NAATI Translations in Australia: Your Questions Answered

Looking for a reliable NAATI translator in Australia? Whether you need a Macedonian birth certificate translated for a citizenship application, a Croatian marriage certificate for a Croatian citizenship or an Albanian driver’s licence translated for a rental car company, choosing a properly credentialed translator matters.

At Balkan Translations, we specialise in 12 languages: Albanian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Greek, Hungarian, Macedonian, Montenegrin, Romanian, Serbian, Slovenian and Turkish.

Below, we explain how to verify a translator’s NAATI credentials, where certified translations are commonly required in Australia, and what to expect regarding turnaround times and delivery.

1. Are Your Translators NAATI Certified, and How Can I Verify Their Credentials?

Balkan Translations works exclusively with NAATI-credentialed translators. We do not use uncredentialed translators. The full names and NAATI Certified Practitioner Numbers (CPNs) of our translators are published on our website, allowing customers to independently verify their professional credentials before ordering a translation.

NAATI stands for the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters, Australia’s national standards and certification body for translators and interpreters.

A NAATI Certified Translator has demonstrated their translation competency through NAATI’s assessment system. For languages where certification testing is unavailable, NAATI may offer a Recognised Practising Translator credential instead. These credentials are different, so the exact credential and language direction should always be checked. However, both Certified Translators and Recognised Practising Translator’s can produce Certified Translations with a NAATI stamp on there.

How do I check whether a NAATI translator is legitimate?

Every currently certified NAATI translator has a unique CPN or NAATI Practitioner ID, which can be checked through NAATI’s official verification website.

Verify a translator’s CPN directly with NAATI

You should check that the translator’s credential is current and covers the required language direction, such as Serbian into English or English into Turkish.

You can also independently verify Balkan Translations as an Australian business on the Australian Business Register by searching our ABN which is 68 527 044 747.

Meet our NAATI translation team

We believe customers should know who is responsible for translating their documents. Below are the details of our translation practitioners, which you can use to verify their qualifications before ordering.

2. Will My Translation Be Accepted by Australian Government Authorities, Courts and Car Rental Companies?

For official use in Australia, NAATI translations are the recognised standard for documents issued in another language. Australian government departments, courts, licensing authorities and registries regularly require translations prepared by NAATI-credentialed practitioners. Our team of NAATI translators prepares documents for these purposes throughout Australia, with each translator’s name and practitioner number available for independent verification on our website.

Here are some real examples of where our customers may need professional translations.

Victoria – Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

The Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) requires supporting documents not written in English to be translated. For applicants in Australia, the translations must be completed by a NAATI-accredited translator.

For example, a customer may require a Turkish marriage certificate, Greek birth certificate or Romanian name change document translated into English for a Victorian BDM application.

Read BDM Victoria’s translation requirements here

New South Wales – Courts and Tribunals

Customers involved in legal proceedings in Sydney or elsewhere in NSW may need translations of foreign-language court decisions, contracts, Powers of Attorney or other supporting documents.

For example, a Serbian court judgment (presuda), Croatian inheritance decision (rješenje o nasljeđivanju) or Macedonian Power of Attorney (полномошно) may require an English translation for legal proceedings.

The NSW Courts and Tribunals website confirms that parties needing document translations can arrange an accredited independent translator. Specific filing and evidentiary requirements should be checked with the relevant court or legal representative.

Read the NSW Courts and Tribunals translation requirements here

Western Australia – Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure

The Western Australian Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI) may require an approved English translation when transferring an overseas driver’s licence.

For example, someone moving to Perth with a Hungarian driver’s licence (vezetői engedély), Bulgarian driver’s licence (свидетелство за управление на МПС) or Romanian driver’s licence (permis de conducere) may need a translation, depending on the licence format and applicable transfer requirements.

The Department specifies which translator credentials and translation sources it accepts, so these requirements should be checked before applying.

Read the Western Australia guidance on overseas driver’s licence transfers

Queensland – Driver’s Licences and Rental Cars

Visitors to Brisbane, the Gold Coast or Cairns sometimes require translations of an Albanian driver’s licence (leje drejtimi), Slovenian driver’s licence (vozniško dovoljenje), Macedonian driver’s licence (возачка дозвола) or other overseas driving documents.

The Queensland Government advises drivers holding non-English overseas licences to carry a recognised English translation. This is an official NAATI translation. Translations completed by translators without NAATI certification will not be accepted.

Car rental companies have their own policies. For example, SIXT Australia here states that a certified English translation or International Driving Permit may be accepted for certain overseas licences. Other providers may have different requirements.

Find out more about overseas licences in Queensland here

Our recommendation: Before ordering, tell us which organisation will receive your document. We can help you identify the relevant translation requirements, although final acceptance is determined by that organisation.

3. Can You Complete My NAATI Translation Same Day or by Tomorrow?

Yes, we can often complete urgent NAATI translations within just a few hours. We understand that customers frequently need their documents at short notice, and we always do our best to complete and return translations as quickly as possible.

Straightforward documents, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports and driver’s licences, can often be translated and delivered by email on the same day. In some cases, we may need a day or two.

Turnaround times depend on our team’s current workload, the volume and complexity of the documents, the language pair and the time of day or week your request is received.

Whether you need a Montenegrin birth certificate (izvod iz matične knjige rođenih), a Bosnian police clearance certificate (uvjerenje o nekažnjavanju) or another official document translated urgently, we will always aim for the earliest possible delivery.

Need your translation urgently? Email us a clear scan or photograph of your document and let us know your deadline. We will review your request, confirm the earliest available turnaround and provide a quote before proceeding.

4. Can My NAATI Translation Be Delivered Electronically as a PDF?

Yes. Balkan Translations delivers completed translations electronically by email in PDF format. You do not need to visit an office or [generally] wait for postal delivery.

Where the translator holds the relevant credential and is eligible to use a NAATI digital stamp, the translation can be authenticated digitally. NAATI digital stamps have verification features, including a QR code.

Most of our customers request electronic PDF delivery for applications submitted online.

Do any organisations still require printed hard copies?

In our experience, some organisations continue to request physical copies of translations.

We are aware of certain bank-related applications, including requests involving National Australia Bank (NAB), where posted hard copies have been required. This should not be taken to mean that NAB requires physical copies for every application.

If your bank, government department or other organisation requires a hard copy, please mention this in your initial request for a translation quote.

We can arrange printed copies to be posted to your nominated address, subject to the applicable postage costs and delivery times.

We recommend checking directly with the receiving organisation if you are unsure whether a PDF will be sufficient. For applications such as Croatian or Serbian citizenship, both the Croatian and Serbian Embassies required printed hard copies of each translated document to be provided. Other embassies, such as the Macedonian Embassy in Canberra, will accept digital NAATI translations completed by us.

5. Where Can I Find a NAATI Translator for My Language?

Balkan Translations provides online translation services across Australia. Customers can contact our general enquiries team or use one of our language-specific email addresses.

Availability of a particular translation direction and the appropriate NAATI credential will be confirmed when quoting.

Whether you need a Macedonian translator in Melbourne, a Serbian translator in Sydney, a Croatian translator in Adelaide or a Turkish translator in Perth, our services are available remotely throughout Australia.

Simply send us your document for a quote.

6. Further Questions About NAATI Translation Verification and Requirements

Does a NAATI translation include a QR code that verifies the actual translated document?

NAATI digital translator stamps contain QR codes that let receiving organisations check the translator’s credentials and whether the digital stamp is valid. They do not give the organisation access to an online copy of the translated document or independently verify its contents.

A QR code for checking a translator’s NAATI credentials is different from a secure link to view or authenticate an individual translated PDF. Document-level online verification is not a standard feature of NAATI’s digital stamp system. If the receiving organisation has requested this specifically, please provide its written requirements when requesting a quote so we can advise what is possible.

Read NAATI’s official guidance on digital stamps and QR codes.

7. Does a NAATI translation need an apostille?

Not necessarily. A NAATI translation and an apostille serve different purposes. A NAATI translation provides an English translation completed by an appropriately credentialed translator. An apostille authenticates the signature, stamp or seal on a public document for use in another country under the relevant international arrangements.

We know that the for citizenship applications such Greek, Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian – an Apostille is definitely required on all official personal documents from Australia such as marriage, birth and police certificates. However, this will be confirmed by the Embassy or Consulate you are submitting the documents to in writing.

Many Australian applications require a NAATI translation without an apostille, while some overseas applications may require additional document legalisation. Ask the receiving authority what it requires. For Australian documents being used overseas, see DFAT’s document legalisation guidance.

8. Do I need to send you my original documents?

No, we do not need to see the physical hard copy documents. A clear, complete scan or photograph is sufficient for us to provide a quote and prepare the translation. This includes documents such as a Macedonian birth certificate (Извод на родени), a Croatian marriage certificate (vjenčani list) or a Bulgarian criminal record certificate (свидетелство за съдимост).

However, when submitting your translation to the relevant institution that has requested it we always advise that you taken in the originals with you to present to them. You may need to hand over your originals and/or copies of them along with the translation depending on the requirements of the receiving organisation.

9. Do NAATI translations expire?

No. NAATI translations do not have a fixed expiry date. A translation completed while the translator held the appropriate valid credential remains valid even if that credential later expires. However, a receiving organisation can ask for a recent translation or an updated original document, so it is worth checking any application-specific requirements.

Our digital NAATI stamps will have the date that they were generated on them, whereas our old wet stamps will have both the “Translation Date” and the date on which your translator’s NAATI credentials expiry/have to be renewed.

Read NAATI’s guidance on translation validity.

Get Your Documents Translated by Balkan Translations

Balkan Translations specialises in professional translations for Australian individuals, families, businesses and legal professionals.

We translate birth certificates, marriage certificates, driver’s licences, passports, citizenship documents, police certificates, court records, university qualifications, medical records and many other documents.

Our team offers verifiable translator credentials, clear quotations, urgent turnaround options and convenient electronic delivery.

Need a translation?

Email info@balkantranslations.com.au or contact the relevant language team above.

Visit Balkan Translations

Request a translation quote here

Send us your document, tell us which language you need and let us know if you have a deadline or require printed copies.

We look forward to assisting you.