Quick Certified Translation Guide for Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) (2025)

1. Procedure

1.1 All documents not in English or Malay must be translated into English or Malay. [1] All documents must be translated in full. Partial translations of certificates or any documents may not be accepted.

1.2 The National Registration Department (NRD, a.k.a. JPN) of Malaysia accepts Wisma Putra-Attested Translations. [2]

1.3 MYLegalTrans’ team is accredited by Wisma Putra.

1.4 JPN requires Certified Translation with the following details:

(i) Name & Signature of the Consular Officer;
(ii) Position of the Consular Officer; and
(iii) Date of Translation Attestation. [3]

2. FAQs

2.1 What does Certified Translation mean? How is it different from non-certified translation?

JPN does not accept translations completed by the named person, his/her family members, or the immigration adviser assisting with his/her application. Certified Translation is done by an official translation business who is recognized by Wisma Putra (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia).

In particular, JPN accepts Certified Translation provided by one of the following Malaysian statutory organisations:

(i) ITBM, formerly known as the Malaysian National Institute of Translation (ITNM), established based on the approval of a cabinet meeting in 1992 following a memorandum from the Minister of Education [4]. As a limited company, its share capital is wholly owned by the Ministry of Finance and its administration is managed by the Ministry of Education [5].

(ii) MTA, a voluntary professional body established under the auspices of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), is the sole Malaysian member of the International Federation of Translators (FIT) [6], an international organisation which has consultative status with UNESCO [7]. DBP is established based on the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Act 1959 and its administration is managed by the Ministry of Education [8].

(iii) High Court Interpreters, governed by the Practising Certificates Unit and supervised by the High Court of Malaya [9].

A translation is considered certified when it is registered with ITBM, MTA/DBP or HC.

2.2 Why does Certified Translation take so long even for documents with just a few words?

For JPN, before certification, the translation goes through the following processes:

(i) Text extraction

The translation process begins with text extraction and formatting by a DTP specialist, with inquiries about untranslatable or unclear text.

(ii) Translation

Translations are handled by a certified translator.

(iii) First Review

The first review is conducted by a certified translator.

(iv) DTP & Formatting

DTP and formatting ensures the translated document mirrors the original.

(v) Final Review, Certification & Attestation of Translation

A final review is done by a certified translator, with an ITBM/MTA/DBP/HC stamp applied.

The translation is then attested and recorded by Wisma Putra.

2.3 Can I submit a softcopy or photocopy of the Certified Translation to JPN?

No. JPN accepts hardcopy Certified Translation with the original stamp only.

Resources:

[1]-[3] Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara Malaysia (n.d.) ‘Pendaftaran Perkahwinan di Malaysia bagi Pemohon Bukan Beragama Islam dengan Permohonan Tanpa Lesen di Bawah Akta Membaharui Undang‑Undang (Perkahwinan dan Perceraian) 1976 [Akta 164]’, Portal JPN. Available at: https://www.jpn.gov.my/my/perkhidmatan/perkahwinan/kahwin-tlesen-luarnegara.
[4] OIC Today. (n.d.). An interview with Sakri Bin Abdullah: Chief Executive Officer of ITBM. https://www.oictoday.biz/interview-details.php?id=517/an-interview-with-sakri-bin-abdullah-sakri-bin-abdullah.
[5] Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia. (n.d.). Organisational structure. https://www.itbm.com.my/en/organisasi.
[6] International Federation of Translators. (n.d.). Members directory: Malaysia. https://en.fit-ift.org/members-directory/?country=MY.
[7] UNESCO Archives. (n.d.). International Federation of Translators. https://atom.archives.unesco.org/international-federation-of-translators.
[8] Section 4, the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Act 1959 (Revised in 1978). https://lamanweb.dbp.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Akta-213-Akta-Dewan-Bahasa-dan-Pustaka-Disemak-1973.pdf.
[9] Kuala Lumpur Court Complex. (n.d.). Practising certificates unit. https://kl.kehakiman.gov.my/en/practicing-certificates-unit.