Legal Professionals Translating Medical Documents

This article provides you with information about translating medical documents, why you may need them, and how to get them. Do you need to leave Israel for surgery during a lockdown? Are you concerned about an immigrant or foreign spouse who has to prove eligibility for social security benefits due to a medical condition? Are you emigrating abroad and wish to present documents in your new nation-state proving that you have a disability or medical problem? In each of the above cases, it is necessary to obtain notarized translations of medical documents. Our law firm provides notarial translation services for documents in a variety of languages, and we will be happy to assist you by translating medical documents into Hebrew or English.

What is Notarial Translation?

A notary public is an experienced lawyer with special certification by the Ministry of Justice to authenticate signatures on documents, certify the correctness of translations and/or notarized translator statements on the correctness of translations, and more. Many documents that are translated into a foreign language and submitted to authorities and bodies outside the country in which they were issued require notarial translation, including certain medical documents.

You may think that these documents do not usually require notarial translation – however, this is only true if you need the documents for medical treatment, and not for purposes such as immigration, benefits, etc. Documents containing your medical history, treatment summaries, prescribed medicine, medical opinions, and the like, may be translated without notarization (although you should make sure that the translation is of high quality and is accurate, since it may have a bearing on your health and life). But to prove that you are qualified to perform a certain role, that you do not have a physical or mental illness that prevents you from immigrating to a particular country, or that you are eligible for benefits due to a chronic problem, you must present an officially certified document in the language of the relevant foreign country.

When May You Need to Translate Medical Documents Urgently

The corona crisis has brought with it a new world order, in which routine processes have become binding guidelines and directives that may lead to restrictions and even sanctions. To travel around the world, it is necessary to show that you are vaccinated, that you were tested within the last few days, or that you have a justified reason that prevents you from being tested despite your urgent need to fly abroad.

Translating medical documents subject to notarized authentication is critical not only for the purpose of proving eligibility to various benefits, such as disability benefits, that are provided by the State and social security, but also for medical emergency situations where there is a need to leave and reenter the country, such as emergencies that require leaving the country during a lockdown, proving your current state of health, immigration, and more.

As of today, most countries in the world require visitors to present documents attesting to their state of health, with the aim of maintaining public health in their country. This includes flights as well as land and sea crossings, in the European Union (EU) countries, the USA, and worldwide. In the future, these procedures will undoubtedly become obligatory. That is why accurate and quick medical document authentication services are becoming more important than ever before.

Currently (as of March 2021), to enter the United States of America, visitors who are unvaccinated and/or were not tested are required to present documentation supporting and/or justifying the fact that they were not vaccinated and/or tested. The documentation must be based on up-to-date medical records or explain how specific evacuation procedures were carried out. Any request for a humanitarian exemption in the existing circumstances requires presenting certified English translations of medical documents proving that the translation is correct and that the documents are valid in Israel.

Medical documents are much more difficult to translate than other types of documents, especially if you need to translate your vaccination documents so that you can prove that you or your children have recently received certain vaccinations, or if you need to declare that you have severe allergies to particular substances and therefore cannot receive certain vaccinations. Our law firm specializes in the field of medicine and we have experience in translating medical terms, especially names of vaccines, as well as acronyms and abbreviations appearing in medical documents such as those mentioned above.

Translating Mental Health Documents

In addition to physical health, it is often necessary to translate mental health documents. For example, the evaluation of a psychiatrist is needed if you wish to be accepted for sensitive positions in the military or defense industry, or even to participate in international defense industry projects.

Citizens with a criminal record who wish to emigrate to another country are required to present the opinion of a mental health professional (or opinions of several mental health professionals) stating that the criminal act was a one-time slip and that, after rehabilitation, the citizen is unlikely to continue the criminal activity and be a danger to the public.

Submitting Foreign Medical Documents in Israel and Israeli Documents Abroad

If you have received several medical documents in a foreign country and wish to submit them in a different country, you will usually be required to have a governmental authority and/or state-approved service provider translate and authenticate them for you and add an apostille stamp. Our law firm has a good reputation and professional experience in providing accurate high-quality translations of medical documents. We translate from Hebrew to English and vice versa (as well as from any language to any other language) quickly and efficiently.

We understand the weight of our responsibility, and that incorrect or missing information in the translation may make it difficult for authorities to verify the correctness and validity of the medical documents. When submitting such documents to an Israeli authority, it is necessary to ensure in advance that the authority to which they are submitted will accept the translated documents. To ensure accurate and reliable translation, it is advisable to use the services of experienced translators who specialize in notarial translation. The cost of translation services is set out in the Notaries Law, 5736–1976, which is updated from time to time.

For more information about the notarial translation procedure, how much it will cost you, and any other information that you may need, you are welcome to contact our office.