Certified Translations English

A certified translation is required for numerous official purposes at home and abroad, both in business transactions and on a private level. Examples of this in business transactions are: company documents such as shareholders’ agreements, annual reports, extracts from the commercial register, documents relating to company takeovers, purchase agreements, notarial deeds. Examples of translations of personal documents are: personal ID card, passport, professional card, driver’s license, letter of reference, birth certificate, certificate of ancestry, baptismal certificate, marriage certificate, other personal status documents, divorce decree, death certificate, will, contract, marriage contract, employment contract, sales contract, notarial deed, police clearance certificate, certificate of good conduct, registration certificate, residence permit, application documents, documents for professional recognition.

If you want to use a document or certificate from a German authority abroad, e.g. for setting up a company, for cooperation projects or for personal purposes, e.g. if you want to work abroad, get married, adopt a child or buy a property, you also need a certified translation into the respective foreign language. Additional requirements may be imposed by the foreign authority for the recognition of this certified translation abroad:

Apostille: With an apostille, the authenticity of the signature of the authorised / publicly sworn or recognised translator is confirmed by the respective competent district court. It applies to all countries that have acceded to the 1961 Hague Convention.

You have the option of obtaining the apostille yourself at the competent district court. If you need assistance with this, please feel free to contact us. We will provide you with expert support and advice on the process and the fees and service costs involved. If you wish, we can also obtain the apostille from the district court on your behalf.

Legalisation: For all other countries that are not party to the Hague Convention, you will need “legalisation”. In the case of certified translations, the legalisation confirms the authenticity of the signature of the authorised / publicly sworn or recognised translator. This requires a preliminary certification, which is also issued by the competent district court. The certified translation together with the preliminary certification by the competent district court is submitted for legalisation to the embassy or foreign mission of the country for which you need the document.

Why would I require a certified translation?

A certified translation is a translation that has been completed by a professional translator who attests to the accuracy and completeness of the translation. The translator will typically provide a certification statement, signed and dated, which includes their name, contact information, and qualifications as a translator.

Certified translations are often required by government agencies, courts, and other legal entities to ensure that the translated document is accurate and reliable. In some cases, failure to provide a certified translation may result in the rejection of your application or legal document.

In Germany, only translators who are publicly sworn / sworn in / authorised or recognised by the respective regional courts are permitted to carry out certified translations. A prerequisite for the swearing-in of a translator is appropriate training and qualification in order to also guarantee the necessary quality. Our translation agency has this qualification, of course.

With a certified translation, an authorised translator certifies with his stamp and signature the accuracy and completeness of a translation with the original document / source document.

We are also happy to support and advise you in this process. If you wish, we can also take care of these official procedures for you.

In addition, please note that some states require an additional certification by the Federal Office of Administration after the pre-certification. Further information can be obtained from the Federal Office of Administration.

We will be happy to provide you with a certified translation from German into English.

The best way is to send us the document to be translated electronically as a PDF document and state your deadline.

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If you would like to have your documents translated, it is best to send them electronically as a PDF document, stating the language combination you require and your preferred date.

You will also receive a quotation from us by e-mail, taking into account your preferred date. If you agree with our proposal, confirm our offer in writing by e-mail, stating your exact address and a telephone number for any queries. You will then receive an invoice from us for this translation service. After receipt of payment, we will send you the documents both electronically as a PDF file and by post. By arrangement, you are also welcome to collect and pay for the translation at our office.

Please note that if you use the certified translation abroad, you may need an apostille, over-certification or legalisation. Please feel free to contact us for further information.

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