Translation of Commercial and Company Documents for Finland

Sending commercial documents to Finland means answering two questions at once: what language the file will be in, and who will make the translation. This page takes as its subject the documents a company established in Türkiye will submit to the Finnish trade register, to its buyer or to a public purchasing authority. The reverse direction, a Finnish company setting itself up in Türkiye, is a separate file.

Two official languages: Finnish or Swedish?

Finnish and Swedish are both official languages in Finland, and in some regions Swedish predominates. The greater part of commercial life runs in Finnish, and communication with international companies is mostly in English. In a file going to the register, to a court or to a public purchasing authority, however, the choice of language belongs to the institution. Before ordering a translation, therefore, obtain written confirmation of which language the recipient wants; the wrong choice of language means the translation has to be done again. An English translation is accepted in some procedures, but that is an institutional preference rather than a rule, and the same latitude does not generally hold in official registration matters.

The authorised translator examination and the level of certification

In Finland the title of authorised translator is won by examination, and the authorisation is administered by a central body. In official matters a translation by a translator holding that authorisation is expected; public authorities and courts are not flexible on the point. In a file prepared in Türkiye, by contrast, the chain runs through the signature of a sworn translator, notarisation and apostille. Commercial counterparties and buyers generally accept that route. Finding out from the authority that will handle the matter which of the two routes will be valid is the one step that keeps the file from being prepared twice. Our document types page sets out the levels of certification document by document.

Decision	Question to ask	Effect
Language	Finnish, Swedish or English?	The translation may have to be done again from scratch
Level of certification	Is an authorised translator required?	Rejection when the papers are lodged
Date of the document	How recent a copy is accepted?	It may be treated as out of date
Delivery	Electronic or physical?	The timetable and the number of copies

What the Turkish registry documents correspond to

Companies in Finland are entered in the national trade register, and the extract taken from that register is the basic paper of commercial life. In Türkiye its counterpart is supplied by two documents together: a recent certificate of activity from the trade registry directorate and the notice in the Türkiye Trade Registry Gazette. The articles of association show the shareholding structure and the field of activity, the signature circular the powers of representation. Finnish institutions pay attention to consistency between documents; the name, the address and the numbers are expected to be written identically throughout the file. In a branch registration the parent company’s documents become central, while in the establishment of a subsidiary additional papers on capital and on the form of incorporation come into play.

A file in two layers in public procurement

Finnish public purchasing authorities and large industrial groups want from a supplier a file that goes beyond legal identity: occupational health and safety records, environmental practice, supply chain transparency and certificates of technical capability. For a Turkish supplier that means preparation in two layers. The documents proving the company’s existence and its powers of representation are subject to the full certification chain. Certificates, audit reports and reference lists are usually met with a stamped translation, because these are verified through the document number and the issuing body. Declarations in the nature of an undertaking, by contrast, have to be submitted together with the power to sign. Separating the two layers is the decision that saves most time in a tender timetable.

Distance, and planning the timetable

The variable most often overlooked in files going to Finland is the total duration of the steps. Once obtaining the registry document, the apostille certificate, the translation, the certification and the physical dispatch are added one after another, the timetable stretches beyond expectation, and the validity of the documents melts away inside that same timetable. Obtaining the registry record too early can mean the document is treated as out of date by the time the file is submitted. Plan backwards from the final deadline, therefore, and order the documents along the critical path. Showing the recipient the electronic copy first and getting their approval is the most practical way of getting the physical dispatch right the first time.

Shipping papers, the power of attorney, and the commonest reason for rejection

On shipments to Finland, certificates of origin and movement certificates follow the chamber and customs route; they are not translated. Technical conformity files, which come into play in the forest products, machinery and technology sectors, form a track of their own. On the power of attorney side the order is this: signature before a notary, apostille, translation; keep the scope narrow and support the grantor’s authority with a current registry record. Finland is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention; verify the current list of parties through the HCCH. The commonest reason for rejection is a mismatch of language, in second place the level of certification, in third the date of the document. An electronic file is usual at delivery, but the scan must be complete. You can send us your file through the quotation form and see what difference scope makes on our pricing page.

What is set out here rests on common practice; a country’s legislation and an institution’s practice may be updated. For the conditions in force, consult the institution’s current list of papers.