Sworn translation with a qualified electronic signature or on paper – which one do you need?
A file with a qualified signature or paper with a seal? We explain the difference and help you choose.
A Polish sworn (certified) translation now comes in two forms: as a file signed with the sworn translator's qualified electronic signature (QES), or as a paper document bearing the translator's seal and handwritten signature. Both are provided for in the Polish Sworn Translator Profession Act. Below we explain how they differ, how to check the signature on a file, and how to choose the form your authority will accept – in Poland or abroad.
Not every sworn translator has a QES. Choose the form in your request – PDF with QES, paper or both – and we will send it to translators who can deliver it.
What is a sworn translation with a qualified electronic signature (QES)?
Under Article 18(1a) of the Polish Sworn Translator Profession Act, a sworn translator may certify a translation in electronic form using a qualified electronic signature. You receive a file (usually a PDF) containing the translation, the certification clause and the entry number from the translator's official register, with the signature embedded in the file itself.
A qualified electronic signature is the highest of the three signature levels defined in the EU eIDAS Regulation (simple, advanced and qualified). Under Article 25(2) of eIDAS it has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature. Translators obtain it from a qualified trust service provider listed in the EU Trusted List – in Poland, for example, Certum, EuroCert, KIR or PWPW.
Important: only the signed file is the original of such a translation. A scan of a paper translation, or a file without a qualified signature, is not a certified translation.
Legal basis: eIDAS and the Polish Sworn Translator Profession Act
Two acts govern a sworn translation with a qualified electronic signature:
- Polish Sworn Translator Profession Act, Article 18(1a) – a sworn translator may certify a translation prepared in electronic form with a qualified electronic signature. The certification clause states whether the translation was made from the original, a copy or another translation.
- EU eIDAS Regulation (No 910/2014) – defines three levels of electronic signature: simple, advanced and qualified. Only the qualified signature (QES) has the same legal effect as a handwritten one (Article 25(2)) and must be recognised in every EU member state (Article 25(3)).
A QES is created with a qualified certificate issued by a qualified trust service provider listed in the EU Trusted List. The certificate names a specific person – here the sworn translator. A qualified electronic seal is a different tool: it confirms the origin of a document issued by a company or institution, not the identity of a person. A sworn translation is certified with the translator's signature, not with a company seal. Simpler tools, such as the Polish trusted profile (Profil Zaufany) or a personal signature in the e-ID card, are not a qualified signature and cannot be used to certify a translation.
In Polish, the term is kwalifikowany podpis elektroniczny (KPE); in English documents you will see qualified electronic signature (QES).
Paper version with the translator's seal and signature
The traditional certified translation is a printed document with the certification clause, the sworn translator's round seal and their handwritten signature (Article 18(1) of the Act). We send it free of charge to an InPost parcel locker (Paczkomat) in Poland; courier delivery is available at an extra charge (shipping options). Read more about what a certified translation looks like in our guide to certified translation on paper.
QES or paper – which form should you choose?
Legally, both forms are a sworn translator's certification. In practice, it depends on where you are submitting the document:
- PDF with QES – when you submit documents online (government portals, e-mail to an institution, university or employer systems), or when the institution explicitly accepts files with a qualified signature. No waiting for the post.
- Paper – when the receiving institution requires a physical document, or when you are not sure whether it will accept a file.
- QES + paper – when you want to submit the document electronically and also need a paper copy. The second form is available at an extra charge.
The translation price includes one form: either the paper version sent to an InPost parcel locker, or a scan or QES-signed PDF sent by e-mail. Courier delivery and a second form (for example paper plus scan, or paper plus a QES copy) are available at an extra charge – see shipping.
Keep in mind that a printout of a QES-signed file does not replace the paper version – more on that below.
Not every sworn translator has a qualified signature
Using a QES is a sworn translator's right, not an obligation, and some translators issue translations on paper only. That is why you should state the form you need when you ask for a quote – we then ask only translators who can deliver it. Send your request by e-mail, through the form or on WhatsApp, and we collect offers from several sworn translators. We work with translators worldwide, especially across Europe. More about ordering remotely: sworn translator online.
Which institutions and countries accept a QES translation?
There is no single list of institutions that accept or reject QES translations. The form is decided by the specific institution and by how you submit the documents (on paper or online). The safest option is to ask the office, court, university or employer before you order whether they will accept a file with a qualified signature.
In Poland
If you are handling the matter online, a QES translation is usually the most convenient. If you submit documents in person or by post, the office may expect the paper version – a printout of the QES file is then not an original translation.
Abroad
The eIDAS Regulation (Article 25(3)) requires a qualified electronic signature issued in one EU country to be recognised in all other member states, and QES translations are also accepted in some countries outside Poland. Recognition of the signature does not mean, however, that a particular institution will accept the translation as a file – the receiving institution decides. If the document is going abroad, or needs an apostille or legalisation, check with that institution which form it expects before ordering.
How to verify a qualified electronic signature on a translation
Anyone who receives the file can check the signature for free:
- Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader and click the signature panel – it shows who signed the document, when, and whether the file has been changed since signing.
- Or use a free online validator, such as the European Commission's DSS demonstration validator or the Polish government's signature verification service at gov.pl.
- Check that the signature is marked as qualified and that the certificate details name the sworn translator who certified the translation.
A warning in your PDF reader does not always mean the signature is invalid – sometimes the reader simply lacks the trusted certificates. In that case, an online validator helps.
Is a printout of an electronically signed document a sworn translation?
No. A printout of a QES file is only a copy – it is not a certified translation, even if it shows information about the signature. Only the signed file carries the certification. If the institution requires paper, order the paper version or both forms. The second form is available at an extra charge – see shipping options.
Frequently asked questions
Do a QES translation and a paper translation have the same legal force?
Both are a sworn translator's certification provided for by Polish law. They differ in how they are used: the file works in electronic procedures, paper wherever documents are submitted physically.
Can I forward a QES file by e-mail?
Yes. Every copy of the unchanged file keeps the signature, which the recipient can verify.
Is a QES valid outside Poland?
A qualified signature is recognised throughout the EU under eIDAS, and QES translations are also accepted in some other countries. Whether a file is enough is decided by the institution that receives the translation.
What is "kwalifikowany podpis elektroniczny" in English?
Qualified electronic signature, abbreviated QES (in Polish: KPE). The term comes from the EU eIDAS Regulation, so it is the same in all EU languages' official versions.
What is the difference between a qualified electronic signature and a qualified electronic seal?
A signature identifies a natural person – the sworn translator who certifies the translation. A seal confirms that a document comes from a company or institution. For a sworn translation, the translator's qualified signature is what counts.
Is an advanced electronic signature enough to certify a translation?
No. Polish law allows a sworn translator to certify an electronic translation only with a qualified electronic signature. An advanced or simple signature, a scanned handwritten signature or the trusted profile (Profil Zaufany) does not make a file a sworn translation.
How is the signature on my original document shown in the translation?
The translator does not reproduce the signature itself. The translation describes it, for example as "illegible signature", together with stamps and other elements of the original.
What happens when the translator's certificate expires?
A signature made while the certificate was valid stays valid. Validators check the date of signing, and many signatures include a time stamp that confirms it.
How do I order a translation in the form I need?
Send a photo or scan of the document by e-mail, through the form or on WhatsApp and choose the form: PDF with QES, paper, or QES + paper. We will get you a quote from several sworn translators.
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Tell us which document needs translating, which form you need (PDF with QES, paper or both) and by when. We will ask several sworn translators.
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