Every Question About
Certified Translation in NZ.

A certified translation is a translated document accompanied by a signed Certificate of Accuracy — a formal declaration from the translator confirming the translation is complete and accurate. NZ government agencies cannot verify the accuracy of foreign-language documents without a qualified, independent translator attesting to the content. INZ, DIA, NZQA, and NZ Courts all require certified translations for any document not originally in English.

A Certificate of Accuracy must include: the translator's full name and professional qualifications; a declaration that the translation is a true and accurate representation of the original; the translator's contact details; the date completed; and a certified copy of the original document attached. INZ specifically checks for all of these. A missing Certificate of Accuracy — or an incomplete one — results in the application being returned.

INZ requires translations from a qualified translator from a recognised private or official translation service. Translations cannot be produced by family members or friends, immigration advisers acting for the applicant, unqualified bilingual individuals, or machine/AI translation tools. Our translators are NZSTI-aligned and meet the standard INZ case officers are trained to check for.

No. INZ, DIA, and NZQA do not accept machine translations. All certified translations must be completed by a qualified human translator with a signed Certificate of Accuracy. AI-translated documents submitted to INZ will be rejected.

Certified: Translator's Certificate of Accuracy — required by INZ, DIA, NZQA. Sworn: Certified translation with translator's affirmation before a NZ JP — for NZ Court submissions. Notarised: Certified translation signed by a NZ Notary Public — for property transactions and formal legal filings. Apostilled: Certified translation plus DIA apostille certificate — for use in Hague Convention countries overseas.

Standard delivery is 3–5 working days. Express 24-hour service is available for urgent visa deadlines. Urgent 12-hour and same-day (by 6pm NZT) options are also available. Most single-page documents are completed in 1–2 days even on standard service. We work 7 days a week including weekends and most public holidays.

From $95 per document, GST-inclusive. Standard selective: $95. Express 24-hour: $149. Full translation: $120. Sworn and notarised: $249. Apostille: $275. We quote a fixed price before starting — no per-word additions or hidden charges.

Standard delivery is by email as a print-ready PDF. Physical hard copy posted by courier is available as an add-on. Notarised and apostilled translations always include hard copy delivery as the original physical document is required by the receiving authority.

Yes. All documents are handled under strict NZSTI confidentiality protocols. Only the assigned translator and one quality reviewer access your document. Files are permanently deleted after delivery. Formal NDAs are available on request for law firms and corporate clients.

We have not had a certified translation rejected by INZ or DIA in 12 years and 50,000+ documents. If a query is ever raised, we address it free of charge. Simply forward the INZ or DIA correspondence to us and we resolve it.

Certified translations are required for all non-English documents with: Skilled Migrant Category visa, Resident from Work visa, Partner and Family visas, Student visas, Work visas, and Resident visas. Update (May 2025): Visitor visa applications no longer require certified translations. All other visa categories still do.

The most common documents: birth certificates, marriage certificates, police clearance certificates (full translation required), academic transcripts, bank statements and financial evidence, employment contracts and references, divorce certificates, and death certificates for family applications.

Yes. For most visa applications, INZ accepts selective translations — covering name, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names, registration authority, and date of registration. Full translation is not required for most visa types. We confirm which format applies to your specific visa category before starting.

A clear scan or high-quality photograph is sufficient for most INZ applications. We produce the certified translation from your scan and attach a certified copy of the document image. You do not send the physical original for most visa applications.

Yes. If any part of your document is in a language other than English, INZ requires the entire document to be certified translated — including the English portions. The translation must be a complete representation of the original.

No. INZ explicitly states that immigration advisers cannot produce certified translations for their own clients. The translator must be entirely independent of the applicant.

For online INZ applications: upload the translation PDF directly to the Immigration Online portal with your application. For postal applications: include printed translations alongside the originals. The Certificate of Accuracy must be included — either on the same page as the translation or as a separate signed page attached to it.

INZ requires translations from a recognised private or official translation service — one that employs qualified, credentialled translators who are independent of the visa applicant. NZ Translations meets this standard. Our translators hold NZSTI-aligned credentials.

If INZ raises a query about a translation we produced, we resolve it free of charge. Forward the INZ correspondence to us. We address the specific issue — whether it is a missing credential, a format question, or a content query — and provide a corrected version if needed.

DIA typically requires certified translations of: birth certificate, marriage or civil union certificate (if relevant), divorce certificate (if applicable), name change certificate, and death certificate (for deceased parent applications).

Yes — this is the key difference from INZ. For NZ citizenship applications, DIA requires the certified translation to be produced from the original document, not a scan or photocopy. Our Certificate of Accuracy for DIA applications specifically notes this — the wording DIA case officers look for.

A selective translation covers only the fields the authority needs. DIA accepts selective translations for most personal documents — name, date and place of birth, parents' names, and registration details. We use DIA's own template format.

Not always. INZ accepts translations from scans; DIA requires translations from originals. If you translated a birth certificate from a scan for INZ, you may need a new translation from the original for DIA. Contact us and we advise whether your existing translation is suitable.

Most single-page personal documents are translated in 1–3 working days. If you have a DIA appointment or deadline, tell us when you contact us and we build the timeline around it.

Generally no — unless DIA has specifically requested a certified translation as part of your passport or citizenship application. If they have, we produce it to the exact format DIA requires.

We handle all calendar conversions: Islamic Hijri, Ethiopian, Nepali Bikram Sambat, Thai Buddhist Era, Persian Solar Hijri. Both the original date and the Gregorian equivalent are included with a clear conversion note. DIA needs the Gregorian date to match other identity documents.

Contact us and DIA directly. DIA has specific processes for applicants who cannot obtain original documents — including statutory declarations and alternative documentary evidence. We translate whatever documents you have and advise on what DIA may accept.

Yes. NZQA requires certified English translations of all academic documents not in English, including degree certificates, transcripts, diplomas, and academic records. Unlike INZ, NZQA requires full translations — every field must be translated including the grading scale, subject names, credit values, and institutional footnotes.

Degree and diploma certificates, full academic transcripts showing all subjects and grades, grading scale or academic legend documents, institutional accreditation certificates, school leaving certificates, and professional qualification certificates. We recommend translating the grading scale alongside your transcript.

No. NZQA requires full translations of academic documents — every field, subject, and institutional detail must be included. A selective translation covering only your name and qualification title will not be sufficient for a NZQA credential assessment.

Yes. NZQA requires translations from your original document — not a scan. If you do not have your original, contact your institution to request a certified copy. We can advise on this process.

All major NZ universities — University of Auckland, AUT, Victoria University Wellington, University of Canterbury, University of Otago, Massey, Waikato, and Lincoln — require certified translations of overseas academic records. We produce translations formatted for academic submission that these institutions accept.

Yes. These are some of our most common academic translation sources. Our academic translators have subject-matter expertise and translate course names accurately into NZ academic terminology equivalents — not word-for-word guesses.

Multi-page academic transcripts typically take 3–5 working days on standard service. Express 24-hour is available. If you have a NZQA submission or university enrolment deadline, tell us and we confirm whether your timeline is achievable before you order.

Contact us with the rejection notice. NZQA sometimes requests additional information or a specific format change. We review the rejection reason and produce a corrected or supplementary translation free of charge if the issue is with our original work.

Three ways: (1) Upload via our secure order form on this website. (2) Send a photo or PDF to WhatsApp: +64 27 267 5539. (3) Email: info@nztranslations.co.nz. A clear phone photo in good light is sufficient for most documents. Physical originals are only needed for DIA citizenship and NZQA submissions.

Within 30 minutes (7 days a week), we: review the document, confirm the correct translation type for your authority, and send a fixed price quote with an exact delivery date. You confirm and pay, we assign the document to the right translator, and deliver by the confirmed date.

JPG, JPEG, PNG, PDF, DOC, and DOCX. All text, stamps, and handwriting must be clearly readable. If a document is too damaged or unclear to translate accurately, we will tell you before accepting the order.

Standard (from $95): 3–5 working days — most single-page documents are completed in 1–2 days in practice. Express (from $149): within 24 hours of payment and document receipt. Urgent (from $199): within 12 hours, available 7 days a week. Same-day: by 6pm NZT — WhatsApp us first to confirm availability.

Standard delivery is by email as a print-ready PDF. Physical hard copy by courier is available as an add-on. Notarised and apostilled translations always include hard copy courier delivery.

Yes. We work 7 days a week. Express and urgent services are available on Saturdays, Sundays, and most NZ public holidays. WhatsApp is the fastest way to reach us outside business hours.

Once translation work has begun, a full refund is not possible as the translator's time is committed. If you need to cancel before work begins, contact us immediately via WhatsApp. If there is a quality issue with the completed translation, we fix it free of charge — no exceptions.

Contact us immediately via WhatsApp. If your deadline has moved forward, we do our best to expedite — we can often upgrade to express or urgent service even after an order has started.

We price per document — not per word. A birth certificate, marriage certificate, or police clearance is one document priced from $95. Multi-page documents (academic transcripts, legal contracts, medical records) are priced per page. We always quote the total fixed price before starting.

Yes. All prices include GST. There are no additional taxes or charges added to your invoice. What we quote is what you pay.

Yes. If you need three or more documents translated together — for example, a birth certificate, police certificate, and marriage certificate for a skilled migrant visa — we offer package pricing. Contact us with the full document list and we provide a combined quote.

Bank transfer (NZ bank accounts), credit card, and debit card. Payment is required before translation work begins. For returning clients and law firms with regular volume, invoice-based billing can be arranged.

Yes. Express (24-hour) is from $149 per document. Urgent 12-hour is from $199. Same-day is priced on enquiry. The premium reflects the translator being available outside standard hours and prioritising your document above the queue.

Yes. Send your document via the order form, WhatsApp, or email and we provide a fixed quote within 30 minutes at no obligation. You only pay when you confirm you want to proceed.

Yes. A GST tax invoice is provided for every order. If you need an invoice in a specific business name or with a purchase order reference, advise us when placing your order.

No. There is no minimum order. A single-page birth certificate is $95. We translate single documents just as readily as multi-document packages.

Notarisation is where a NZ Notary Public witnesses and certifies the translation. Required for: some NZ Court submissions, property transactions involving overseas documents, formal legal filings, and some international document uses. Not required for standard INZ visa applications — a certified translation with Certificate of Accuracy is sufficient for INZ.

An apostille is an international certificate issued by NZ's Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) under the 1961 Hague Convention. It makes a NZ document legally recognised in all 86 Hague-signatory countries — including Australia, UK, USA, India, Philippines, UAE, Germany, France, and most of Europe and South America.

Apostille: for 86 Hague Convention countries — issued by DIA, faster and simpler. Legalisation: for non-Hague countries (China mainland, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and others) — requires notarisation plus submission to the relevant embassy or consulate in NZ. We handle both processes.

DIA processes apostille applications within 3–5 working days. Combined with translation time, the full process typically takes 7–10 working days. We manage the DIA application on your behalf — you do not need to visit DIA.

India is a Hague Convention member. You need the NZ birth certificate with a Hague Apostille from DIA. If the NZ birth certificate also needs translation into the local language, we provide the translation and arrange the apostille. We manage both steps.

Yes. Some international uses require both — certified translation, then notarisation, then apostille from DIA. We coordinate all three steps sequentially. Contact us with your destination country and purpose.

Countries not in the Hague Convention include China (mainland), some UAE purposes, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. This list changes as countries join the Convention. Contact us with your specific destination country for current requirements.

Yes. We submit the apostille application to DIA on your behalf and coordinate the full process. You receive the apostilled document by courier once DIA processes it. You do not need to visit any government office.

We translate from and into 160+ languages. Most common for NZ immigration: Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Punjabi, Tagalog/Filipino, Korean, Samoan, Tongan, Arabic, Japanese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Amharic, Bengali, Nepali, Urdu, Sinhala, Thai, French, German, Russian, and Afrikaans. WhatsApp us if your language is not listed.

Yes. We handle Islamic Hijri, Thai Buddhist Era (BE), Nepali Bikram Sambat, Ethiopian calendar, and Persian Solar Hijri. Both the original date and the Gregorian equivalent are included in the translation with a clear conversion note — which INZ needs to match dates on your passport.

Yes. INZ requires full translation of police clearances — every field, stamp, and seal must be translated with explanatory notes. We regularly translate NBI (Philippines), ACPO/state police (India), PSB (China), Korean National Police, and all other formats from countries whose citizens commonly apply for NZ visas.

Yes. We translate full academic transcripts including all subjects, grades, credit values, and the grading scale. Our academic translators have subject-matter expertise and translate course names into accurate NZ academic terminology equivalents.

Yes. We translate contracts, court orders, affidavits, statutory declarations, power of attorney documents, and property deeds. Sworn translations with a Translator's Affirmation before a NZ JP are available for NZ Court submissions. Notarised and apostilled translations are also available.

Yes. We translate medical records, discharge summaries, specialist referrals, pathology reports, and clinical documents. Our medical translators have healthcare backgrounds and translate clinical terminology accurately. ACC, NZ hospitals, and NZ medical boards accept our medical translations.

All stamps, official seals, and handwritten annotations are included in the translation with explanatory descriptions — e.g. [Official Seal: Civil Registry of Maharashtra, India]. This is required by INZ for police certificates and court documents. Documents with illegible handwriting are flagged before translation begins.

Yes. We translate foreign driver licences for NZTA conversion via the AA. NZTA-accepted certified translations are delivered electronically and can be printed for your AA visit. Most driver licence translations are completed within 24 hours even on standard service.

Yes — these are our most common source countries. We have deep expertise in Philippine PSA certificates (including annotated documents), Indian state civil registration certificates from all 28 states, Chinese PRC hukou and civil registry documents, Korean family relationship and basic certificates, and Samoan and Tongan civil registry and church-issued documents.