Planning to work with business partners from another country? Or do you need to translate important documents like Letters of Intent?
That’s a sign you need sworn translation services. From legal documents to various official papers, sworn translators help ensure clear communication and smooth international events.

Sworn translators are language experts who offer accurate, real-time translation services. They can translate all types of documents precisely and officially. Interested in hiring one? Let’s explore what sworn translators do—and how they differ from non-sworn translators.

What Is a Sworn Translator?

Simply put, a sworn translator is a certified linguist who has passed a series of professional translation exams with a minimum score of 80.
They are then certified by the Indonesian Translators Association and officially sworn in by the Governor of Jakarta.
Only after this process are they allowed to open sworn translation services.

Thanks to this strict process, their translations are guaranteed to be accurate.
Clients can trust that the translated document reflects the original content precisely.

So what’s the difference between sworn and non-sworn translators?
It’s not just the certification from the government or the Translator Association.
The key difference lies in the types of documents they handle.

Sworn translators usually work with documents related to legal affairs.
However, they may also handle films, books, or articles in foreign languages.

On the other hand, non-sworn translators generally handle non-legal documents.
While their skills may not be officially certified, many of them work on film subtitles, book translations, and various projects.

Which one should you choose? It depends on your needs and budget.
But for anything related to legal documentation, it’s best to choose a sworn translator to ensure accuracy and credibility.

Benefits of Using a Sworn Translator

Curious about the advantages of sworn translators?
Here’s what you can expect:

1. Fast Document Translation

There are many translation tools out there, but none can guarantee the accuracy or credibility that sworn translators provide.

Hiring a sworn translator ensures your documents are translated accurately and quickly.
Some can even complete urgent jobs within hours—and not just in English, but in multiple languages.

3. Able to Adapt to Language Evolution

It’s important to understand that language evolves rapidly. New terms continue to emerge, whether they are local expressions or adopted from foreign languages. This applies not only to Indonesian, but also to many other languages around the world.

Sworn translators have a strong understanding and a rich vocabulary that has been adapted to modern developments. This means hiring a sworn translator is an ideal choice — they are well-versed and experienced in translating official documents or accompanying you on your travels.

4. Guaranteed

By using a sworn translator service, you don’t have to worry about data miscommunication — especially when dealing with important information such as legal documents and similar materials. The translation results from sworn translators are guaranteed in quality and reliability.

Moreover, sworn translators provide service guarantees or after-sales support. Their aim is to prove that the services they offer meet expectations. This ensures customers receive the best and most satisfying results. The documents will be considered more credible in the eyes of the law and other regulations.

5. More Accurate with Faster Results

Sworn translators don’t just work quickly — they also provide highly accurate translations. This is especially important for foreign language documents with complex terminology. A sworn translator ensures that legal documents in a foreign language are translated clearly and structurally.

As we know, the accuracy of legal documents is critical. Documents translated from Indonesian into another language (or vice versa) are often used for various important purposes, such as immigration regulations, ID cards, scholarship applications, business proposals, and more.

This level of accuracy can lead to positive impacts in various areas. For example: smooth overseas travel without communication barriers, successful international events, approved legal documents, and many other benefits.

How to Find This Service

Finding a sworn translator is not difficult. Many service providers promote their offerings through social media ads or other online platforms.
However, not all of them deliver good quality. In fact, there are fraudulent sworn translators who do not hold certifications from the Association of Indonesian Translators.

To avoid making the wrong choice, here are several tips on how to find a reliable and certified sworn translator:

1. Through Official Websites

In today’s rapidly advancing digital era, almost all translation service providers use websites to promote their services. These websites help customers find sworn translation services more easily through search engines like Google.

Finding them is very simple. Just type “sworn translator service” into the search engine, and with one click, many websites offering sworn translator services will appear. Each site will have different services and prices.

But don’t choose blindly. Just because a website appears at the top of the search results doesn’t necessarily mean it is credible. Be sure to check for the following key elements before deciding:

a.   Official Permit

The first thing to check is their license. Do they have an official permit to operate as sworn translator service providers? Legitimate sworn translators will always have a license issued by the Association of Indonesian Translators. If not, it may indicate a fake provider.

Experience also plays a crucial role in quality. The more experienced a sworn translator is, the more reliable their work will be. Look for translators with significant experience, not just in one language, but across multiple languages if needed.

b. Years of Experience

The more experience a translator has in handling complex multilingual documents, the more credible and higher quality they are. Carefully evaluate this before making a decision.

c. Additional Services

Pay attention to what’s included. Choose sworn translators who offer useful extras like free consultation, document revisions, service warranties, or other valuable add-ons. The more additional services they provide, the better the quality tends to be.

d.   Reasonable Pricing

Sworn translators typically have standard price ranges you can refer to. Don’t be tempted by prices far below market rates—they could be a red flag for illegitimate services.

e.   Client Testimonials

Never skip checking client reviews. More positive testimonials often indicate better service quality. On the other hand, if a translator has mostly negative reviews, their credibility should be questioned.

Also read: How Much Does It Cost to Rent an Interpreter? Why Should You Rent One?

2. Searching on Social Media

Not all sworn translation services have physical offices or official websites. Many providers also promote their services via social media accounts. Finding sworn translation services through social media can be useful for quickly checking the authenticity of their services—including permits, pricing, service details, and customer testimonials.

3. Searching via Recommendations

If you don’t feel comfortable searching online, you can also look for sworn translators through recommendations. These may come from friends, family, or colleagues—even from your university or current workplace.

Searching based on recommendations is considered safer, especially since you get input from people with direct experience. This can be the best solution for those who are new to the field but want to find trustworthy providers.

Since online searches—while convenient—carry higher risk, recommendations are often the better alternative.

Characteristics of a Legitimate Sworn Translator

The high demand for translation services has led some fake translators to offer unofficial services. To help you identify legitimate and credible sworn translators, here are some key characteristics to look for:

1. Professional Website Appearance

A credible translator’s website will have a neat, structured layout—covering profiles, services, catalogs, and blog pages. These websites often use branded domain names and secure hosting, matching their professional branding. One clear indicator is the presence of a CTA (call to action) button that allows visitors to contact an admin quickly. These buttons help customers get fast, accurate information.

2. Reasonable Pricing

Sworn translators are generally more expensive than non-sworn translators, but the price is still considered affordable. The standard rate for sworn translators typically ranges from IDR 100,000 to IDR 150,000 per page. If the price offered is far outside that range, it could be a red flag.

3. Complete Portfolio

Credible sworn translators will have a complete portfolio of past translation projects. These portfolios can often be found in their printed company profile or on their website.

4. Certification of Expertise

Before hiring a sworn translator, make sure to verify their certification. Only translators who are officially certified can be considered sworn. The certificate should be issued by the Indonesian Translators Association and approved by the Governor.

5. Positive Testimonials

These testimonials are usually available on the translator’s website or social media marketing channels. However, if you want real proof, you can directly ask previous customers who have used their services.

Conclusion

Sworn translators are the solution for translating various texts or important documents related to legal matters. Therefore, sworn translators must have a business license and hold various certifications issued by the Governor and the Indonesian Translators Association.

BahasaGlobal.com has met all the requirements to operate as a sworn translation service and has over 17 years of experience. Additionally, BahasaGlobal.com has obtained ISO 9001:2015 certification for International Quality Management Standards.

So, there is no need to hesitate when using the services of BahasaGlobal.com. Contact the BahasaGlobal.com team to discuss your translation needs.