Certified vs Notarized vs Sworn Translation Guide
If you have ever ordered a translation of a Vietnamese document for a visa, a university or a court, you have probably met four confusing labels: certified, notarized, sworn, and, in Vietnam, cong chung. They sound interchangeable, but they are not, and choosing the wrong one is one of the quietest reasons a strong application is delayed or returned. This guide explains the real difference between a certified vs notarized translation, where a sworn translation fits in, what Vietnamese cong chung actually certifies, and which one the authority in front of you will accept.
💡 TL;DR: A certified translation is a complete, accurate translation carrying the translator's signed statement of accuracy. A notarized translation only adds a notary who confirms the translator's identity, not the quality. A sworn translation is produced by a court-appointed translator in civil-law countries such as France, Spain and Germany. Vietnamese cong chung certifies the translator's signature inside Vietnam and is not automatically accepted abroad. For the United States (USCIS) you need a certified translation, with no notary.
- Certified means a signed statement of accuracy from the translator. USCIS requires exactly this under 8 CFR 103.2, with no notarization.
- Notarized adds a notary public who verifies the translator's identity and signature, not the accuracy of the translation.
- Sworn translations exist in civil-law countries such as France, Spain and Germany; the US, UK, Canada and Australia have no register of sworn translators.
- Vietnamese cong chung (Decree 23/2015) certifies the translator's signature for use inside Vietnam and is not the same as a foreign certified translation.
- I provide a certified translation plus a signed certificate of accuracy, format-mirrored, for an indicative 25–60 USD per page in 1 to 2 business days.
The four labels, side by side
The confusion is understandable, because all four words point at the same goal: making a foreign authority trust a translated document. The difference is who attests to what. A certified translation puts the responsibility on the translator. A notarized translation adds a notary who checks identity, not language. A sworn translation relies on a translator the state has already vetted and registered. Vietnamese cong chung is a domestic procedure where an official certifies the translator's signature. Read the table once and the rest of this guide will make sense.
| Type | Who attests | What is guaranteed | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified translation | The translator or agency | The translation is complete and accurate | USCIS, courts and universities (US, UK, common-law) |
| Notarized translation | A notary public | The translator's identity and signature, not accuracy | Bodies that specifically demand a notary stamp |
| Sworn translation | A court or government-appointed sworn translator | Legal validity through the translator's official status | France, Spain, Germany and much of the EU |
| Vietnamese cong chung | The Justice Office or a notary office | The translator's signature, under Decree 23/2015 | Use inside Vietnam |
What a certified translation really is
A certified translation is the workhorse of the English-speaking world. It is a complete, faithful translation accompanied by a signed certificate of accuracy: a short statement in which the translator declares that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate between the two languages. The US rule is explicit. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any foreign-language document filed with USCIS must come with a full English translation that the translator has certified as complete and accurate, plus the translator's certification that they are competent to translate. That is the entire requirement. As I set out in my guide to the USCIS certified translation rules, no notary and no government seal is involved.
Two practical points follow. First, certification is about the document, not a person's title: in the US there is no licence called "certified translator", so any competent translator (or agency) can certify, and credentials such as American Translators Association membership are a quality signal, not a legal requirement. Second, a compliant certified translation is format-mirrored: stamps, seals, tables and signature lines from the Vietnamese original are reproduced or clearly labelled so an officer can compare the two pages at a glance. This is exactly the kind of certified translation I prepare and sign for USCIS, universities and courts.
What notarization adds, and what it does not
A notarized translation is a certified translation with one extra step: the translator signs the certificate of accuracy in front of a notary public, who then stamps it. The crucial thing to understand is what the notary is confirming. The notary verifies the identity and signature of the person signing. The notary does not read the translation, does not speak Vietnamese, and does not vouch for a single word of it. Notarization is a procedural layer, not a quality layer.
So when do you actually need it? Only when the receiving body asks for it in writing, which some local registrars, a few schools and certain courts do. For US immigration you do not: paying for notarization that USCIS never requested adds cost and a trip to the notary for no benefit. The honest rule is simple. If the instructions say "certified", a signed certificate of accuracy is enough. If they say "notarized", you add the notary. Do not assume the second is a safer version of the first.
Sworn translation: the civil-law system
A sworn translation belongs to a different legal tradition. In most of continental Europe and many civil-law countries, a translator must be examined, vetted and formally sworn in before a court before their translations carry legal weight. Only a translator on the official register may produce them, and the translation is stamped with the sworn translator's personal seal and registration number.
- France: a traducteur assermente is appointed by a Court of Appeal (Cour d'appel) and listed on a national register.
- Spain: a traductor jurado is authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC).
- Germany: translators are sworn in by a Regional Court (Landgericht).
The key takeaway for anyone holding Vietnamese papers: the US, the UK, Canada and Australia have no system of sworn translators. They use a certified translation instead, sometimes reinforced by an affidavit (Canada) or a national credential (Australia). Australia's NAATI credential is the closest analogue: it is a recognised standard a translator can hold, but it is a certification body, not a court oath. If your destination is a French, Spanish or German court or registry, you genuinely need a locally sworn translator, and I will tell you so rather than sell you a document that will not be accepted.
Vietnamese cong chung and chung thuc chu ky nguoi dich
Inside Vietnam, the everyday phrase is dich thuat cong chung, and it covers two related procedures. The most common is chung thuc chu ky nguoi dich (certifying the translator's signature), handled by the district Justice Office (Phong Tu phap) under Decree 23/2015/ND-CP. The translator must hold at least a bachelor's degree in the relevant foreign language, register as a collaborator with a sample signature on file, and remains personally responsible for the content. The official then certifies that the signature on the translation is genuinely that registered translator's. The second route is cong chung ban dich at a notary office, where a notary public attaches the certification.
Here is the point that trips people up: Vietnamese cong chung is a domestic certification, written in Vietnamese, designed for use with Vietnamese authorities. It proves a signature inside Vietnam. It is not the same thing as a US-style certified translation, and a Vietnamese notary stamp does not, by itself, satisfy USCIS, IRCC or a foreign university, all of which want an English certificate of accuracy. This is the single most expensive misunderstanding in the field, so it deserves its own section below.
Which one do you actually need?
Match the translation to the destination, not the other way around. The table below maps the most common targets for Vietnamese documents. For the United States, a plain certified translation is enough; for Canada, the translation travels with the translator's affidavit, which I cover in detail in my guide to certified Vietnamese translation for Canada (IRCC).
| Destination | What they require | Notary needed? |
|---|---|---|
| United States (USCIS) | Certified translation with a statement of accuracy | No |
| Canada (IRCC) | Translation plus the translator's affidavit | Affidavit, not a notary stamp |
| Australia (visa) | NAATI-certified translation preferred | No, a NAATI credential instead |
| France, Spain, Germany | Sworn translation by a registered translator | Built into the sworn translator's seal |
| Inside Vietnam | Cong chung or chung thuc ban dich | Yes, at a notary or Justice Office |
The most expensive mistake: assuming cong chung equals certified abroad
The pattern repeats every month. An applicant gets their birth certificate or diploma translated and cong chung at home in Vietnam, assumes the notary stamp is a universal seal of approval, and submits it to USCIS or a university abroad. The file comes back, because the reviewer cannot read a Vietnamese certification and the document lacks the English statement of accuracy they actually require. The applicant then pays a second time for a proper certified translation, having lost weeks. The fix is to decide the destination first, then order the matching type. If the document is for the US, you want a certified English translation from the start, the same standard I apply to a Vietnamese birth certificate or diploma translation. Cong chung is correct for use in Vietnam; it is not a shortcut to a foreign-ready document.
What I provide, cost and turnaround
To be completely clear about my role: I am the translator who produces an accurate, format-mirrored translation and signs the certificate of accuracy. That certified translation is accepted on its own by USCIS and, with the translator's affidavit, by Canada's IRCC. I am not the notary: if your receiving body specifically wants notarization or Vietnamese cong chung, that step is done by your notary office or a partner, not by me, and for the US it is not needed at all. I am also not a court-appointed sworn translator and I do not claim NAATI certification, so if your destination is a European court or an Australian visa that specifically requires those, I will say so plainly. Indicative pricing is below, and you can compare it against my full Vietnamese translation cost guide.
| Service | Indicative cost | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Vietnamese translation (per page) | 25–60 USD | 1 to 2 business days |
| Rush (same or next day) | Page rate plus a surcharge | Same or next day |
| Notarization or cong chung | Local notary fee | Varies by office |
FAQ
Is a certified translation the same as a notarized translation?
No. A certified translation is a signed statement from the translator confirming the translation is complete and accurate. A notarized translation only adds a notary public who verifies the translator's identity and signature, not the accuracy of the translation. USCIS and most US courts ask for certified, not notarized, so you rarely need the extra notary step for immigration.
Does USCIS require a notarized or sworn translation?
No. USCIS requires only a certified translation under 8 CFR 103.2: a complete, accurate English translation with the translator's signed certification that they are competent. Notarization is not required, and the United States has no system of sworn translators, so a certified Vietnamese translation with a statement of accuracy is sufficient.
Is a Vietnamese cong chung translation accepted abroad?
Not automatically. Cong chung, under Decree 23/2015, certifies the translator's signature for use inside Vietnam and is written in Vietnamese. Foreign authorities such as USCIS or a university want an English certificate of accuracy, so a Vietnamese notarized translation often has to be redone as a proper certified translation before it is accepted.
Do I need a sworn translator for my Vietnamese documents?
Only if your destination is a civil-law country that keeps a register of sworn translators, such as France, Spain or Germany. For the United States, the UK, Canada or Australia you need a certified translation instead, or a NAATI-credentialled one for Australian visas. Always match the type to the receiving authority before you order.
How much does a certified Vietnamese translation cost and how long does it take?
A certified Vietnamese translation typically costs about 25 to 60 USD per page and takes 1 to 2 business days for standard civil documents, with same-day or next-day rush options available. Notarization, if your authority asks for it, is a separate local fee handled by a notary office and is not usually needed for US filings.
Source: 8 CFR 103.2 (US Code of Federal Regulations, translation requirement).
About the author
I am Dao Huy (Lucas), a professional translator working across English, Vietnamese, Chinese and French, with more than seven years in medical, legal, financial and academic translation. Sorting out which kind of certification a document needs, certified, notarized, sworn or Vietnamese cong chung, is part of my daily work, and getting that decision right is what keeps an application moving instead of bouncing back.
If you need certified Vietnamese translation for an immigration file, or professional Vietnamese translation and multilingual localization more broadly, I offer English to Vietnamese, Chinese to Vietnamese and French to Vietnamese services and would be glad to help. Get a quote here and I will tell you exactly which type your documents need and prepare it correctly the first time.
Written by Dao Huy (Lucas), Vietnamese translator & localization specialist (EN · ZH · FR → Vietnamese). See translation services → · Certified Documents →