Legal dictionary · Area 14 of 17

Notarial, Apostille & Certification — EN · ES · IT.

31 terms from Notarial, Apostille & Certification, each with its Spanish and Italian equivalent and a plain-language definition. Open any term for its own page.

This is the vocabulary of getting a document accepted abroad. A certified translation in the U.S. sense (translator's signed statement of accuracy and competence, as USCIS requires) is not a Spanish traducción jurada or an Italian traduzione asseverata, which are sworn before a public authority; an apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention replaces consular legalización/legalizzazione only between member states; a copia certificada/copia conforme is not the same as a notarised signature. Knowing which of these a given authority actually wants saves clients weeks.

Notary / Civil-law notary

ENNotary / Civil-law notary — A public officer who authenticates legal documents.
ESEscribano público / Notario
ITNotaio

Notarial deed / Public instrument

ENNotarial deed / Public instrument — A document executed and certified by a notary.
ESEscritura pública
ITAtto pubblico / Atto notarile

Private deed / Instrument

ENPrivate deed / Instrument — A document made by parties without a notary.
ESInstrumento privado
ITScrittura privata

Authentication / Certification

ENAuthentication / Certification — Official confirmation that a document is genuine.
ESAutenticación / Certificación
ITAutentica / Autenticazione

Certified copy

ENCertified copy — A copy officially confirmed to match the original.
ESCopia certificada / fiel
ITCopia conforme / autentica

Notarization

ENNotarization — A notary's certification of signatures or documents.
ESProtocolización / Certificación notarial
ITAutenticazione notarile

Apostille

ENApostille — An international certificate authenticating a public document.
ESApostilla
ITApostille / Postilla

Legalization

ENLegalization — Official confirmation of a document for use abroad.
ESLegalización
ITLegalizzazione

Sworn translation

ENSworn translation — A certified translation valid for official use.
ESTraducción pública / jurada
ITTraduzione giurata / asseverata

Certification of translation

ENCertification of translation — Official confirmation of a translation's accuracy.
ESLegalización de la traducción
ITAsseverazione

Power of attorney

ENPower of attorney — A document authorising one to act for another.
ESPoder
ITProcura

General power of attorney

ENGeneral power of attorney — Broad authority to act in another's name.
ESPoder general
ITProcura generale

Special power of attorney

ENSpecial power of attorney — Authority limited to specified acts.
ESPoder especial
ITProcura speciale

Affidavit / Sworn statement

ENAffidavit / Sworn statement — A written statement confirmed by oath.
ESDeclaración jurada / Afidávit
ITDichiarazione giurata

Statutory declaration

ENStatutory declaration — A formal declaration made under law instead of oath.
ESDeclaración jurada (sustitutiva)
ITDichiarazione sostitutiva

Commissioner of oaths

ENCommissioner of oaths — An officer authorised to administer oaths.
ESComisionado para tomar juramentos
ITFunzionario abilitato a ricevere giuramenti

Acknowledgment

ENAcknowledgment — Confirmation that a signature is one's own.
ESReconocimiento de firma
ITRiconoscimento di firma

Witnessing (signature)

ENWitnessing (signature) — Confirming the signing of a document.
ESCertificación de firma
ITAutentica di firma

Protocol / Notarial register

ENProtocol / Notarial register — The notary's official register of deeds.
ESProtocolo notarial
ITRepertorio / Protocollo notarile

Original document

ENOriginal document — The primary, authoritative version of a document.
ESOriginal / Matriz
ITOriginale

Authentic copy / Engrossment

ENAuthentic copy / Engrossment — An official issued copy of a notarial deed.
ESTestimonio / Primera copia
ITCopia autentica esecutiva

Seal / Stamp

ENSeal / Stamp — An official mark validating a document.
ESSello
ITSigillo / Timbro

Registration of documents

ENRegistration of documents — Recording a document in a public register.
ESInscripción / Registro de documentos
ITRegistrazione di atti

Verification of identity

ENVerification of identity — Confirming the identity of a signatory.
ESVerificación de identidad
ITVerifica dell'identità

Validity / Legal effect

ENValidity / Legal effect — The condition of being legally binding and effective.
ESValidez / Eficacia
ITValidità / Efficacia

Public registry

ENPublic registry — An official register open for public record.
ESRegistro público
ITPubblico registro

Certified true copy

ENCertified true copy — A copy formally attested to match the original.
ESCopia fiel certificada
ITCopia autenticata conforme

Endorsement (document)

ENEndorsement (document) — An official signature or note validating a document.
ESRefrenda / Visado
ITVidimazione / Vistato

Wet signature

ENWet signature — A handwritten, original ink signature.
ESFirma ológrafa / manuscrita
ITFirma autografa

Digital signature

ENDigital signature — A cryptographically secured electronic signature.
ESFirma digital
ITFirma digitale

Electronic signature

ENElectronic signature — An electronic indication of intent to sign.
ESFirma electrónica
ITFirma elettronica

This page is for general orientation only. It is not legal advice and does not substitute for advice from licensed counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Terminology varies between countries and between civil-law and common-law systems; the equivalents shown here are the most common in cross-border practice.

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