Not all translation agencies are bad; in fact, there are some very good professional companies that maintain high standards. However, there are a number of things that you should be aware of if you consider using a translation agency:
- Potential Quality Issues
Most translation agencies do not have a dedicated in-house team and engage freelance translators on a project-by-project basis. When recruiting freelancers for a project, some agencies neglect to duly verify the translators’ qualifications and may end up selecting people who are not fit for the job.
Although certain translation agencies would still certify documents translated by such non-qualified individuals, the poor quality of the translated text will ultimately make it unusable for the designated purpose and may lead to the document being disregarded by the relevant UK authority and potentially weakening your case.
- Potential Confidentiality Breach
Being an established translator, I am often approached by translation agencies willing to contract me for a project. In my experience, it is not uncommon to receive a mass email (probably sent to hundreds of other translators) with a job request, which includes an entire set of client documents, including the client’s name, address, passport details and family history along with every detail of the legal dispute they are involved in. While this is undoubtedly a gross breach of client confidentiality and should not – and absolutely does not – happen in reputable firms (such as Gherson), these situations are still fairly common, and clients should beware of being potentially exposed in this way when working with certain translation agencies.
In conclusion, it is important to emphasise that whether you have engaged Gherson to assist you with a regular visa application or to represent you in connection to a complex legal matter, you should be rest assured that your information will be handled with due care and in strict confidentiality, and that your documents will be translated accurately and in line with the highest professional standards.