"Are you a NAATI Certified Malay Translator?"
ANSWERS TO YOUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
1. Are you a NAATI certified translator and will the translation show your certification?
Yes, we are NAATI Certified (Ref. 34445 & CPN5CO63W) and all our official translations will bear our authorised seal and signature. Our translations are recognised and accepted for all official purposes both in Australia and internationally.
Please note that our translations will be certified with a QR seal which contains our full contact details and current NAATI qualifications and active accreditation.
The details contained in this QR seal meets the official requirements for all Australian applications, e.g. AITSL and other relevant skills assessment organisations.
2. Do I need to give you the original document or would a scanned / digital copy be ok?
A copy will be ok, but please read on:
Generally speaking, it is not necessary to supply us with the original document itself.
If you are residing interstate or internationally, we will decline accepting original copies of any official documents intended to be sent by post or even courier, as we do not wish to be responsible for its safety, either while it is in our keep or in transit.
Instead, just send a good clear legible full colour scanned copy or digital image of the original document in question, and this should suffice for our needs.
Please ensure that you provide a full copy of the document, e.g. both sides of your certificate or card even if the reverse is blank, and please ensure that none of its margins have been cropped away.
Most importantly, make sure that the ensuing scanned copy or digital image of your document can be clearly read.
For Driving Licences, please be aware that your primary licence card has two printed sides, while your separate extension slip is printed on the obverse and usually blank on the reverse. We will still need to see both sides of your extension slip, as occasionally it may bear remarks.
3. Is it ok if I give you a photocopied version of the original document?
Only as a last resort. In our experience, photocopied versions are often illegible or in such a poor state that we cannot work from it at all.
Our preference is for you to e-mail us a good clear legible full colour scanned copy or digital image of the original document in question. This will enable us to produce a sound reliable translation for your benefit.
If a photocopy is all you have, we might under certain circumstances still accept it. But we will not be held liable for any problems you may encounter due to any shortcomings contained within the photocopied document.
4. Will I need to have the translation countersigned or witnessed by a government authority?
No, because our digitally sealed official translations are regarded as original legal copies and do not require any further attestation by a government official. You may use it immediately without requiring any further validation.
5. I am in Malaysia / not in Australia, can you still translate my document?
Yes, we accept and welcome translation requests from clients across the world. The submission procedures and completion times are the same as those for domestic / interstate (non-Canberra) Australia based clients. However, the delivery time for the hard copies will vary depending on their destination, time of year, and the delivery timetables set by Australia Post and the relevant postal authorities at your location.
6. I have been asked to have the translation countersigned by an authorised official. Why do I need to get this done?
It is highly likely that the person issuing the request is unfamiliar with such documents, or is simply being difficult.
Either way, there is no need to worry; just have the translation witnessed by a Justice of the Peace (JP) or a member of the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Most police stations throughout Australia would have a JP on duty. Otherwise, their friendly counter staff may witness the document for you with their official seal-stamp and signature.
This should be more than sufficient to further ‘validate’ the translation.
7. May I have an extra copy of the translation?
You will be provided with two certified copies of the translation as a matter of course; one for your immediate use, and the other for you to keep and use at a later date if required.
If you still need extra copies, they can be supplied at AUD$10 per copy upon request. Please note that this request must be made when you submit your order.
For security and confidentiality purposes, we do not keep your translation on file. They are immediately securely deleted once the order has been completed. So we will not be able to provide you with extra copies after your order has been completed.
If you need another copy at a much later time, the request will have to be treated as a completely new order.
8. There is an error on my original certificate/licence, can you amend it to show/include the correct details?
No, we are forbidden by law to tamper with your original documents in any shape or form.
We will never attempt, under any circumstances whatsoever, to ‘correct’ or ‘amend’ any mistakes found on your original document by overlooking, replacing or erasing it.
You will need to resolve this yourself, either by submitting a Statutory Declaration explaining the error, or to have your own legal representative to do so on your behalf.
We are not authorised and cannot make such submissions for you.
9. Can you please retain the ‘bin’ / 'b'/ 'A/L' or ‘binti’ / ‘binte’ / 'bt' / 'A/P' in my name without translating it?
No, we may not.
We are required to provide a full translation of your document, and as such, the terms will be translated as ‘son of’ or ‘daughter of’ respectively.
This allows a distinction to be made between your personal name and your father’s name, which is often mistaken as your ‘family name’ or ‘surname’.
It is also to avoid having these terms being mistaken as your middle name.
If your name is spelled with / retains these terms in your other documents, then it is your responsibility to explain their function to the relevant authorities.
It is not a translator's task to explain or justify their appearance elsewhere.
You can be rest assured however that we have never had any of our translations rejected due to these terms being translated as 'son of' / 'daughter of'.
We have, on the other hand, received translations returned to us because the client had insisted that their names be retained in their original formats, and their translated documents have been rejected because these terms were not translated. This incurs an extra cost on the client and causes delays to their applications.
10. I can actually read Malay and do the translation myself, but it needs to be NAATI Certified, which I don’t have. Can you give me a discount on the translation anyway?
We only offer discounts for bulk orders and to registered charitable organisations.
11. I already have a translation of my document, but it was declined by the authorities. Can I give it to you so that you can use / copy it and then just validate it, and give me a discount instead?
No, because the authorities would have had good reason to decline the translation. In cases such as these, we are legally required to start the translation from scratch based on the original document that you have. It would therefore be a new order and the standard rates will apply.
12. I have a translation prepared in Malaysia / by the Malaysian High Commission / Embassy / Consulate, but it has not been accepted by the authorities. Why not?
You should seek an explanation from the relevant authorities, not us.
We are only able to inform you that, for all official purposes requiring it, you need to submit a NAATI certified translation of your original documents.
No other translation will be accepted by Australian authorities, irrespective of the status of the issuing individual or foreign mission.
13. Do I need to have such-and-such documents translated and what other documents do I need to translate etc?
We cannot provide you with advice on what you need translated and how you should prepare your paperwork.
We are not migration agents or lawyers and we have no wish to be involved with your personal applications and private matters.
Please consult directly with the authorities to whom you will be submitting the documents to ascertain the specific requirements pertaining to your purposes and circumstances.
14. Can you please place your signature and NAATI seal on a copy of the original document to certify it?
We will attach the scanned copy of your original document that you have provided with your order, to the completed translation, and they will all be stamped and signed with our NAATI digital QR seal.
Please be rest assured that all our translations are compliant with the latest guidance and advice issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT).
For further information, please refer to the following link:
https://www.naati.com.au/resources/dfat-translation-requirements/
Yes, we are NAATI Certified (Ref. 34445 & CPN5CO63W) and all our official translations will bear our authorised seal and signature. Our translations are recognised and accepted for all official purposes both in Australia and internationally.
Please note that our translations will be certified with a QR seal which contains our full contact details and current NAATI qualifications and active accreditation.
The details contained in this QR seal meets the official requirements for all Australian applications, e.g. AITSL and other relevant skills assessment organisations.
2. Do I need to give you the original document or would a scanned / digital copy be ok?
A copy will be ok, but please read on:
Generally speaking, it is not necessary to supply us with the original document itself.
If you are residing interstate or internationally, we will decline accepting original copies of any official documents intended to be sent by post or even courier, as we do not wish to be responsible for its safety, either while it is in our keep or in transit.
Instead, just send a good clear legible full colour scanned copy or digital image of the original document in question, and this should suffice for our needs.
Please ensure that you provide a full copy of the document, e.g. both sides of your certificate or card even if the reverse is blank, and please ensure that none of its margins have been cropped away.
Most importantly, make sure that the ensuing scanned copy or digital image of your document can be clearly read.
For Driving Licences, please be aware that your primary licence card has two printed sides, while your separate extension slip is printed on the obverse and usually blank on the reverse. We will still need to see both sides of your extension slip, as occasionally it may bear remarks.
3. Is it ok if I give you a photocopied version of the original document?
Only as a last resort. In our experience, photocopied versions are often illegible or in such a poor state that we cannot work from it at all.
Our preference is for you to e-mail us a good clear legible full colour scanned copy or digital image of the original document in question. This will enable us to produce a sound reliable translation for your benefit.
If a photocopy is all you have, we might under certain circumstances still accept it. But we will not be held liable for any problems you may encounter due to any shortcomings contained within the photocopied document.
4. Will I need to have the translation countersigned or witnessed by a government authority?
No, because our digitally sealed official translations are regarded as original legal copies and do not require any further attestation by a government official. You may use it immediately without requiring any further validation.
5. I am in Malaysia / not in Australia, can you still translate my document?
Yes, we accept and welcome translation requests from clients across the world. The submission procedures and completion times are the same as those for domestic / interstate (non-Canberra) Australia based clients. However, the delivery time for the hard copies will vary depending on their destination, time of year, and the delivery timetables set by Australia Post and the relevant postal authorities at your location.
6. I have been asked to have the translation countersigned by an authorised official. Why do I need to get this done?
It is highly likely that the person issuing the request is unfamiliar with such documents, or is simply being difficult.
Either way, there is no need to worry; just have the translation witnessed by a Justice of the Peace (JP) or a member of the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Most police stations throughout Australia would have a JP on duty. Otherwise, their friendly counter staff may witness the document for you with their official seal-stamp and signature.
This should be more than sufficient to further ‘validate’ the translation.
7. May I have an extra copy of the translation?
You will be provided with two certified copies of the translation as a matter of course; one for your immediate use, and the other for you to keep and use at a later date if required.
If you still need extra copies, they can be supplied at AUD$10 per copy upon request. Please note that this request must be made when you submit your order.
For security and confidentiality purposes, we do not keep your translation on file. They are immediately securely deleted once the order has been completed. So we will not be able to provide you with extra copies after your order has been completed.
If you need another copy at a much later time, the request will have to be treated as a completely new order.
8. There is an error on my original certificate/licence, can you amend it to show/include the correct details?
No, we are forbidden by law to tamper with your original documents in any shape or form.
We will never attempt, under any circumstances whatsoever, to ‘correct’ or ‘amend’ any mistakes found on your original document by overlooking, replacing or erasing it.
You will need to resolve this yourself, either by submitting a Statutory Declaration explaining the error, or to have your own legal representative to do so on your behalf.
We are not authorised and cannot make such submissions for you.
9. Can you please retain the ‘bin’ / 'b'/ 'A/L' or ‘binti’ / ‘binte’ / 'bt' / 'A/P' in my name without translating it?
No, we may not.
We are required to provide a full translation of your document, and as such, the terms will be translated as ‘son of’ or ‘daughter of’ respectively.
This allows a distinction to be made between your personal name and your father’s name, which is often mistaken as your ‘family name’ or ‘surname’.
It is also to avoid having these terms being mistaken as your middle name.
If your name is spelled with / retains these terms in your other documents, then it is your responsibility to explain their function to the relevant authorities.
It is not a translator's task to explain or justify their appearance elsewhere.
You can be rest assured however that we have never had any of our translations rejected due to these terms being translated as 'son of' / 'daughter of'.
We have, on the other hand, received translations returned to us because the client had insisted that their names be retained in their original formats, and their translated documents have been rejected because these terms were not translated. This incurs an extra cost on the client and causes delays to their applications.
10. I can actually read Malay and do the translation myself, but it needs to be NAATI Certified, which I don’t have. Can you give me a discount on the translation anyway?
We only offer discounts for bulk orders and to registered charitable organisations.
11. I already have a translation of my document, but it was declined by the authorities. Can I give it to you so that you can use / copy it and then just validate it, and give me a discount instead?
No, because the authorities would have had good reason to decline the translation. In cases such as these, we are legally required to start the translation from scratch based on the original document that you have. It would therefore be a new order and the standard rates will apply.
12. I have a translation prepared in Malaysia / by the Malaysian High Commission / Embassy / Consulate, but it has not been accepted by the authorities. Why not?
You should seek an explanation from the relevant authorities, not us.
We are only able to inform you that, for all official purposes requiring it, you need to submit a NAATI certified translation of your original documents.
No other translation will be accepted by Australian authorities, irrespective of the status of the issuing individual or foreign mission.
13. Do I need to have such-and-such documents translated and what other documents do I need to translate etc?
We cannot provide you with advice on what you need translated and how you should prepare your paperwork.
We are not migration agents or lawyers and we have no wish to be involved with your personal applications and private matters.
Please consult directly with the authorities to whom you will be submitting the documents to ascertain the specific requirements pertaining to your purposes and circumstances.
14. Can you please place your signature and NAATI seal on a copy of the original document to certify it?
We will attach the scanned copy of your original document that you have provided with your order, to the completed translation, and they will all be stamped and signed with our NAATI digital QR seal.
Please be rest assured that all our translations are compliant with the latest guidance and advice issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT).
For further information, please refer to the following link:
https://www.naati.com.au/resources/dfat-translation-requirements/