A Quick Guide to Getting Married Overseas

Getting married in the United States of America

Foreigners who live in the U.S. on a visitor or work visa may marry a US citizen or someone who holds a green cardholder. The citizen, or the holder of the green card, can sponsor their spouse through adjustment of status.

However, the USCIS does have a “90-day rule” that stops foreigners who have lived in the U.S. for 90 days or less from applying. It is even more difficult if the person has had less than 90 days of residency.

If either both or one spouse lives overseas the foreigner must apply for a K1 visa (fiancé visa) and then file an application for permanent residency following the marriage. The 90-day rule is relevant in this case too.

When the couple is married overseas they may contact the U.S. Consulate for “consular processing”. Using consular processing, the marriage will be legally recognized by the US and the spouse who is non-U.S. is granted a green card.

Getting married in France

Getting married in France you may select either a traditional style marriage or what’s called a “pacte civil de solidarité” (PACS), which is like a civil partnership. Whatever way you choose your starting point is the local “Mairie” (Town Hall). Each town will have its own rules and document requirements. Usually, the couple or one of their parents should have resided in that particular town for no less than 40 days before the date of the marriage ceremony.

The particular authorities could request a “certificate de célibat” which is the evidence to prove you are eligible to get married. You also will need to get a certificate of custom which is an attestation from a foreign lawyer regarding the content, existence, and foreign law interpretation. This certificate runs out after 6 months following its receipt. When the documentation is passed to the court or local town hall you may book your marriage ceremony there.

Getting married in Japan

It is possible to get married in Japan but if you are an Australian you will have to pay a visit to the Australian embassy in Tokyo where you confirm that you are legally permitted to be married through the swearing of an affirmation using an affidavit. If your marriage partner isn’t Japanese s/he will need to follow exactly the same process. The affidavit costs about $100 Aus each.

Other documents and their translations that may be required include:

  • passports,
  • birth certificates,
  • residence cards,
  • evidence of address,
  • naturalization documents(if applicable).
  • any documents that show a previous marriage(s) has been formally terminated.

As soon as your documents are available and their translations you may take them along to the municipal office where you may complete the request for registering the marriage (Kon-in Todoke).

Summary

Whichever country you choose to get married in making sure all the documents requested are accurately translated and if required certified. This will save you a lot of time in the long run and make your marriage a far more enjoyable experience. If your relatives overseas are unable to attend don’t forget to organize a live video recording through Zoom before the marriage ceremony begins.

Why Are Some Document Translation Services More Expensive Than Others?

These days translating documents is far more commonplace than it ever used to be. The reason for this is globalisation. Both humans and businesses are extending their boundaries to faraway places trying to find a niche where they can fit in nicely or even grow their profits. Any movement into another country which doesn’t speak your own languages the authorities will require that you provide keys documents with translations which can be read and understood easily by immigration personnel.

The sorts of documents you may need to provide with an application could include any of the following:

  • birth certificate
  • marriage certificate (if applicable)
  • degree and diploma certificates
  • police clearance document
  • medical report.
  • All these documents will need a translation provided by a document translation service provider that specializes in translating documents for immigration into another country. If you are entering the United States, for either job or business reasons, and you intend to reside permanently all your official documents will need to be signed by the translator who has to include a statement stating it is an accurate translation. This is most likely to be a more expensive document translation because the care that needs to be taken to ensure a perfect translation is far more crucial than other forms of document translation. Translators don’t provide a free service so if the job takes longer or a translation has to be certified expect this to be a more expensive document translation than others you may already have had.

    Other types of documents that require highly specific translation skills are warranty cards for products and product manuals which is the documentation that normally accompanies a newly purchased product. It’s crucial that these documents are perfectly accurate so as not to cause confusion or misunderstanding. If you are looking for this high degree of accuracy expect to pay more for the service than other less important document translation services.  You pay for what you get and if you want the best translation possible then expect a more expensive document translation.

How You Can Get Your Documents Translation Ready

Professional document translators are needed more today than at any time in human history. The politics of globalisation may be in doubt in many parts of the world at the moment, but the momentum for many businesses to seek out new markets around the world beyond their own borders is not showing any signs of slowing down.

One of the lessons behind successful document translation in today’s globalised world is to ensure that the language used for all material intended to be read by the target audience is customised to suit their culture and linguistic norms. This usually means seeking out specialised language translators for each of the languages that are used by the groups of people who will read any of the material that you are producing, whether this is website pages, labels, manuals, leaflets, instruction sheets, billboards or any other material.

Before sending your material off to the professional translator you need to go through it first to cut down on potential inconsistencies. Are there any images? Do these have captions? Are the images and the slogans or captions culturally appropriate? If not, you will need to change them rather than expect the translator to adapt them for you.
If you expect to use the same translator or professional translation agency for a lot of translation material, you should provide a style guide and you may also discuss preparing a glossary which can be used in future translations if you do not have one already.

The more time spent on editing and proofreading the material or documents you are going to send to the translator the more likely that they will be translated efficiently. The more the documents incorporate slang, jargon, clichés and metaphors.

As far as making a choice between freelancers and translation agencies, there are advantages of each. Translation agencies tend to have a number of professional translators who work for them or with them and if you are looking to translate your documents or marketing material into a number of different languages, this might be the best option. The preparation you then provide for the agency will then be passed on to all the individual translators needed to translate your material into the different languages.

On the other hand, if you just want a one language translation, then hiring a freelancer has certain advantages, too. Communication is likely to be faster and the relationship you build with this individual may be more personal than with an agency.

2 Tips for Handling Global Foreign Language Documents

Today, globalisation is embedded in both the individual and business worlds. That means that documents that are written in foreign languages are commonplace on our desktops, both virtual and the real time office desk too. It gets to a point when if we are unable to translate this overwhelming amount of data something has to be done. If you run a business you might be missing out on valuable customers. If you are an individual you could miss the best price for a sought after garment.

One of the main things you can do to ease the impact of this overflow of words you don’t understand is to think in a multilingual context. Don’t shrug off this aspect of globalisation because it’s not going to go away in the near future at least.

Tip #1 Multilingual thinking is the way to go

Once your document stockpile in a foreign language whether paper or virtual has got far too much you should seek out an experienced NAATI translator who understands the language of the documents you need to handle. You can get this translator to skim through each document in turn and give a summary in your own language so you can select the documents that are of most use to you and need a comprehensive document translation.

A NAATI translation is different from your average translation because to be awarded that status rigorous testing takes place before the translator can add NAATI to his or her name. The NAATI translator will know how to fast-track your documents by seeking out significant keywords which will be presented to you.

Tip #2 Consider the translation options

There are different methods used for translating such as machine translators but they may be okay for quick summaries that may not be totally accurate unless the translator has been programmed with all the word usages and idioms used in your type of industry. They don’t always convey the complete meaning of a sentence and often omit key words that cannot be found in their programmed dictionaries. It is a low cost choice, but basically unreliable if the full meaning of a document is sought.

In the end, a professional translation service anywhere in Australia is a cost effective translation solution as it hits the nail on the head first time round.

Does Quick Turnaround of Translation Mean High Quality?

When you are running a business and you have competitors the chances are you race through everything from marketing to selling to delivery. Speed is important to outwit your competitors so that your revenue is maximized and your costs are minimized, spread over a period of time, or spread through your volume of sales.

Translations fit into the same category as any business and those that request document translation services related to the marketing of their products want them done as fast as any other tasks in the running of their business.

Sometimes you have to think twice when it comes to the speed of the delivery of a product and in particular translations. A NAATI translator being told to rush a translation means quality is not met and in the end, satisfaction is less.

All translators are bilingual but when it comes to translating a text it doesn’t mean the task can be completed as quickly as a typist types out a letter or a thesis for a student. A typist may be able to type a minimum of 40 words a minute and in many cases more but a translator can only complete around 2 to 2,500 words a day and for a day that runs for 8 hours that is only 5 words a minute.

Of course, this is only an average, and the speed at which a translation is carried out depends on other variables too such as the context of the translation and how much prior knowledge the translator has in that area. Some translators have created glossaries of the most common terms used in a particular language but they still have to search for the right words that fit inappropriately with the text.

What is involved with a translation?

There is no doubt that every translation is different and not all the original text is necessarily easy to understand let alone translate. In order for a translation to closely resemble the text is not the only word for word translation but context and culture to requires not only language knowledge but the ability to interpret the context and thoroughly understand the culture of the translated language. Often linguists need to conduct research to find the best word that fits nicely into a contextual relationship. This will mean the translation will be of high quality and best suit the client’s requirements.

Use a NAATI Translator if you Want Hassle Free Translation

Why Choose NAATI Translation Service in Australia

If you need any of your documents or marketing material translated so that it can be used by customers, clients, or anyone whose natural language is not English, it makes sense that you use the best translation service you can get. In Australia, that means using an accredited NAATI translation service. There are several reasons why a NAATI translator is better than any other.

Understanding NAATI: The National Accreditation Authority

The acronym NAATI stands for the National Accreditation Authority of Translators and Interpreters. Basically, it is the body that sets national standards for translators and interpreters. Most translation agencies in Australia that are worth using will in fact have translators that are NAATI accredited.

NAATI’s Role and Ownership

NAATI is a limited company that is jointly owned by State, Territory, and Commonwealth governments. It has a board of directors who are appointed by the owners. The authority’s main job is to provide a credentials service for translators and interpreters who intend to provide translation services in Australia. NAATI was initiated to assist Australia’s cosmopolitan population as there are so many different languages present in the country.

NAATI Translations for Migration and Employment

When it comes to migration or employment requirements those involved need to present translations of any documents not in English to the relevant government agency and potential employer. This has to be done by a NAATI translator so that they can be assured that the translation is accurate.

NAATI Translations for Businesses

NAATI translators not only offer translations for potential migrants but also for businesses conducting trade overseas where contracts and tenders need to be translated when supplying or purchasing a product. Any legal documents and technical documents can be successfully translated by an accredited NAATI translator into a variety of different languages whether it’s into English or another language.

Quality Over Cost: NAATI Translation

A NAATI translator doesn’t necessarily mean a cheap translator but it does mean an accurate translation. It is always important to choose the most suitable translator to perform a translation as a poor translator may make errors you are unaware of but the receiver of your document may see the flaws and judge you on those alone. NAATI translators don’t get their approval for anything and provide translations that will get the business you need from overseas through their ability to undertake accurate translations.

How to Avoid Mistakes in Translation Quality

Do you run a business and find you have to translate documents on a regular basis – for immigration purposes or arranging contracts or preparing registration with a government agency or department? Have you been finding that there have been some hiccoughs along the way? Read on below to find out how you can make your document translation process smoother.

Continue reading “How to Avoid Mistakes in Translation Quality”

How to pick up a new language quickly

Skills and Diversity of NAATI Translators

The average NAATI translator is at least bilingual and may very well be trilingual or be able to speak and translate several different languages other than their own native tongue. For the person who has to resort to a translation service for their document translation and yet is interested in learning another language quickly for one reason or another, there are a few tips that can be used to help them.

Continue reading “How to pick up a new language quickly”

Will Your Marriage Certificate ever be This Famous?

Your marriage certificate may never be quite such a sensational document as that of Napoleon Bonaparte’s but it is still important enough for the Australian government to make sure that it is translated into English by a certified translation service before it can be presented as one of the documents for migration to this country.

Continue reading “Will Your Marriage Certificate ever be This Famous?”

Get Your Divorce Certificate Translated by a Reliable NAATI Accredited Translator

There are many reasons why you need to get your divorce certificate translated by a certified translation service. If you have migrated to Australia or were married overseas, it is likely that any official documents you have are in a language other than English. If you were divorced overseas, but now want to get married again, then you will need to show an official document such as a divorce certificate to show that you are legally entitled to get married in Australia. If you do not have a divorce certificate, then you will not be allowed to get married. If you do have a divorce certificate or equivalent which is printed in anything other than English then you will need to use an officially accredited document translation service to translate it properly.

You may also need a translation of a divorce certificate which has been issued in Australia if you wish to get married to someone else and take up residence overseas where your divorce certificate will be needed for a legal marriage in that country.

It is always wise to choose a reliable NAATI accredited translator for any official documents. Marriage and divorce certificates that are not in English, for instance, not only have to be translated into English. The translator will need to attach an affidavit to say that he or she is a qualified translator and what their qualifications are. Also, a copy of the original divorce certificate will need to be attached to the translation with a statement from the translator confirming that the translation is an accurate translation and the copy is a true copy of the original certificate. If you are an Australian or have been divorced here in Australia, it would be wise to get your translator to do the same with your Australian divorce certificate to take with you when you go overseas to live or work.