Frequently asked questions

Prices depend on the language pair, the length and layout of the document, the type of certification and how fast you need it. Send us a scan and we will reply with a fixed price, usually the same working day. The quote is free and there is no obligation.

No. Our New Zealand service is fully remote. You send scans or photos, we deliver certified PDFs by email and, when originals are needed, send them by tracked courier. Only notarised signatures require you to attend a notary in person, and we book that close to you.

INZ requires translations to be done by an independent, reputable translator rather than by the applicant or their family. Our certified translations meet that requirement and include the translator's details and certificate.

Attach them to the quote form on this site or email them to info@abc-offices.com. Clear photos taken with a phone are fine, as long as every corner and stamp is readable.

Standard personal documents are usually ready within 1 to 3 working days. Apostilles and embassy legalisation depend on the government office or embassy involved; we give a realistic timeline with every quote.

Yes. Documents are only seen by the people working on your order, translators are bound by confidentiality, and we delete files when they are no longer needed. We can sign a non-disclosure agreement for business clients.

Yes. ABC Translation has offices and partners in several countries, so we can retrieve, apostille or legalise documents abroad without you having to travel.

Immigration New Zealand requires documents not in English to be submitted with an English translation prepared by an independent translator, not by the applicant or a family member. Our certified translations are prepared by independent professional translators and include the translator's details, as INZ expects.

Usually not. A clear scan or photo of every page (including the back, if it has stamps) is enough for most purposes. If an authority asks for the translation to be bound to a certified copy, we will tell you before we start.

Standard personal documents such as birth certificates are usually ready within 1 to 3 working days. Longer documents are quoted individually, and express delivery is available.

An apostille can only be issued by the country that issued the document. If you hold, for example, a Chinese or Indian certificate, it must be apostilled in that country. Through our international offices we can arrange this for you without you travelling.

Then the document is authenticated in New Zealand and afterwards legalised by that country's embassy or consulate. See our embassy legalisation service.

Yes. Apostilles are attached to original documents or to notarised copies, so we will tell you exactly what to send and where.

Tell us the country and the purpose. We will confirm the requirement before you pay anything, because rules change and sometimes depend on the document type.

Yes. Where a country is represented from Australia or elsewhere, we route the documents through that mission or through our international network.

It depends on the mission. Some embassies process documents in a few days, others take several weeks. We give you a realistic timeline with your quote.

A Justice of the Peace can certify copies for use within New Zealand. Foreign authorities usually require a notary public, whose seal can then be apostilled or legalised.

Yes. We can prepare a bilingual power of attorney or translate one supplied by your lawyer overseas, so the signatory understands exactly what they sign.

Signing before a notary requires you to attend with photo identification. We arrange an appointment close to you and prepare everything in advance.

Through our international offices and partners we retrieve documents from most countries. Tell us the country, the document and the issuing office if you know it, and we will confirm feasibility and cost.

Usually a signed authorisation, a copy of your ID and the details needed to locate the record, such as full names, dates and places. Some registries have extra requirements, which we will explain.

Yes. Most clients combine retrieval with translation and apostille or legalisation, so the document arrives ready to use.

For on-site interpreting, one week's notice is ideal. We often fill shorter notice requests, particularly for video and phone interpreting.

Where an interpreter travels outside a main centre, travel time and costs are included in your quote so there are no surprises.

Yes. For languages with few local interpreters, we often provide a remote interpreter from our international network by video.