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Certified Philippine Property Deed Translation
Certified translation of the documents that record the ownership of land and buildings in the Philippines, including the registry annotations and endorsements that carry the legal effect and that a reader unfamiliar with the system will otherwise skip.
$24.95/page
Flat rate per page, up to 250 words. No hidden fees.
100% USCIS acceptance
Every certified translation is guaranteed to be accepted by USCIS.
24-hour delivery
Most 1-3 page documents are delivered within 24 hours. Same-day available.
The Torrens title, and what it means
The Philippines runs a Torrens system: the Transfer Certificate of Title for land and the Condominium Certificate of Title for a unit are issued by the Registry of Deeds and are indefeasible once registered.
An older Original Certificate of Title traces to the first registration. The title number, not the deed of sale, is the document that proves ownership.
The annotations on the back
A Philippine title carries annotations on the reverse — mortgages, lis pendens, adverse claims, the Section 4 Rule 74 two-year restriction after an extrajudicial settlement, and agrarian reform notes.
A scan of the front alone hides them, and they are the substance. We ask for both faces and translate every annotation with its entry number and date.
Tax declaration is not title
Many Philippine properties are held with only a tax declaration from the assessor, which is evidence of possession and tax payment, not ownership.
Clients send it as their deed. We say what it is, because a US court or lender told otherwise will be badly misled.
Foreign ownership, and the languages
Foreigners cannot own land in the Philippines. They may own a condominium unit within the building's forty per cent foreign cap, or hold land through a corporation that is sixty per cent Filipino.
Documents are in English, so the work is usually authentication rather than translation, though older Spanish-era titles exist. See our Tagalog page.
Ordering, and what the certification covers
Upload the document, choose certified translation at $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, and it comes back typically within 24 hours as a PDF formatted to mirror the original, with a signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead. Marginal annotations are translated in place, in the margin, and every seal, stamp and registry endorsement is translated with the text. See how we translate and certified versus standard.
Frequently asked questions
Which document proves ownership?
The Transfer or Condominium Certificate of Title from the Registry of Deeds, not the deed of sale.
Why do you need the back of the title?
The annotations — mortgages, lis pendens, adverse claims, the Rule 74 restriction — are on the reverse.
I have a tax declaration.
That is evidence of possession and tax payment, not ownership.
Can a foreigner buy?
Not land. A condominium unit within the forty per cent foreign cap, or land through a sixty per cent Filipino corporation.
Ready to get started?
Upload the document and receive the certified translation, typically within 24 hours.