the signer is indeed a notary authorized by the country that issued it.
The client must authenticate the public document with the competent authority that issued it, authenticate it at the foreign ministry of the said country and, finally, authenticate the foreign ministry signature at the diplomatic or consular office of the country at which he/she wishes to present the document.
The certificate is known as an Apostille and it has a capacity similar to that of the notary, except that the notary’s signature is valid only locally.
The Apostille can only be issued by competent state authorities. In Israel, such authorities include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Magistrate Court registrars and civil servants appointed by the Minister of Justice under the Notary law, 5736-1976. Clerks authorized in this regard are available in many courts nationwide.
In order to be eligible for an Apostille, the document must first be approved by a clerk authorized with the authority issuing the Apostille. Thus, for example, a notarized document will be recognized for an Apostille by a competent court official, only after the official confirms that the notary indeed appears on the list of certified notaries issued by the Minister of Justice.
Many countries have signed the Apostille treaty – most European countries, the U.S. and others in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Israel signed the treating and even passed application regulations in 1977.
Obtaining an Apostille in Israel:
As of June 2017, there are to Apostille channels. For official documents, such as birth certificates, one must submit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. The service is not provided in other cities or embassies. An Apostille for authenticating a translation must first be signed by a notary, after which the Apostille will be issued at any branch of the Ministry of Justice in Israel.
Notary authentication and Apostille prices are determined by law and are not set by the translation company.
