8 min readReal Story: A Walk-In at Our Midtown Office: Eight French University Records, Translated and Notarized

In January, a customer walked into our office at 224 W 35th St with a stack of French-language university records: transcripts (relevés de notes) and certificates of success (attestations de réussite) from bachelor’s-level and master’s-level study. There were eight files in all, several with blurred words. She paid at the office by check, received certified English translations by email the following Monday, and arranged to pick up the notarized hard copies in person. Her message when the set was ready: “Awesome, thank you so much!”

Key Takeaways

• You can bring your documents to our Midtown office; our team uploads them, reviews them and prepares a quote within minutes.
• Multi-document academic sets are easier to manage when they are translated together, in one order.
• Blurred scans slow things down, so bring originals or the clearest copies you have.
• Double-check the email address on your order so delivery notices reach you.
• Hard copies can be collected in person at a time you choose.

The Situation

She arrived with eight French academic documents: transcripts covering several years of study, and certificates of success at the bachelor’s (Licence) and master’s levels. Our intake team uploaded the files, logged the pages and word counts, and noted that several pages had blurred words that would need careful reading. Within minutes she had a quote, paid by check at the office, and the order was set for delivery by 5 PM the following Monday. Our French translation services cover academic, legal and personal records like these. Explore our french translation services services for details.

How We Handled It

Careful work on blurred pages

Our French translator worked through all eight documents, including the pages where words were blurred, and prepared a certified English translation of each one.

A bounced email, caught and fixed

On Monday the translations were sent, but the first delivery email bounced because the email address on the order had an error in it. Our team caught the failure notice, corrected the address and resent the files shortly after.

Notarized and ready midweek

After her review, the certificates of translation were notarized, and the set was ready by midweek. Her reply: “Awesome, thank you so much!”

Pickup on her schedule

She asked to collect the hard copies the following Tuesday at 1 PM. Our team confirmed the time and sent the address, and she replied: “Thank you and see you tomorrow.” Explore our certified document translation for details.

The Result

Eight French university records, translated into English with signed, notarized certificates of translation and prepared for pickup at our Midtown office at a time that suited her. Learn more about diploma and transcript translation.

How French University Records Are Organized

French higher education is organized in levels. The Licence is a three-year undergraduate degree, with the years often written L1, L2 and L3; the Master adds two more years, often written M1 and M2. Grades are usually given on a 20-point scale, and a diploma may carry a mention such as assez bien, bien or très bien. The main documents are:

• Relevé de notes: the transcript of courses and grades for a semester or a year
• Attestation de réussite: a certificate confirming that a year or degree was passed, often issued before the diploma itself
• Diplôme: the degree certificate

Universities in many other French-speaking countries use similar documents, so the same care applies to records from outside France. Grandes écoles, such as engineering and business schools, issue their own diplomas and transcripts, which follow the same logic but may name years and grades differently.

Should Grades Be Converted in a Translation?

No. A certified translation reproduces grades exactly as they appear, such as 14/20, rather than converting them to a U.S. GPA. Conversion is a judgment for the university or a credential evaluator, who applies their own scales. If an institution asks for a converted grade, ask whether it expects that from a credential evaluation service rather than from the translator. The same principle applies to honors and class rankings: they are translated as written, not upgraded or reinterpreted.

Other Academic Documents We Translate

French transcripts and certificates are only part of what students and graduates bring us. We also translate: Explore our translating personal documents for details.

• Diplomas and degree certificates
• Grade reports and transcripts from every level of study
• Course descriptions and syllabi for credit transfer
• Enrollment and graduation certificates
• Recommendation letters and school correspondence

Whatever the document, the certified translation keeps course titles, grades and degree names exactly as they appear on the original.

Walking In? What to Bring

• Your original documents, or clear copies of every page, including backs and stamps.
• A list of names as they appear on your passport.
• The name of the institution or evaluator receiving the translations, and any instructions they gave you.
• Your email address, written clearly, so delivery notices reach you.
• A note of any deadline, such as an application or evaluation date.
• Your preferred payment method; we accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, Square, wire transfer and checks.

Walk In or Order Online?

Both routes end with the same certified translation, so choose the one that fits your day. Walking in makes sense when you have paper originals that need scanning, when you prefer to pay by check in person, or when you work near Midtown. Ordering online is usually quicker to start, since you can upload photos from anywhere and approve the translation on your phone. Either way, hard copies can be collected at our office or mailed to you. If you are unsure which route suits your documents, call first: our team can tell you whether a photo is clear enough to work from or whether scanning the original at our office would help.

What to Expect at Pickup

Pickups are arranged in advance so your documents are ready when you arrive. In this story, the customer chose a Tuesday at 1 PM, and our team confirmed the time and sent the address the day before. When you come in, take a moment to check the documents before you leave, including names, dates and the number of pages, so any question can be settled on the spot.

Finding Our Office in Midtown Manhattan

Vanan Services is at 224 W 35th St #1200-8, New York, NY 10001, on the 12th floor, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. We are a short walk from Penn Station, Herald Square and the 34th Street subway stations, and about ten minutes on foot from the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The 1, 2 and 3 trains stop at 34th Street–Penn Station on Seventh Avenue, the A, C and E stop at 34th Street–Penn Station on Eighth Avenue, and the B, D, F, M, N, Q, R and W stop at 34th Street–Herald Square. Call 1-800-230-7918 before you come if you would like to confirm the best time to stop by. Explore our professional document translation services for details.

See our Midtown Manhattan translation services and notarized translation in New York, or read about a customer whose Mexican professional title and apostille were translated overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I walk into your office with my documents?

Yes. Customers do bring documents to our Midtown office, as in this story, and our team can review them and prepare a quote while you are there. Calling ahead at 1-800-230-7918 helps us make sure the right person is available. For pickups, tell us your arrival time so your documents are ready when you arrive.

Do you translate French transcripts and diplomas?

Yes. We translate French transcripts (relevés de notes), diplomas, certificates of success (attestations de réussite) and other academic records into English with human translators. Each certified translation includes a signed certificate of translation, and notarization can be added when a school, employer or evaluator asks for it.

Should I translate all my academic documents at once?

Usually, yes. Translating a full set together keeps course titles, grading terms and degree names consistent from one document to the next, and it gives you a single delivery date. In this story, eight transcripts and certificates were translated, notarized and prepared for pickup as one order.

Do universities or evaluators need notarized translations?

Some do and some do not. Many institutions accept certified translations, while others also ask for notarization or have their own submission rules. Check the instructions from the school or credential evaluator, and tell us what they require when you order so we can prepare the right format. Explore our academic translation services for details.

Can I pay by check?

Yes. In this story, the customer paid by check at our office. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, Square, wire transfer and checks. Your order starts once payment is confirmed, and your quote shows the delivery timeline so you know when to expect your translations.

What if my scans are blurry?

Bring the originals or the clearest copies you have. Blurred words take longer to read and can raise questions, so better scans mean faster, cleaner results. If parts of a page are unclear, our team flags them and may ask you to confirm a word, name or number before the translation is finalized.

Visit Us or Order Online

Walk in with your documents, or upload them online for a free quote. Get a free quote or call 1-800-230-7918. Vanan Services has served customers since 2009 and is rated 4.9 stars from 970+ Google reviews.

This story is based on a real Vanan Services order. Names, dates and other identifying details have been removed to protect our customer’s privacy.