₦airaland Forum

rodrigomencia:
please how can I contact you?

Hi, I am Rodrigo, one of the translators mentioned in this thread. Yes, I am still alive and kicking. By reading the thread, I realise about certain things that you should take into account when requesting Sworn translations:

1) A Sworn Translation is a certified translation in Spain, but only Sworn Translators can issue it. Any company or person can certify a translation, for instance, by adding their stamp to it. However, that is not legal in Spain unless such translations are stamped by a SPANISH sworn translator. Thus, be very WARY of companies trying to offer you a "certified" translation in Spain or other people from other countries different than Spain offering you sworn translations, as Spain's policy is to ONLY accept sworn translations from Spanish sworn translators duly appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2) NIPOST is unsafe. I had a bad experience with a client who wanted to have a cheaper delivery to Nigeria from Spain and it ended up badly. Since then, I only send my translations through DHL and they arrive within 48 hours since picked up. Currently I am also issuing my sworn translations with the digital signature of the Official National Mint & Stamp Factory of Spain. If the Consulate accepts them, that could speed things up and avoid the DHL fees.

3) I read a comment about someone complaining that someone (not me) was offering a low rate for his/her translations but was "money hungry" because he/she was charging a lot for the DHL delivery. This is not true (at least in my case) and, if you hire me, I can send you the DHL invoice so that you can see that I have exactly spent what I told you. In fact, after reading these comments about another translator, I will do this by default to avoid problems. I have more than 15 years of experience and have been working with Nigeria for a long time, so I think it is better to put all the cards on the table to prove honesty and good intentions, even if it is not explicitly required. It is also possible for you to arrange your own courier at your expense from Nigeria. If you or the company you work for has agreement with DHL or Fedex or other ones, you can instruct them to pick it up at my office and take the translation to you.

4) I receive documents from clients which have NOT been stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and then by the Spanish Consulate in Nigeria (in that order). It is VERY important that you ask the Spanish Consulate if your documents need to be legalised/apostilled. If so, that is how you have to do it and I need to receive the final documents, not the ones without those important stamps, as otherwise you will lose time and money.

5) It is extremely important that you verify your original documents before sending them to me. If your name is wrong, or any other particular is wrong, I CANNOT correct it, even if you provide me with your ID or affidavits. I can only translate what's on the original and I cannot add, modify or delete information. This also applies when scanning big documents. Check if you are cutting them with the scanner. If they don't fit, you can go to a photocopies place and ask for a reduction of the page into A4 format or you can scan it at home in two parts (first the upper part, then the lower part).

6) Normally, Spain requires that all official papers have been issued within the last 3 months. For instance, if you file your papers today but your Criminal Records Certificate was issued 6 months ago, you will need to request a new one. Save time and money by considering this before you send me your papers to translate, as I always try to help my clients but sometimes I cannot realise if a document will be valid or not (depends on when you are going to file the application, if you are here in Spain or still in Nigeria, etc.).

7) If you get your application rejected for any legal reason, I know 2 amazing lawyers that could sort most problems for you. They are not cheap but they solve your problem and charge you if they solve it. I know there are other lawyers that are cheap and that say a lot of things, but I've met many clients who were crying because they had been ripped off so much money for nothing by careless lawyers. If you wouldn't trust your teeth to a bad or extremely cheap dentist, don't trust your future to a bad lawyer (or your papers to a bad translator :p ). Always look for guarantees.

(from hereon I reply to questions posted below, updating my reply)
8 ) You DO NOT need to send the originals and I suggest that whoever you work with, even if you can, you NEVER leave your originals with them. The Spanish legislation requires that we attach "duly stamped and dated photocopy" (I also sign it), but we can never touch an original. Suppose you give me your original university degree and I stamp it... It would be ruined. NEVER hand your originals to anyone except at the Consulate or Ministry, as they are going to give them back to you and they are official authorities.

9) If you have stamps on the reverse side of the documents, you MUST ALSO SCAN IT. Even if it is a small signature or a small addendum. Always scan the full document as we, sworn translators, need to include everything.

10) Payment can be made through wire transfer (bank transfer or Paypal). If you know someone living in Spain, you could also instruct this person to make the payment for you and then you give the money to them (as sometimes clients don't have or don't want to use Paypal). If you use Paypal, I would be very very very grateful if you could use the option "send money to friends", as with the option "Pay for services/products" I end up paying Paypal around 3,5% of the total amount. The quality and guarantee of my services are guaranteed through my quote and, in case of any problem, I will always be there through Whatsapp, email or phone.

11) Always make sure you're dealing with the authorised Sworn Translator himself/herself. If it is a third party named X and you receive a stamp from Z, BEWARE, as there are some scams in which a person makes a copy of our official stamp and starts issuing fake translations. In the end this is found out by the police (they ask us if we have signed the translations from time to time) and the status of all the people affected by this is immediately reverted to ILLEGAL until they provide the legal versions of their translations. This happened in the past with Pakistan and these people are already being chased by Interpol, apart from having been assaulted by angry clients who destroyed their offices for getting them in trouble with their papers. If in doubt, contact the Spanish Ministry of Affairs and find out the official particulars of the translator you deal with. Make sure you always write to such email address or make phone calls to such phone number. In Spain there are agencies which subhire sworn translators, yes, and that is not illegal. But it's up to the client to make sure who they are dealing with.

12) Last but not least, thank you so much for your recommendations and kind words.

If you have any doubt or comment, you can send me WhatsApp messages, call me through Skype or WhatsApp or send me an email. I will gladly try to solve your doubts.

Kind regards.

Rodrigo
Sworn Translator

Smalliegirl:
May our enemies not be called to tell our stories when life happens to us, amen.

This man telling this story is a very wicked man. He claimed not to know this woman, but was told her story by someone else, but he went on to say he knows that if donations were made to the woman, she wouldnt spend it well. How did he arrive at that? When he stated he had never met this woman.. You are very right, this guy Mr rock or whatever is his name is a big asshole

This is a typical behaviour of Nigerians abroad, constantly pulling themselves down.You wont donate to this woman, yet he has directly and knowingly blocked other people from helping her.

This woman would have been wrongly advised by her fellow country people. The husband that told her to leave, what plan did he make for her and the kids? What kind of man decides to leave to another country on his own without his children? Did he make adequate preparation, bus ticket or plane ticket and this woman refused to leave knowing that she had already been given notice of removal?

So many questions...

After suffering from Libya, one gets into Europe, then this?! May God have mercy on her and help her get back on her feet with her children... Amen

Smalliegirl:
May our enemies not be called to tell our stories when life happens to us, amen.

This man telling this story is a very wicked man. He claimed not to know this woman, but was told her story by someone else, but he went on to say he knows that if donations were made to the woman, she wouldnt spend it well. How did he arrive at that? When he stated he had never met this woman.. You are very right, this guy Mr rock or whatever is his name is a big asshole

This is a typical behaviour of Nigerians abroad, constantly pulling themselves down.You wont donate to this woman, yet he has directly and knowingly blocked other people from helping her.

This woman would have been wrongly advised by her fellow country people. The husband that told her to leave, what plan did he make for her and the kids? What kind of man decides to leave to another country on his own without his children? Did he make adequate preparation, bus ticket or plane ticket and this woman refused to leave knowing that she had already been given notice of removal?

So many questions...

After suffering from Libya, one gets into Europe, then this?! May God have mercy on her and help her get back on her feet with her children... Amen

crazyABO:
If people are talking about cyber crime, I dont expect Davido to say anything about it, because I believe he grew up with silver spoon and he made his own money at early age. So why promote something you never did am sure he wouldn't want Imade to grow up and date a Yahoo boy or marry one But his choice though.

kingsleyds:
I know this lady very well.. first, her name is Mrs Onuoha. I went to Air Force Secondary School. And my mom works with the school, I don’t think what you said about her is the truth but I will call to confirm your story

Ugosample:
I don't understand your first paragraph tho

Pls can you explain what you mean?

Are you trying to say that these sex freaks are Nigerian?

or that foreign sex deviants are plenty in Nigeria?

Brizzy404:
Bt wetin be d joy of fvcking ashawo sef

BabaCommander:
Where are you in Europe and how can I contact you privately?

ayamprecious:
how many of u noticed that majority of the rich (that got their wealth through hard labour and experience) not the useless ones like wizkid or the one that met wealth at home like Davido, dont have social media acct

and for those of them that have, don't sit all day like u and I to post jagons..

count the no of times u meet, otedola, dangote, bill gates, Carlos slim-helu online posting trash a week.

this is what I call conspiracy of the rich to tie u down doing nothing worthwhile on social media and they making money out of u

food for thought