Guide
Certified, notarised, apostilled: what your bank actually needs
Three words that get used interchangeably — and priced very differently. Here is what each one is, and how to find out which one your file actually requires.
Three different things
Faithful translation + signed certificate of accuracy
The translator delivers the translation with a signed statement identifying the document and standing behind the accuracy of the work. This is what most bank submissions need — and the certificate is included on request.
Notarised translation
A notary's certification attached to the translation. In Israel this runs on a statutory fee scale — from roughly ₪600 per document under the 2026 tariff — and adds days to the process.
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 notarisation.
What 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 notarised route, and occasionally an apostille on top. That demand usually arrives in writing, with specific wording.
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 notarised-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 tell you what it calls for, and where a notary or apostille is genuinely required we'll advise on the steps.
Common questions
Is a notarised translation more accurate?
Not necessarily. Notarisation 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?
Portugal has no Israeli-style "sworn translator" regime — certification there is done 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 advise on the steps.
What does your certificate of accuracy contain?
A signed statement identifying the source document and the translation, and attesting that the translation is complete and faithful to the original. It is included on request with any document we translate.
Not sure what your bank needs?
Print-ready PDF · handled in confidence · a few days for most jobs