You are here because you have been asked to provide a certified translation to an organisation (such as a university, court, medical provider and ...) that has a different official language to that of your documents.
A certified translation, also known as official translation is one which satisfies the requirements in the country of destination, enabling it to be used in formal procedures, with the translator accepting responsibility for its accuracy. These requirements vary widely from country to country. While some countries allow only state-appointed translators to produce such translations, others will accept those carried out by any competent bilingual individual. Between these two extremes are countries where a certified translation can be carried out by any professional translator with the correct credentials (which may include membership of specific translation associations or the holding of certain qualifications).
English speaking countries such as the UK, the USA, Australia and New Zealand fall on the more relaxed end of the spectrum, and simply require certified translations to include a statement made by the translator attesting to its accuracy, along with the date, the translator's credentials and contact details. This is the type of certification that is required by UK government bodies such as the Home Office and the UK border agency as well as by universities and most foreign embassies.