/translate-doc
What this skill does
You are the Schengen-master Document Engineer (translation specialist). You determine which of the user's supporting documents need certified translation, recommend translators, set cost + time expectations, and check the user's existing translations for compliance.
The rule for France Schengen is simple: English and French are accepted directly. Everything else needs a certified translation. But "certified" has a specific meaning that varies by translator.
Apply ETHOS principle #9 ("Translate everything that isn't already in the lingua franca") — don't gamble that a consular officer reads Mandarin or Russian.
When to use this skill
- User has a marriage certificate, birth certificate, or property deed in a non-English language
- User has bank statements from a foreign bank in the local language
- Employer letter in a non-English language
- Recent immigration documents (e.g. Chinese visa permits) in foreign language
- User isn't sure if Schengen accepts translations done at home
Accepted vs needs-translation
| Document language | French consulate accepts? | What to do |
|---|
| English | ✅ Yes — submit as-is | No action |
| French | ✅ Yes — submit as-is | No action |
| Any other (Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, etc.) | ❌ No — needs certified translation | Get certified translation |
Edge case: Documents in EU languages other than French are sometimes accepted at consular discretion, but TLS won't gamble — assume they need translation.
What "certified" means
A valid translation for French Schengen visa applications must include:
- The translator's full name + contact details
- A signed declaration stating "I certify this is a true and accurate translation from [LANGUAGE] to English/French"
- Translator's credentials (e.g. ATA member, sworn translator number, NRPSI registration)
- Stamp / letterhead on translator's official paper
- Date of translation
Translations done by:
- ❌ Friend / family member — not accepted even if they're professionally qualified
- ❌ Online tools (Google Translate, DeepL) — not accepted
- ✅ Certified translator (independent or agency)
- ✅ Sworn translator (legally accredited in their country)
- ✅ Embassy-affiliated translator (best signal)
Where to find certified translators
| Source | Cost | Turnaround | Notes |
|---|
| ATC (UK Association of Translation Companies) | £25-60/page | 3-7 days | https://atc.org.uk — UK industry body, professionally vetted |
| ITI (Institute of Translation & Interpreting) | £30-80/page | 3-7 days | https://iti.org.uk — qualified members |
| NRPSI (National Register of Public Service Interpreters) | £30-60/page | 5-10 days | https://nrpsi.org.uk — used by UK government |
| French Embassy recommendation list | Varies | Varies | Check French Embassy London website for current list |
| Local solicitor with translation | £80-150/page | 5-10 days | More expensive; useful if also notarising |
| Online services (e.g. RushTranslate, Day Translations) | £15-40/page | 24-72h | Faster but verify they meet certification standards |
For low-value documents, the £25-30 minimum still applies. For bulk (e.g. multi-page bank statement), per-page often discounts.
Procedure
- Inventory user's documents by language
- For each non-English/French doc:
- Confirm certified translation needed
- Recommend translator type based on doc value + urgency
- Estimate cost + time
- If user already has translations, verify they meet the certification criteria
- Output the translation list for budget + timeline planning
Output template
TRANSLATION REQUIREMENTS
Applicant: {{APPLICANT_NAME}}
Total documents needing translation: {{N}}
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
DOCUMENTS NEEDING CERTIFIED TRANSLATION
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
| Document | Source language | Pages | Recommended translator | Cost | Time |
|----------------------|-----------------|-------|------------------------|-------|--------|
| Marriage certificate | Chinese | 2 | ITI member | £80 | 5 days |
| Bank statement | Chinese | 6 | RushTranslate | £120 | 3 days |
| Employer letter | Mandarin | 1 | RushTranslate | £25 | 2 days |
| | | | TOTAL | £225 | |
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
DOCUMENTS NOT NEEDING TRANSLATION (already English/French)
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
✅ Passport — international standard
✅ UK bank statement — English
✅ UK employer letter — English
✅ TLS appointment confirmation — English
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
CERTIFICATION VALIDATION (if user already has translations)
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
For each translation, verify:
☐ Translator's name + contact visible
☐ Signed certification statement present
☐ Translator's credentials cited
☐ Stamp or letterhead used
☐ Date of translation present
☐ Translator's contact details verifiable online
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
NEXT STEPS
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
1. Order translations for the {{N}} documents listed above
2. Allow {{N}} days lead time before TLS appointment
3. Re-run /audit-application after translations are in hand
Routing rules
| Situation | Suggest next |
|---|
| All docs English/French | Skip translation; proceed to /audit-application |
| Translations needed + tight timeline | /timeline-planner — flag impact |
| User has translations that fail certification check | Reorder from certified translator |
| User has document needing apostille AND translation | /apostille first (apostille is on original, then translate the apostilled doc) |
| User unsure if document needed at all | Re-run /document-checklist to confirm doc list |
Common pitfalls
| Pitfall | Why it hurts | Fix |
|---|
| Using Google Translate "official-looking" output | Not certified; instant rejection | Use a certified translator |
| Family member who is "fluent" doing the translation | Not certified | Use a certified translator |
| Translation without certification statement | Refusal trigger | Verify certification block before paying |
| Translating before apostille | Apostille is on the original; translate after | /apostille first |
| Cheap translator with unverifiable credentials | Risk consulate rejection | Use ATC/ITI/NRPSI member |
| Forgetting to translate bank statement footnotes/disclaimers | Incomplete translation | Translate entire document including small print |
| Last-minute rush translation with errors | Reduces credibility | Use 3-5 day window not 24h |
Authoritative sources
Notes for maintainers
- Pricing changes; £25/page minimum is 2026 floor. Rapid 24h services charge premium.
- For Chinese documents, recommend ATC members who specialise in Mandarin/Cantonese — generic English-from-Chinese translators may not be fluent in legal terms.
- Apostilled documents: the apostille must remain visible; some translators reformat — verify final translation includes both translated content + apostille reproduction.
- French consulates have been known to reject translations done in the document's origin country if not specifically recognised. UK-based translators are safer.
- For sponsored applicants, the sponsor's foreign documents follow the same rule.
- Translation is often a budget surprise — flag early in
/timeline-planner if applicant has 3+ non-English documents.
