Key Takeaways
- A certified translation means the translation provider translates the document themselves and issues a signed certificate of translation; they do not certify someone else's translation.
- If an apostille, state seal or other attachments are on the document, translate them too so the recipient sees a complete English record.
- Upload every page at the start (front, back, apostille, seals, stickers, handwritten notes) and tell the provider who will receive the translation so the quote, certificate and format meet the recipient's requirements.
- Certified translation is different from credential evaluation: translation provides an English version with a certificate of accuracy, while evaluation determines U.S. equivalency; many applicants need both in the correct order.
- Rush delivery options are available; in the example a three-page certified translation (including apostille and seal pages) was delivered about 17 hours after payment, within the promised 24-hour window.
On the first morning of September, a New York customer called us about his Mexican professional title, the university degree document known in Mexico as a título profesional. He needed it in English for a university. He mentioned that it was already translated and only needed to be certified, and that the back carried an apostille and a state seal. Our consultant explained how certified translation works and recommended translating the apostille pages too. He paid that morning, and the complete certified translation, covering the full three-page document, was in his inbox before dawn the next day, about 17 hours later.
Key Takeaways
- A certified translation is prepared and certified by the translation provider; we translate the document ourselves rather than certifying someone else’s translation.
- If an apostille or seal is attached to your document, translate it too, so the receiving office sees a complete English record.
- Mexican professional titles can carry state seals and apostille pages on the back.
- A one-page quote can grow once attachments are included, so upload every page from the start.
- Tell us who will receive the translation, so the certificate and format fit their needs.
The Situation
The customer had one page in mind: the front of his professional title. On the call he explained that he already had a translation and only needed it certified. He also asked a practical question. The back of the document carried an apostille from Mexico and a state seal. Did those need to be translated too? Questions like these come up often in our diploma translation work. Explore our diploma translation services for details.
Two Clarifications That Shaped the Order
What certified translation means
Our consultant explained that for a certified translation, our team translates the document and then certifies that translation with a signed certificate of translation. We certify our own work, which is what allows the certificate to state that the translation is complete and accurate.
Why the apostille gets translated
The document would be presented to a university, so our consultant recommended translating everything he would be presenting. An apostille and a state seal are part of the official record attached to the title. If they stay in Spanish, the reader sees an English diploma with untranslated official pages behind it. He uploaded the apostille and seal pages, and the document to translate grew from one page to three.
Delivered Overnight
He paid at about 10 AM. The certified translation of all three pages, with a signed certificate of translation, was delivered at about 3:30 AM the next day, well inside the 24-hour window we had promised. His reply: “Thank you, the translated document has been received.”
What Is an Apostille, and Why Translate It?
An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document, such as a university title, so it can be used in another country that is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Mexico and the United States are both parties. The apostille confirms the signature and seal on the document; it does not translate the document. That is why the apostille page itself, written in Spanish, needs an English translation when the full document is presented in the United States. Learn more from the HCCH Apostille Section. Explore our certified document translation process for details.
Certified Translation vs. Credential Evaluation
These two services are often confused. A certified translation turns the document into English and includes a signed certificate stating that the translation is complete and accurate. A credential evaluation is a separate service in which an evaluation agency, or the institution itself, compares a foreign degree with U.S. education, for example to decide whether a título profesional is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Many applicants need both: the translation first, then the evaluation. Check which one your university or licensing board requires, and whether the evaluator accepts outside translations or wants documents sent in a particular way. If you are not sure where to start, ask the admissions office which evaluation services it recognizes and what its translation rules are; those two answers tell you what to order and in what sequence.
Mexican Academic Documents You May Need to Translate
Depending on the institution, you may be asked for more than the degree itself:
- Título profesional: the degree title awarded at the end of a professional program
- Cédula profesional: the professional license issued through Mexico’s Secretaría de Educación Pública
- Certificado de estudios: the official record of courses and grades
- Kárdex: the academic record many Mexican universities issue
- Acta de examen profesional: the record of the final professional exam
Translating related documents in one order keeps your name, the university’s name and program titles consistent across the set.
Checklist for Diplomas and Academic Titles
- Upload every page: front, back, apostille, seals, stickers and handwritten notes.
- Tell us who will receive the translation: a university, a licensing board or an employer.
- Share the English spelling of your name as it appears on your passport.
- Ask whether the institution also needs transcripts translated, or a credential evaluation.
- Leave equivalency decisions, such as whether a title equals a U.S. bachelor’s degree, to the institution or a credential evaluator.
Why Names Must Match Across Every Document
University and licensing files often combine several documents: a passport, a degree, transcripts and sometimes a professional license. If your name appears one way on your passport and another way in a translated diploma, an admissions office may ask questions. Mexican documents usually show two surnames, paternal and maternal, so decide with your translator how your name should appear, matching your passport, and keep it identical in every translation.
What Your Certified Diploma Translation Includes
- A complete English translation of every page you submit, including apostille and seal pages
- Degree titles and program names rendered as they appear, without added equivalencies
- A signed certificate of translation stating that the translation is complete and accurate
- Optional notarization and hard copies when an institution asks for them
Timeline Tips for Admissions Deadlines
- Start from the document list the admissions office gives you, not from the translation.
- Upload every page of every document at once, so one quote covers the whole set.
- Leave time for a credential evaluation after the translation, if one is required.
- Check whether the university wants documents sent directly from the translator or evaluator, or uploaded by you.
- Keep the digital copy of your certified translation for online application portals, and order hard copies only if they are requested.
Diploma Translation for New Yorkers
Our human translators translate diplomas, professional titles, transcripts and certificates from Spanish and more than 100 other languages, with signed certificates of translation and notarization when an institution asks for it. Learn more about our Spanish translation services in New York, or read how we handled a consulate’s same-page request for a notarized Turkish translation. Explore our translating personal documents for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to translate the apostille on my diploma?
If the apostille is attached to the document you are presenting, translating it is the safer choice. The apostille is part of the official record, and a reader who does not know Spanish cannot check what it says. In this story, we translated the apostille and state seal pages along with the Mexican professional title, so he had a complete English version to present to the university.
Can you certify a translation I already made?
We certify translations that our own team prepares. A certificate of translation states that the translation is complete and accurate, so our translator translates the document and then signs that statement. If you already have an earlier translation, the certified version will still be our own translation of the original document, prepared from a clear scan.
What is a título profesional?
In Mexico, the título profesional is the official document awarded when a student completes a professional degree program, often a licenciatura. It is commonly presented to universities, licensing boards and employers abroad. Because it may carry a state seal and an apostille, the whole document, front and back, should be translated when it is submitted in English.
How fast can you translate a diploma for a university application?
Same-day delivery is available for single-page certificates, and rush delivery within 2–24 hours can be arranged. In this story, a three-page set was delivered about 17 hours after payment, inside a 24-hour promise. Send every page along with your deadline, and we will confirm the timeline in your quote. Explore our complete and accurate document translation for details.
Do universities require notarized diploma translations?
Requirements vary. Many institutions ask for a certified translation, while some also ask for notarization or for documents sent directly from a translation provider or evaluator. Check the admissions or credential evaluation instructions and tell us what they say; we can add notarization and mail hard copies when needed.
Do you translate Mexican transcripts and other academic records?
Yes. We translate Mexican diplomas, professional titles, transcripts, certificates of studies and related apostilles, as well as academic records from many other countries. Each certified translation includes a signed certificate of translation. Upload all the pages you plan to submit so we can quote the complete set at once.
Applying With a Degree From Abroad?
Upload every page of your diploma, including the back, and tell us where it is going. 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.
