What is the standard turnaround for a certified translation?
Up to 3 business days from the moment your Yappy payment is confirmed. That is Standard delivery, and it covers most processes without an imminent appointment. The clock runs in business days, Monday to Friday: a payment made on a Friday afternoon starts counting on Monday. One- or two-page documents are often delivered before that maximum.
What are my options if I'm in a hurry?
Two faster options sit on top of Standard. Express delivers in 1 business day for 50% more, and Same-day delivers that same day for 100% more. Same-day has a firm condition: you pay before 11:00 a.m. and a translator is available for your language. If either condition fails, the order moves to Express and we tell you before charging the surcharge.
| Delivery speed | Timeline | Surcharge | One page (250 words), with 7% ITBMS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Up to 3 business days | Base price | $21.40 |
| Express | 1 business day | +50% | $32.10 |
| Same-day | The same day | +100% | $42.80 |
The prices above are for English ↔ Spanish. German ↔ Spanish starts at $25 per page plus $0.10 per additional word, and the same surcharges apply. You can compare all three speeds for your own document in the online quote.
What can make a translation take longer?
Length is the main factor. The timelines above apply to documents of up to 10 pages (2,500 words). For anything longer, such as a course syllabus or a contract dozens of pages long, our team prepares a special volume price and confirms the timeline with you on WhatsApp before you pay. Two other factors also count:
- Language: German depends on the availability of the specialized TPA. Portuguese, French, Italian and Mandarin are coming soon.
- Scan quality: a blurry or incomplete document slows down the word count and the translation. A sharp photo or PDF of every page keeps everything moving.
Does the timeline include delivery of the printed original?
The timeline runs until your translation is signed and ready. Within it, the signed and sealed PDF reaches you by WhatsApp or email at no cost. Delivery of the printed original in Panama City is arranged right after with Flash Box and usually happens the same or the next day: free when your order adds up to 6 pages or more, $3 for 1 to 5 pages.
Outside Panama City, shipping is quoted separately, and we confirm the cost on WhatsApp before charging it; logistics can add a day depending on the destination. For USCIS filings, the signed PDF is usually what you need.
How should I plan translations around an appointment?
Work backward from your filing date. Get each foreign document apostilled in its country of origin first, then send it for translation. Standard takes up to 3 business days from payment, so paying early in the week keeps the weekend out of the count. Residency files are usually assembled over weeks with an immigration attorney, so Standard is normally enough and costs less.
One exception: documents with a short validity, like police certificates, are best requested close to your filing date, because immigration usually wants them recently issued. That is where Express, at 1 business day, can close the gap. Our guide to common mistakes with immigration documents covers this and other reasons files get sent back.