Frequently asked questions about certified Chinese – French translation

A sworn translation (traduction assermentée, also called traduction certifiée) is produced by a translator listed as a legal expert by a French court of appeal, who adds their seal, signature and a unique registration number. French authorities require one whenever they ask for a document "translated by a sworn translator": prefectures, town halls, courts, notaries, universities, consulates and social security bodies. A translation produced by a non-sworn agency, or by yourself, will be rejected.

Yes. My registration as an expert with the Riom Court of Appeal allows me to provide sworn translations for procedures throughout France. The receiving authority determines the documents, presentation and formalities required for your particular application. Please check its instructions before ordering.

Yes, and a large part of my work is remote. A legible colour scan sent by email is enough for the vast majority of French procedures. I return a signed and sealed PDF, and can post hard copies internationally by tracked or registered mail when your procedure requires the paper original.

Allow 5 to 7 working days for a standard file of up to 4 pages, counted from the moment you approve the quote. An express service within 48 hours is available depending on my workload and the complexity of the document. The quote itself reaches you within 24 working hours of receiving your files.

In France, a sworn or certified translation is produced and signed by a court-appointed expert translator. It is distinct from a notarial deed or a document issued by a Chinese notarial office (公证处). An apostille or legalisation authenticates a signature or seal, not the content or translation. For French public documents, these formalities have been handled by the French notariat since 2025. Requirements depend on the document and destination country.

For French public documents covered by the Hague Convention, an apostille has replaced double French-Chinese legalisation since 7 November 2023. Since 1 May 2025, French apostilles are requested through the competent notarial centres. An apostille does not guarantee acceptance: first ask the Chinese receiving authority about its translation, format and validity requirements.

Service Public: French apostille and legalisation rules (French)

Payment is made by bank transfer, against the quote and then the invoice. No deposit is requested for standard private-client files. The order becomes effective once you have approved the quote in writing, by signature, email or message.

Without exception. As a court-appointed expert I am bound by professional secrecy. Your files are never passed to third parties, never outsourced and never used to train any automated tool. A non-disclosure agreement can be signed on request, which corporate clients often prefer.

Yes, anywhere in France, with travel and accommodation costs rebilled at cost. For shorter or more urgent meetings, remote interpreting over video, telephone or WeChat avoids those costs and can often be arranged the same day.

In consecutive interpreting the speaker pauses to let the interpreter render what was said. That is the right format for hearings, interviews, meetings and negotiations, and it is what I provide. Simultaneous interpreting from a booth requires a team of two and dedicated equipment; for that setup I can refer you to specialist colleagues.

My core pair is French ⇆ Chinese in both directions, and I also work from English into French or Chinese. For other combinations I will point you to trusted colleagues rather than quietly outsourcing your project.

Simplified Chinese (standard Mandarin, mainland norm) by default, which is what Chinese authorities and most counterparts expect. Traditional Chinese for Taiwan or Hong Kong is available for non-certified work; just specify it when ordering.

No. Certified translations carry my liability as a court-appointed expert and are written and proofread entirely by me. For technical and marketing work I use glossaries and translation memories, which are consistency tools, not engines that translate on my behalf.

Yes. Requirements vary by country and receiving authority: a translation by a French expert or a locally accredited translator, an apostille, legalisation or an exemption may apply. Send me the authority’s instructions so we can check the formalities before starting. An apostille alone does not validate a translation or guarantee acceptance of an application.

Send it anyway and I will tell you whether it is usable. Faint seals, handwritten annotations and crooked scans are everyday work for me. If part of it is genuinely illegible I will say so before starting, rather than writing “illegible” on the translation and putting your application at risk.

Regularly: law firms, notaries, courts, social services, industrial companies and publishing houses. For recurring needs I build a dedicated glossary so terminology stays consistent from one file to the next, and invoicing can be consolidated monthly.