Frequently asked questions

A poorly translated text is difficult to correct, and sometimes the text will need to be translated all over again from scratch. By using a professional translator, you free up time for you or your company.

Government authorised translator is a protected title, and it means that the translator is authorised by the Ministry of Education and Research to confirm the accuracy of translated documents and stamp them accordingly. In order to become a government authorised translator, a translator must pass the exam at the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH). Read more about Allegro’s government authorised translators.

If the document is in an editable format (i.e. a format other than an image file or PDF), it will make the translation process more efficient and you avoid the additional costs associated with processing a file. It also ensures that the translation has the same layout as the original.

You can obtain a certified copy (true copy) from a copy shop, a bank or a government office such as the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) or the police.

An apostille is a legalisation of Norwegian documents for use in countries that have acceded to the Apostille Convention or the Hague Convention. An apostille is given by the County Governor’s office. An apostille stamp does not confirm the accuracy of the content of the document but verifies that the signature of the notary public is genuine. Notarisation of a document is therefore required prior to affixing the apostille.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UD) has an up-to-date list of countries that have acceded to the Apostille Convention. The Ministry also has information about documents to be used in countries that have not acceded to the Apostille Convention. Documents for use in the Nordic countries do not require an apostille stamp.

The notary public can issue an official certificate confirming that a document has a genuine signature. The certificate does not provide any information about the content of the document itself. Notarisation is given in the form of a stamp with a signature that is affixed to the document in question. The Norwegian Courts Administration charges a fee of NOK 319 per document for notarial certification. Allegro's government authorised translators have filed their signatures with Bergen District Court, and we can arrange for such certification when required. The price excludes 25% VAT.

Artificial intelligence has become immensely powerful and is fairly proficient at translating texts, but machine translation can still not be entirely trusted. AI is often imprecise and inaccurate, and does not have a human-level understanding of context, style, and tone (yet). There is also a concern about texts that contain sensitive information – you cannot rely on AI to protect your privacy. To guarantee receiving a high-quality, accurate translation and ensuring your data security, you need to use a professional translator. If you are only seeking to understand the meaning of a text for your own purposes, then AI translation may well be adequate. If you’re uncertain, feel free to contact us and we can help guide you.

All Allegro government authorised translators are members of the Association of Government Authorized Translators in Norway (STF) and are committed to following the association's ethical guidelines.