Answer: In Sweden, these terms tend to be used interchangeably. It is often a requirement by entities outside Sweden that official documents in Swedish are translated by a person who has passed a rigorous translation exam and been issued an official stamp by the oversight authority in Sweden, which is Kammarkollegiet (the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency). It also serves as a “stamp of quality”, offering additional assurance to certain stakeholders (such as foreign investors reading English translations of financial information). Translators with this qualification are also bound to a duty of confidentiality similar to that of doctors and lawyers.

Answer: In Sweden, these are individuals with a law degree who assist the public by checking and verifying the authenticity of a document. The “stamp” that they issue for this is called an Apostille. You may need to take your official translation, along with the original document in Swedish and your ID to a Notarius Publicus as a last step in the process. Contact me for more information.