My end-to-end experience with a certified translation vendor

Adding a full account since the earlier community post here about translation timelines was useful but focused mainly on timing — wanted to share the fuller experience, including a couple of things that didn't go perfectly. What went smoothly: the actual translation quality was solid, and the certification format met the standard requirements without issue. What didn't go perfectly: one document had a stamp with text in a third language neither the original document's primary language nor English, which the translator initially missed, and I had to catch it myself on review and send it back for a correction pass — a good reminder to actually read the finished translation carefully rather than assuming it's automatically complete just because it came from a professional service. The lesson I'd pass on: treat the delivered translation as a draft to verify, not a finished product to file immediately — a careful comparison against the original, checking every detail including stamps, marginalia, and anything easy to overlook, is worth the extra time before it goes into your file.