Which company documents are assessed together?
Files for international business partnerships, opening a bank account, supplier registration, tenders or setting up a company may require several corporate documents. Examples include the certificate of activity, the trade registry record, the incorporation or amendment announcement, the signature circular and the tax certificate. Not every procedure requires the same document list; the date of issue and the scope of a document matter as much as its name.
Sharing a company’s documents as a single project makes it easier to connect the records. Documents issued in different years may show an old trade name, an old address or a representative who has since changed. In the translation, this information is not rewritten as if it were current. An authorised person at your company should decide which document belongs to the valid application file.
What should you check for each document type?
| Document | What to look at in the initial review |
|---|---|
| Certificate of activity | Issuing body, date and activity details |
| Registry record or announcement | Company trade name, registration number and related changes |
| Signature circular | Authorised person, capacity of representation and completeness of the document |
| Tax certificate | Trade name, tax details and the period on the document |
| Power of attorney | Scope of the authority granted and additional pages |
Do not guess how recent a document has to be to count as “current”. The bank, company or official authority requesting the file may set a specific date range. A newly prepared translation does not turn an old certificate of activity into a newly issued one. If necessary, first obtain a current copy of the source document.
How are trade names, abbreviations and amounts handled?
A trade name is not a marketing slogan; its form in the source record must be respected. If your company uses an official name in international correspondence, send it as a reference. Company types such as “A.Ş.” or “Ltd. Şti.” should not be equated with a legal company form in another country. How a term is rendered is assessed according to the purpose and context of the document.
Capital amounts, shareholding ratios, dates and article references may look minor, but they can affect the substance of the file. Full stops and commas mean different things in different number formats. Currencies are not converted; the amount in the source document is kept. This is why it matters that all tables are legible before translation.
Before you send the corporate file
- Get the current list from the institution requesting the documents.
- State which legal entity of the company the procedure is for.
- File the valid document versions, attachments and reverse sides.
- Write the target language, country, certification and copy requirements.
- Name the person responsible for the procedure and the person who will give internal approval.
If only a certain part of a very large trade registry announcement is required, that scope should be stated clearly. Rather than quietly removing unrelated pages, mark where the relevant entry is. If the receiving institution has guidance on accepting a full document or a partial translation, share that as well.
Ask what the quote includes
Translation, bilingual layout, printouts, copies and official certification are not the same item. Sharing the documents in one go lets the full scope be seen. New company documents added later or changes in the target country’s requirements can affect the timeline and the cost. By sending the document list to Universe Tercüme, you can request a quote that fits the actual delivery needs of your project.
Frequently asked questions
Is a new translation of an old certificate of activity enough?
The receiving institution decides which issue date it will accept. A new translation does not change the date or validity of the source document.
Can we replace the company’s trade name with our English brand name?
The official record and the marketing name may differ. Rather than changing the source document, any official international name and the institution’s requirement should be considered as references.
Can we send documents for several of our companies in the same file?
You can; however, separate each legal entity’s documents into their own folders or with clear file names. The price and delivery scope can then be clarified for each company.
Do all company documents require an apostille?
That assumption is not correct. The same procedure should not be planned for the whole file without assessing the country, the institution, the document type and the required chain of certification.
This guide is for general information. Confirm the document and certification requirements for your application with the relevant institution, and include the current list of requirements in your translation request.