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Certified document translation in Nepal is the act of converting a document from one language into another and having that translation legally vouched for by a Notary Public. Under Sec. 19(b) of the Notary Public Act 2063 (2006), translation is one of the three core notarial functions, and the procedure is set out in Rule 18 of the Notary Public Rules 2063. We translate citizenship, marriage, education, court and business records every working day for embassy submissions, foreign universities, visa centres, courts, banks and overseas employment.
Quick answer: If a foreign embassy, university or visa centre has asked you for a "certified translation" or "official translation" of your Nepali document, what they want is a translation that has been signed by a translator under oath of accuracy and attested by a Notary Public. The notary directly translation-attests Nepali↔English; for any other language we use the translator-affidavit chain — same notarial seal, same legal weight, accepted by every embassy in Kathmandu.
The two-tier translation model — the most important thing to understand
Nepal's notarial translation regime has two distinct tiers, and the right tier depends on the language pair:
Tier 1 — Nepali ↔ English (direct notary translation)
For Nepali-to-English and English-to-Nepali translation, a licensed Notary Public who has cleared the Council's translator examination under Rule 7 of the Notary Public Rules 2063 can directly translation-attest the document. The translation, the source language, and the attestation all sit on a single notarial output. This is the fastest, cleanest route for the most common language pair.
Tier 2 — Other languages (translator-affidavit chain)
For Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, French, German, Spanish, Russian — and any other language outside the Council's translator-exam scope — the workflow is two-step. A professional translator competent in the language pair prepares the translation and signs a translator's affidavit of accuracy; our notary then attests that affidavit under Sec. 19. The destination authority sees a chain of trust: translator vouches for accuracy, notary vouches for the translator's signature.
Either tier produces a notarised translation that is accepted by embassies, visa centres, foreign universities, banks and courts. The legal weight is identical; the procedure differs because the Council's translator-examination policy adopted under Rule 7(2) currently recognises Nepali↔English only for direct notary translation.
Languages we translate (in-house and via partner translators)
Direct notary attestation
- Nepali → English
- English → Nepali
- (Council-recognised pair under Rule 7)
European languages (chain)
- French, German, Spanish
- Italian, Portuguese, Russian
- Greek, Serbian, Turkish
- Hebrew (Israel bound)
- (All via translator-affidavit chain)
Middle Eastern
- Arabic (Gulf employment)
- Persian / Farsi
- Turkish
- Hebrew
- (Common for migrant-worker contracts)
Localisation pairs
- Bilingual deeds (Nepali + foreign target)
- Three-way contracts (Nepali + English + target)
- Subtitles and creative content
- Marketing collateral
- Web localisation
Don't see your pair?
WhatsApp the source document and the destination country. If we have a Council-listed or court-recognised translator for that language, we'll quote the translator-affidavit chain on the spot. If not, we'll tell you straight rather than waste your time.
Documents we translate every week
Civil & family records
- Birth certificate (Ward Office issued)
- Marriage certificate / divorce decree
- Citizenship certificate (front + back)
- Migration / relationship (nata) certificate
- Death certificate (for inheritance / NRN matters)
Education
- SEE / +2 / Bachelor / Master mark sheets
- Character certificates
- Migration / equivalence / MOI letters
- Provisional and degree certificates
- University transcripts and grading scales
Court & legal
- Court orders, decrees and judgments
- Affidavits and sworn statements
- Plaints, written statements and rejoinders
- Power of Attorney bilingual versions
- Police reports and FIR copies
Business & finance
- Company registration (OCR) certificates
- PAN, VAT, IRD tax-clearance certificates
- Audit reports and balance sheets
- Bank statements and salary certificates
- Contracts, MoUs, NDAs
Property
- Land ownership (Lalpurja) extracts
- Sale / gift / partition deeds (rajinama)
- Property tax receipts
- Building permit documents
- Tenancy and lease agreements
Employment & visa
- Employment / experience letters
- Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
- NOCs for foreign deployment
- Source-of-funds documents
- Sponsor and financial-support records
Translation fees — what the law caps
Translation fees in Nepal are not free-market. Rule 20 of the Notary Public Rules 2063 sets per-page ceilings depending on document type:
| Document category | Rule 20 ceiling | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship / land / birth / death / marriage records | Per-paper cap (Rule 20) | Citizenship, Lalpurja extract, birth/death/marriage certificates, ward records |
| Legal documents, court decisions, corporate statutes | Per-page cap (Rule 20) | Court orders, judgments, company AOA/MOA, contracts |
| Other papers, recommendation letters | Per-paper cap (Rule 20) | Character letters, employment letters, NOCs |
Translator's labour for non-Nepali↔English pairs is separate from the statutory notarial cap — that's the professional translator's fee, quoted before the work starts based on word count and turnaround. WhatsApp the document and we'll send the full breakdown (translator fee + Rule 20 cap + courier if needed) before any work begins.
Why translations get rejected — and how we avoid it
Wrong tier used
A "Korean translation" stamped only by a Nepal notary directly is not legally valid — Korean is not in the Council's Rule-7 scope, so the notary cannot directly attest the translation. The destination authority detects it and rejects. We use the right tier (translator's affidavit + notary attestation) for every non-Nepali↔English pair.
Source document not seen
Rule 18 requires the notary to have the source document at the time of attesting the translation. A translation done from a low-resolution screenshot fails. We always work from the original or a clean certified copy, and reference the source explicitly in the attestation.
Names transliterated inconsistently
"Suresh" on the citizenship and "Suresha" on the translation will get the visa rejected. We standardise transliteration to match the applicant's passport — every time, without fail.
Wrong layout / format
Some embassies want the translation on a separate sheet stapled to the source; others want the original side by side; some need the translator's CV attached. We follow the destination's exact layout convention.
Untranslated stamps
Embassy clerks reject translations where the issuing authority's seal is left in Devanagari (or vice versa). We translate every stamp, signature line, photograph caption and watermark, marking each with [Stamp: …] or [Signature: …] so nothing is silently dropped.
Translator-affidavit missing
For Tier-2 chains, some agents forget the translator's affidavit and just hand over a translation + notary stamp. The destination authority cannot verify the translator's competence. We always attach the translator's affidavit naming their qualifications and language pair.
Walk-in or fully online — pick what suits you
1. Walk in to our office
You bring the source. Anamnagar, central Kathmandu — open Sun–Fri. Bring your originals (or clean photocopies for documents you can't part with) and the destination details. For Nepali↔English, the translation is drafted, attested and out the door in 30–60 minutes. For other languages, we coordinate with the partner translator and turn around within the same business day for routine items.
2. Online — anywhere in the world
Send scans, get certified PDF back. WhatsApp clear scans of the source document(s) and tell us the language pair and destination. We translate, attach the translator's affidavit (where needed) and notary attestation, email the certified PDF, and courier the wet-ink hard copy where the destination authority requires it. Nepali↔English pairs same day; other languages 1–2 working days for routine documents.
Certified translation vs Translator-only vs MoFA-attested chain
| Output | What it carries | Accepted by | Notary involved? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Translator-only translation | Translator's signature only | Internal use, low-stakes correspondence | No |
| Notary-certified translation (Tier 1) | Translation + notary's translation-attestation seal | Most domestic uses, Nepali↔English embassy use | Yes — directly under Rule 18 |
| Translator-affidavit chain (Tier 2) | Translation + translator's sworn affidavit + notary's signature attestation | Embassies in Kathmandu for any language | Yes — attesting the translator's signature |
| Full consular legalisation chain | Above + MoFA + destination embassy seals | Foreign authorities abroad | Yes — first step in the chain |
The legalisation chain — translations used abroad
| Step | Office | What it confirms | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Notarised translation | Licensed Notary Public Nepal | Translation accuracy (Tier 1) or translator's identity (Tier 2) | Our Anamnagar office |
| 2. Line-ministry attestation (sometimes) | Ministry of Education / Home / Industry as relevant | Authenticity of the originating record | Singha Durbar / ministry HQ |
| 3. MoFA consular attestation | Department of Consular Services, MoFA | Authenticity of the notary's seal | Department of Consular Services, Tripureshwor, Kathmandu |
| 4. Embassy legalisation | Embassy of the destination country | Acceptance for use in that country | That country's embassy in Kathmandu |
Important: Nepal is not a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, so there is no apostille route for Nepali-issued translations. The consular chain above is the alternative — see our explainer on the alternative-to-apostille route.
Internal links — services that often go with translation
- Legal documents notarization — the parent service.
- Affidavits and sworn statements — translator's affidavit is a special application of the affidavit form.
- True-copy certification — pair certified Nepali source + certified translation for embassy bundles.
- Document legalisation — for translations leaving Nepal.
- Multilingual translation — bulk / multi-language enterprise jobs.
Our notary office in Kathmandu
Notary Nepal — Anamnagar office
Reach us directly
Send your translation now — reply within 15 minutes
Working hours promise: WhatsApp scans of your source document and tell us the language pair and destination. We respond inside 15 minutes with the page count, the Rule 20 cap, the translator-fee quote (for non-Nepali↔English pairs), and any layout requirements the embassy will check. Routine Nepali↔English jobs are translated, attested and emailed back the same business day; other languages take 1–2 days for routine items. Visa appointment tomorrow morning? Embassy slot this afternoon? Say so up front — message us on WhatsApp now.