Guide
Certified, notarized or apostilled: what your bank actually needs
"Certified," "notarized" and "sworn" get used interchangeably — and priced very differently. For most European bank submissions of Israeli documents, a faithful translation with a signed certificate of accuracy is what's required; a notarized translation or an apostille is a further, separate step, and only when the bank asks for it in writing. Here is what each term means and how to match the one your file actually needs.
The three (or four) things people mean
Certified translation (certificate of accuracy)
A faithful, complete translation delivered with a signed statement that identifies the document and stands behind the accuracy of the work. This is what most European bank submissions of Israeli documents need — and the certificate is included on request.
Notarized translation
A notary's certification attached to the translation. Under Israel's Notaries Law, a notary may certify that a translation is correct only where the notary is fluent in both languages; otherwise what is issued is a certification of the translator's signed declaration rather than of the translation itself. The fee is set by regulation rather than by the notary: a statutory scale updated each January, which in 2026 runs from ₪251 plus VAT (about ₪296) for the first 100 words and rises with the length of the document, so most documents come to several hundred shekels — and it adds days to the process. For Hebrew and English, many Israeli notaries are fluent in both and certify the translation directly — at the statutory fee, which rises with the document's length. (British English spells it "notarised"; American banks and forms write "notarized.")
Sworn translation
A translation signed by a court-authorized "sworn translator." Israel has no sworn-translator register, and neither does Portugal — where another country uses that system, the equivalent here is a certified or notarized translation. Ask the receiving institution which it will accept.
Apostille
Not a translation service at all: an authentication stamp under the Hague Convention, added when the receiving institution demands the full chain. It comes after notarization.
What European banks actually ask for
Most European bank submissions run on the translation itself: the reviewer wants a document they can read and verify, and a signed certificate of accuracy answers the question of who stands behind it. Portuguese banks generally accept income documents in English.
Stricter banks — or the notaries handling the deed itself — sometimes require the notarized route, and occasionally an apostille on top. That demand usually arrives in writing, with specific wording, so you can match it exactly.
Which document are you translating?
Whichever certification your bank asks for, the translation underneath it has to be faithful to the original and accurate to the digit. See how we handle the documents banks request most:
The practical playbook
Don't buy the expensive version just in case. Ask the bank exactly what it requires, in writing, and match it — the gap between a certificate of accuracy and a notarized-and-apostilled bundle is hundreds of shekels per document and days of waiting.
If the requirement is unclear, forward us the bank's wording together with the documents. We'll match the translation to it exactly, and where a notary or apostille is genuinely required we'll set out the steps.
Common questions
Do I need a notarized or certified translation for a European bank?
For most European bank submissions, a certified translation — a faithful translation with a signed certificate of accuracy — is enough, and Portuguese banks generally accept income documents in English. A notarized translation or an apostille is needed only when the bank or a notary asks for it in writing. Match what you're told, and don't pay for the heavier route just in case.
What is a certificate of accuracy?
A signed statement identifying the source document and the translation, and attesting that the translation is true, complete and accurate. It is included on request with any document we translate, and it is what most bank files rely on.
Is a notarized translation more accurate than a certified one?
No. Notarization changes who formally attests to the translation — the work itself still has to be accurate and faithful, and that is true on either route.
Does Portugal require a sworn translation?
Neither Israel nor Portugal has a sworn-translator register — in Portugal, certification is handled through lawyers and notaries. For most bank files an English translation with a certificate of accuracy is what is submitted; where Portuguese certification or an apostille is demanded, we'll set out the steps.
Is it "notarized" or "notarised"?
Both spellings mean the same thing: "notarized" is American English and "notarised" is British. A bank's own forms may use either, and it makes no difference to the document a notary produces.
Not sure what your bank needs?
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