The Workshop
This practical, interactive course is for bilingual people who would like to offer translation of official documents. A certificate of completion will be issued, recognized by the Texas Judicial Branch Certification Commission for continuing ed credit.
• Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM: Six hours of in-person workshop at the Cultural Arts Center in Harlingen, TX
• Saturday, May 23, 2026, 10:00 AM: Two hours of related ethics training by Zoom
Total cost: $95 (early bird rate, through April 30)
You Will Learn How To
• Evaluate a translation request
• Research end-user requirements (non-certified, certified, notarized and apostilled)
• Adapt your certification statement (and notary statement, if needed)
• Make the most of current technology to translate efficiently
• Handle graphics (signatures, stamps, seals, watermarks, etc.) and handwriting
• Find accurate terminology sources, avoiding false cognates
• Conduct the transaction with an individual client or agency (pricing, terms, payments)
• Deliver your translation in various formats (PDF, printed, Word)
Exercises using actual Mexican documents (please bring a working, updated laptop computer and cord)
• Actas de nacimiento, matrimonio y defunción
• Escritura pública de compraventa
Ethical considerations in preparing certified translations, from the Texas “Licensed Court Interpreters Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility” and the American Translators Association "Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility"
• Transparency about your credentials
• Stamps and seals
• Guarantees of acceptance and delivery time
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Client requests for specific renderings
• Certifying someone else’s translation
Your Instructors
Margaret and Marco Hanson are the only two Certified Translators in the Rio Grande Valley for the Spa>Eng language pair, and Marco is a credentialed Spanish interpreter in state and federal court. As owners of Texan Translation, they have decades of experience translating thousands of Mexican documents for use in the US. They have presented on translation topics at many conferences, including the American Translators Association and Texas Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. Here's their playlist of free training on YouTube: CLICK.
Comprehensive
Learn every step of translating Mexican vital statistics documents for use in immigration proceedings, family law cases and other US legal processes. Your clients will be happy when their translations are accepted the first time, and you'll benefit from repeat orders.
Practical
How do you translate licenciado, anyway? How about ejido, CURP or bis? If a woman's first name is listed as Ma and you know it's María, are you allowed to spell it out? What do you do when the original has typos? Is it okay to cut and paste images of seals?
Cost-Effective
This training can pay for itself in your first order for a certified translation, or make you more valuable to your employer. The sideline of certified translation will add a lucrative, part-time income stream to your other endeavors.