This is the most requested act and the quickest of them all. It is settled while you wait, provided the original comes with the copy and the identification is still in date. A certified copy is then accepted anywhere the original would be required.
What is covered
Certified photocopies
A copy checked against the original, with a certificate that makes it accepted where the original would be required, without having to hand the original over.
Partial certification
Certifying an extract, where only part of the document matters and there is no reason to disclose the rest.
Certified translation
Certification of the translation of foreign documents, with the Hague apostille where the country of origin requires it.
Verifying the act
Every certification is filed in an official electronic archive, which whoever receives it can check online from the act number.
What to bring
These acts are done on the spot when the documents come complete. If one is missing, the act waits until it arrives.
- The original of the document to be copied
- Valid photo identification, still in date
- The translation, where the document is a foreign one
This page describes the practice in general terms. Every case turns on its own facts and on the stage it has reached, so nothing here replaces looking at the file itself.