MC Translate

MC Translate is the branded business translation service of Media Consulta Malta Ltd, a company that has operated in Malta since the 1990s. It handles translation and interpreting in any language pair, from a single birth certificate to a full set of financial and compliance documents, and works for companies, public-facing organisations and private individuals.

The office is at Media Consulta House in Birkirkara, in the middle of the island and a short drive from Valletta. It is part of our directory of translation services in Malta, where UK readers can compare language providers by what they offer and where they are.

MC Translate has been established since 2004 and is the translations competence centre for the wider Media Consulta international network. It is authorised by the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs in Malta to certify translations and authenticate documents, which is the feature that matters most to anyone whose paperwork has to be accepted by an official body.

Certified and apostilled translations

A certified translation is one that the translator or agency formally confirms as accurate, so that an authority will accept it. MC Translate is authorised by the Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to certify its own translations, and these translations are accepted for most legal purposes, including applications to Identity Malta. If you need a certified hard copy, tell the team when you order and it can be collected from the office or sent by courier.

Some countries also require an apostille, an additional stamp that confirms the origin of a public document for use abroad. MC Translate can obtain an apostille on your document when required, at a surcharge. It is wise to check with the receiving body whether a certified translation is enough or whether the apostille is needed too, as the answer varies by country and purpose.

UK readers most often use this service for certificates and records connected with a move to Malta, such as birth, marriage and death certificates, university degrees, wills and testaments, and civil or criminal legal documents.

Business, legal and sector translation

The business side covers financial and banking documents, reports and accounts, contracts and correspondence, corporate compliance, and marketing and public relations texts. These suit firms working in the financial services sector in Malta, where regulators and counterparties expect documents in a specific language.

The team also names specialist work for the iGaming industry in Malta, including HR and compliance translations, along with shipping and marine documents, medical and pharmaceutical documents and reports, and professional sports certificates. Specialist or highly technical texts can take longer, because the agency engages subject experts and advises on timing after it has examined the document.

Anyone setting up a company will often need translated articles, contracts or certificates alongside advice from a local firm such as CLA Malta, and cross-border questions about Malta tax for UK nationals can bring more paperwork in different languages.

Languages, localisation and interpreting

Language coverage is broad. The agency translates from and into all European languages, including smaller ones such as Gaelic, and into and out of the major world languages, among them Arabic, Russian, Chinese and Japanese. It works through a network of more than 1,000 translators worldwide, with global language experts covering over 60 languages. Maltese to English is a specific offer.

Other language services include website translation and localisation, transcription, audio and voice-over work, and copywriting. Interpreting is available for conferences in Malta and abroad, in simultaneous or consecutive format, for English and several other language pairs. The interpreters are qualified linguists who belong to the International Association of Interpreters, and many also work as official interpreters for the European Union and the United Nations. MC Translate handles logistics, including flights and accommodation for interpreters travelling to an event.

Audio and voice-over services and transcription suit businesses that produce video or recorded material for several markets, and copywriting is offered for companies that want original text rather than a translation. A smaller job is possible too, such as a visiting delegation that needs someone to interpret in a meeting at your Maltese office.

Turnaround, pricing and payment

A document of up to 1,500 words normally takes three working days, which leaves time for translation, proofreading and a final review. Larger documents take longer, and each job is given a delivery date that the agency commits to keep. Express delivery is available at a surcharge, and for short documents it can be as quick as one working day. All charges are shown in the quotation.

Prices depend on the number of words, the languages involved, the deadline if the work is urgent and the topic when the text is technical. There is a minimum fee covering a basic single-page document or up to 350 words in most, though not all, languages. A quotation normally follows within two hours in working hours once the team has seen the document. Payment in full is requested when you accept the quote and work begins on receipt, with card, Revolut, cheque or cash accepted. All translations are guaranteed for accuracy of content, and copies of work completed in the last five years are kept on file for a small charge.

The online quote form follows a short sequence. You choose whether you need a standard deadline, which has a three working day minimum, or urgent delivery with an extra fee; you upload or email the documents so they can be assessed; you state the languages required; and you leave your details and say whether you prefer a call or an email. For urgent requests the team recommends speaking to it personally so it can confirm quickly what is possible.

Confidentiality is taken seriously: staff and linguists have signed non-disclosure agreements, and a mutual agreement can be signed for long-term clients with sensitive documents.

The team behind MC Translate

Andrew Warrington founded Media Consulta in Malta in 1997 and is its Managing Director. Over the years the company grew from a full-service marketing business into three main areas: public relations, translation and interpretation, and adventure and team building. Graziella Radmilli joined in 2009, rose to Head of the translations department and takes a personal interest in client projects, even outside office hours. Theresa Sullivan is also part of the translations team.

The firm also recruits freelance linguists, and a page on its site invites translators to join its network. For professional matters around a translation, such as a contract review, directory neighbours include Advocates Primei, and residence queries can go to ACC Malta Immigration Advisors.

Visiting the office and getting started

Media Consulta House is at 150 Salvu Psaila Street in Birkirkara. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm, and walk-ins are welcome, so you can bring originals in person. You can also send a high-quality scan or photograph, upload the file, or use a courier. Postal services are not recommended because documents can be lost. A visit combines easily with time in the capital, so see our Valletta guide and the hotels in Valletta.

The agency needs to see the document before it quotes, so have it ready, along with your target language, the deadline and whether you need certification or an apostille. Use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to MC Translate, who will reply to you directly.