Certified Translation for the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
After completing your studies in Australia, the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) is your pathway to living and working in Australia while you decide on your next steps — whether that's skilled migration, further study, or another visa pathway. But before you submit your application, any documents not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation for your Graduate Visa 485.
This guide explains what NAATI certified translation means, which documents you're likely to need translated, and how to get compliant translations without holding up your application.
What Is a NAATI Certified Translation?
The Department of Home Affairs requires all non-English documents submitted with a visa application to be translated by a NAATI-credentialled translator. NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) is Australia's only nationally recognised accreditation body for translation and interpreting.
A certified translation includes:
- A full English translation of the document
- A statement by the translator confirming accuracy and completeness
- The translator's full name, NAATI credential number, and signature
- Date of translation and translator contact details
Translations that do not meet this standard will be rejected, potentially delaying or derailing your 485 application.
Who Needs a Subclass 485 Visa?
The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa is designed for international students who have recently graduated from an Australian institution and want to remain in Australia temporarily. There are two streams:
- Graduate Work stream — for graduates with skills and qualifications related to an occupation on the skilled occupation list
- Post-Study Work stream — for graduates of bachelor degrees, honours degrees, master's degrees, or doctoral degrees from an Australian institution
Both streams require evidence of identity and personal status — and if any of those documents are in a language other than English, you will need a certified translation for your Graduate Visa 485 application.
Which Documents Commonly Require Translation for Subclass 485?
Identity Documents
- Passport — if your passport contains pages in a non-English language, those sections must be translated
- Birth certificate — to establish your identity and date of birth
- National identity card — if used as a form of identity documentation
Status and Relationship Documents
- Marriage certificate — if you are including a spouse or partner in your application
- Relationship declaration documents — for de facto partners, any overseas statutory declarations or relationship registration certificates in a foreign language will need translation
- Divorce certificate — if applicable to your or your partner's relationship history
- Birth certificates of dependent children — if any dependants are included on the application
Character Documents
- Police clearances from your home country — if you have lived outside Australia for 12 months or more in the past 10 years, you will need overseas police clearances, and these typically require a certified translation
- Court records or legal documents — if relevant to your character assessment
Note: Academic documents such as your Australian qualification certificates are typically already in English and do not require translation. However, any overseas academic qualifications or transcripts submitted in support of a skills assessment must be translated.
Skills Assessment and Certified Translation
If you are applying through the Graduate Work stream, you will need to provide evidence of a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority. If any of your overseas qualifications or transcripts are in a language other than English, the assessing authority will also require a NAATI certified translation for your Graduate Visa 485 documentation.
Different assessing authorities (e.g., VETASSESS, Engineers Australia, AIM) may have slightly different requirements — always check with the specific body relevant to your occupation.
How Long Does Certified Translation Take?
For standard documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, police clearances), most NAATI certified translations are completed within 1–3 business days. More complex documents may take longer.
If your visa application deadline is approaching, it's worth ordering translations as early as possible. Processing delays at the Department of Home Affairs often cannot be appealed on grounds that translations were ordered late.
Tips for Getting Your Translations Right First Time
- Provide clear scans — poor quality images can slow down the translation process and lead to errors
- Include all pages — even blank pages with stamps, seals, or official marks must be translated if they contain any non-English text
- Check the language — make sure you select the correct source language when ordering; some languages (e.g., Simplified vs. Traditional Chinese) require different translators
- Review the translation — once you receive the certified translation, check that names and dates match exactly between the original document and the translation
How to Order Your Certified Translations
- Upload a clear scan of your document at LodgeHQ Translations
- Select the source language and document type
- Compare quotes from NAATI-credentialled translators
- Pay securely via escrow — funds are only released when you confirm the translation is satisfactory
- Receive your certified translation, typically within 1–3 business days
All translations on LodgeHQ are produced by NAATI-credentialled translators and formatted to meet Department of Home Affairs requirements.
Ready to Get Started?
Ready to get started? Get your certified translation today — upload your document, compare quotes from NAATI-certified translators, and receive your translation within 48 hours.