Frequently Asked Questions

A sworn translation carries my signature and the stamp of a translator sworn before the Cour d’appel de Lomé, which is what most embassies, universities and public authorities ask for. Some authorities also require legalisation on top of the sworn stamp. Togo is not yet a party to the Hague Apostille Convention: today legalisation is a chain: the translation is legalised first at the town hall (mairie) where I am registered, the original at the civil registry or town hall; both then go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then to the consulate of the destination country. Parliament authorised accession in August 2026, but the instrument of accession has not yet been deposited, and the convention will apply in Togo only after a six-month objection period, so not before 2027. If your file needs that legalisation, I can handle it for you. The administrative and travel costs remain yours and are stated in the quote. Ask the receiving authority exactly what it requires and tell me — I will adapt the form of the translation accordingly.

I am sworn before the Cour d’appel de Lomé, and every translation carries my stamp and signature, in the format embassies, consulates, universities and administrations expect. The decision on any given file always rests with the receiving authority — but if a document comes back over a stamp, layout or certification fault that is mine, I redo it at no charge.

Yes. Every certified translation comes as a stamped PDF, and one stamped paper copy is included on request: free to collect in Lomé, or sent by courier anywhere in Togo at cost. Outside Togo, you receive the stamped PDF.

Not in the sense of a sworn translation: there is no sworn status for national languages in Togo. The transcript comes with a certificate of accuracy signed by the linguist of that language who prepared it; I remain your single point of contact, from quote to delivery.

French and English only. This exclusive focus ensures the highest level of precision and domain expertise in both languages. For other language pairs, I can recommend trusted colleagues in the professional translation network.

Certified translation is priced per source page: 15,000–20,000 FCFA per page for standard documents such as diplomas, transcripts and civil-status records, and for short deeds and judgments of up to 3 pages. A dense, handwritten, tabular or poorly scanned page is billed 20,000 FCFA; any other page, 15,000 FCFA. Express 24h delivery adds 50%. Procedural documents, longer judgments, contracts and articles of association are billed per source word: 66–118 FCFA. Every quote is free and sent within 2 working hours.

Standard delivery is 24–72 hours for most documents (1–5 pages). Express 24h is available for an additional +50% surcharge. Longer or more complex documents (contracts, audits, NGO reports) may require 2–5 business days. You will receive an exact delivery time in your quote.

Choose general translation for contracts, reports, NGO documents and internal business files that don’t need a sworn translator’s stamp — priced at 66–118 FCFA per word. Choose certified (sworn) translation when an embassy, university, court or government body will verify the document legally — visa applications, university admissions and court submissions. When in doubt, the quote tells you which applies.

From 4,000 FCFA per recorded minute for French and English, and from 6,500 FCFA per recorded minute from a national language. The quote is issued after listening for two to three minutes, never before. See the transcription page.

315,000 FCFA online or 345,000 FCFA in person for the individual programme, excluding tax. If a formal invoice is requested (individuals or businesses), VAT is added at the applicable rate. Where an airline, ANAC or a flight school funds the training, it is billed at 25,000 FCFA an hour for the group.

Send your document by WhatsApp (+228 79 71 62 58) or by email ([email protected]), whichever you prefer: both reach me. Accepted formats: PDF, Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), PowerPoint (.pptx), JPG, PNG or TIFF, and any scanned image or clear photo. The resolution should be clear enough to read all text. You do not need to send the original document — a clear photo or scan is sufficient for certified translations.

For source documents: PDF, Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), PowerPoint (.pptx), JPG, PNG or TIFF, and any scanned image or clear photo. For delivery: certified translations are always delivered as a PDF bearing my stamp. The original Word file can also be provided for general translations on request.

Yes. All documents are handled under strict professional confidentiality. Files are kept in a secure, encrypted folder, are never shared with any third party and are permanently deleted 30 days after delivery — immediately on request. Only the register of certified translations — number, date, document type and language pair — is kept indefinitely: it is what lets a receiving authority verify where a translation came from, and it holds no document content. A formal non-disclosure agreement is available to any client on request — it can be signed before you send any document. See the operational policies for full terms.

Yes. Documents are received and delivered digitally worldwide. A stamped paper copy can be collected in Lomé or sent by courier anywhere in Togo; outside Togo, you receive the stamped PDF. Payment is accepted via bank transfer and international wire (SWIFT). Firms in Ghana or Nigeria with a file in Togo: see certified translation between Ghana, Nigeria and Togo. Law firms and notaries have their own rates and the Referral Retainer.

Yes, on the same terms as audio. Subtitling is quoted separately.

Corporate Training is a monthly programme sold as Circles (excl. tax): Duo 100,000 FCFA (4 workshops / 3 staff), Standard 200,000 FCFA (8 workshops / 5 staff), Double 360,000 FCFA (16 workshops / 10 staff, two trainers). The programme covers Business English and/or Professional French, tailored to your team’s specific needs. A team placement test is conducted before training begins. Book a free discovery call via Calendly.

The Duo Circle covers up to 3 employees, Standard up to 5 and Double up to 10 with two trainers. This keeps workshops interactive and allows personalised feedback. Larger organisations can run several groups, each in its own Circle.

Workshops are delivered at your premises in Lomé or live via Zoom for distributed teams. The session format stays the same — 60 minutes each, 4, 8 or 16 a month depending on the Circle, scheduled with your HR team.

Yes. Workshops are delivered at your premises in Lomé or live via Zoom for distributed teams across West Africa and internationally. Scheduling is coordinated with your HR or operations contact.

Twelve 90-minute sessions, online or in person in Lomé, built around the phraseology and the plain English the ICAO scale actually tests. This is preparation: the test itself is sat with an approved body. See the ICAO Level 4 page.

Yes, by pro forma invoice at the hourly rate, on the same payment terms as corporate training.

For institutional and corporate clients: Corporate bank transfer — Ecobank Togo, Orabank Togo. SWIFT international transfer — for clients outside Togo and international organisations. Corporate invoice workflow: full payment or an authorised purchase order is required before work starts. A pro forma invoice is issued first, followed by a tax invoice on delivery. See the operational policies for full terms.

Corporate Training is billed monthly via pro forma invoice (100,000 / 200,000 / 360,000 FCFA excl. tax by Circle). Payment by bank transfer (Ecobank Togo, Orabank Togo) or SWIFT for international organisations. Advance payment or an authorised purchase order is required before the programme begins.

All courses are sold as monthly packages, payable in advance by the 5th of each month. Academic tutoring (BAC/BEPC): 30,000 FCFA (4 sessions a month) · 60,000 FCFA (8 sessions). General courses for adults, online: 35,000 FCFA (4 sessions) · 68,000 FCFA (8 sessions); in person in Lomé: 45,000 FCFA · 85,000 FCFA. Specialised courses — Business English, French or English for specific purposes, English for academic purposes — online: 45,000 FCFA · 85,000 FCFA; in person: 55,000 FCFA · 105,000 FCFA. Each session is 1 hour. Unused sessions do not roll over to the following month.

Before your first session, you complete a short placement test (1 hour) that locates your exact level on the CEFR scale from A1 to C2. It requires no preparation — just a conversation and a few written exercises. The results allow me to design a learning plan that starts at exactly the right level, so no time is wasted on content you already know.

Each format comes with its own support. Academic tutoring: lessons closely aligned with the school curriculum, targeted assignment reviews, homework tracking and a written monthly progress report to parents. Online classes: a Zoom room set up for you, access to the shared course folder for as long as you are enrolled and support between sessions for corrections and practice. In-person classes: printed worksheets tailored to your level, direct feedback on pronunciation and fluency, and all local travel costs covered.

A minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required to reschedule. Sessions rescheduled with more than 24 hours’ notice will be moved to a mutually agreed date within the same calendar month. Any session cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice is permanently forfeited and billed at full cost. Sessions do not roll over to the following month.

Yes — sessions are scheduled flexibly Mon–Fri 8:00–20:00 and Sat 8:00–18:00 (GMT+0). If your availability changes, simply let me know at least 24 hours in advance and we will find a time that works. The goal is a sustainable rhythm that fits your life, not a rigid timetable.

No minimum level is required. Courses are available from complete beginner (A1) to advanced (C2). The placement test determines your starting point precisely. Whether you are learning English or French from scratch or refining your business communication, the programme is designed around where you are today.