Documents and information covered

Translate overseas customs and trade records into clear English for your import or export paperwork. An EORI is an identification number, not a document that itself needs translating; the supporting forms and correspondence often carry the language that requires attention.

• Foreign customs registration confirmations
• Commercial invoices and packing lists
• Overseas exporter declarations and licences
• Cross-border customs correspondence

We confirm the exact language pair, intended reader and any certification requested before agreeing the final scope. Share every relevant page, including schedules, handwritten notes and reverse-side seals.

Keep the customs identifiers intact

An EORI number identifies an economic operator for customs purposes. We reproduce the number, issuing country, registered business name and any declaration references exactly as the source records them. A translated letter should not imply that we issued, registered or validated the number.

Import and export paperwork often mixes currencies, HS commodity descriptions, origin declarations and shipment identifiers. We translate the words while keeping figures, product codes and units recognisable. Your customs agent should verify whether the record is required and whether the translated file meets the specific submission instructions.

Example: a supplier registration pack

A UK importer receives a Spanish customs-registration letter alongside a commercial invoice. The English translation explains the correspondence and preserves the supplier identifiers, while the importer separately checks its own EORI and customs declaration requirements. Translation does not replace registration or customs advice.

The example illustrates how to prepare a translation brief. It does not describe a particular past client or guarantee approval by any recipient.

How to prepare your files

Provide the complete overseas correspondence, the language pair, all attachments and the agency or customs broker that will review the document. Indicate whether you need an editable translation for checking or a certified PDF for a formal file.

Please tell us the target organisation, the exact deadline and whether you need a searchable PDF, an editable file or a signed translation declaration. The recipient’s instructions determine which formalities are appropriate; additional notarisation and legalisation are separate where required.

How we handle your translation

1. 01Review the original

   Check completeness, source language, document purpose and any recipient-specific rules before confirming a quotation.

2. 02Translate and quality-check

   Maintain key names, figures, technical language, page order and official annotations, with queries raised where the source is unclear.

3. 03Agree the final deliverable

   Confirm the requested format, certification wording and delivery arrangements before issuing the completed document.

Additional document checks

An EORI is a customs identifier, not itself a translated certificate. A shipment pack may also include a commercial invoice, country-of-origin declaration and a broker’s request. Check which of those papers need translation before sending a large bundle. If the supplier’s company name appears in more than one spelling, provide the registration extract so the variation can be flagged. The translator should preserve numerical identifiers rather than normalise them. The customs broker or HMRC handles registration and compliance decisions.