Need an official English translation for submission?

Korean government offices, courts, and many overseas institutions won't accept a plain translation of a document — they require a translation verification certificate (번역확인증명서), a signed statement from a registered translator confirming the translation is accurate and matches the original. A translation without this certificate is routinely returned at the counter, which can delay a visa, court, or immigration filing by weeks.

What a translation verification certificate is — and how it differs from notarization

The certificate attaches the translator's name, contact details, and a signed accuracy statement to the translated document. The real difference from notarization is where liability sits: a licensed 행정사's translation verification certificate makes the 행정사 directly responsible for the translation's accuracy, while Korean notarization of a translation (번역공증) typically only certifies the translator's signature on a declaration — the notary doesn't vouch for whether the translation itself is correct. Which one a receiving office wants varies, and getting it wrong means resubmitting.

Korea has no single "birth certificate" — plan for the document set

Foreign institutions (US visa processing, Canadian IRCC permanent residence, foreign university/hospital admissions) routinely ask for a "birth certificate," but Korea has no single document by that name — the function is split across the 기본증명서(상세) (basic certificate) and 가족관계증명서(상세) (family relation certificate), sometimes with 혼인관계증명서 (marriage relation certificate) or 이혼확인서 (divorce confirmation) added depending on the filing. We assemble and translate the correct set rather than translating one document a client assumed was equivalent.

What we translate and certify

• Family relation, birth, marriage, and divorce certificates (가족관계증명서, 혼인관계증명서 등)
• Resident registration records (주민등록등본/초본) for overseas submission — note that Gov24's free instant English translation of these is a machine/self-service version some foreign institutions (e.g. Japanese banks) reject outright, requiring a licensed translator's certificate instead
• Court judgments and rulings, including foreign divorce and civil judgments, and criminal-history documents (e.g. a prosecutorial non-indictment decision, 불기소결정서, for a US spousal-visa interview)
• Business registration certificates, corporate documents, and commercial contracts (e.g. a supply or distribution agreement submitted for a regulatory filing)
• Academic records, diplomas, and criminal background checks — including English-language diplomas from US/UK/Singapore universities, which still need a certificate for Korean government submission despite already being in English
• Medical diagnosis documents for overseas school enrollment, work-visa, or treatment purposes
• Audio transcription (녹취록) with an accompanying fact-confirmation certificate, for evidence in a dispute or investigation

Passport and ID true-copy certification (원본대조필) — a related, separate service

When an overseas bank, registrar, or immigration authority needs a certified copy of a passport or driver's license, Korean notarization law (공증인법) doesn't actually treat a government-issued ID as a notarizable document itself — a notary can only certify the holder's own declaration that the copy matches the original. A licensed 행정사's fact-confirmation certificate (사실확인증명서) directly certifies the copy against the original instead, which many overseas institutions accept more readily than a declaration-based notarization.

How certified translation works

1. Send a scan or clear photo of the original Korean document — no need to visit in person to start.
2. We confirm which document(s) the receiving institution actually needs (e.g. the correct birth-certificate-equivalent set) and translate them, attaching a signed translation verification certificate confirming accuracy.
3. Receive the certified translation in person or by courier, ready for submission to the receiving office.

Who typically needs this

Foreign nationals submitting Korean documents abroad for immigration, university, or bank use (including Canadian PR/IRCC and US visa applicants); Korean citizens submitting foreign judgments or certificates to a 구청 (district office) or family relation registry; and companies submitting Korean corporate documents or contracts to a foreign regulator, bank, or partner.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a translation without a verification certificate, which most government offices reject outright
• Assuming a free Gov24 machine-translated document is equivalent to a certified translation — some overseas institutions reject it
• Translating only one document when the receiving institution actually needs a Korean-specific document set (like the 기본증명서+가족관계증명서 combination standing in for a "birth certificate")
• Not confirming in advance whether the receiving office wants the certificate on the original or the apostilled document
• Assuming an English-language foreign diploma needs no certificate for Korean submission just because it's already in English

Turnaround

Most certified translations are completed within 1–3 business days; rush turnaround is available for time-sensitive filings.

Need the document apostilled as well? We also handle apostille agency filing for the same document — or if you're submitting a foreign court judgment, our divorce & marriage judgment translation service covers that specific process.