Certified Translations
A certified translation is mostly required for governmental or official purposes. Generally, these are documents, such as references, divorce decrees, birth certificates, wills, certificates of no impediment to marriage, any type of contract or similar documents. By certifying the translation, a translator, who is certified or sworn (the term varies in the different German states: certified in North Rhine-Westphalia for example, sworn in Bavaria or Lower Saxony) by a regional or higher regional court, confirms its accuracy.
Not all translators are allowed to certify a translation. They must be able to prove their language qualifications with a certificate such as a translation degree, or be state-recognised translators. They must also have a sound knowledge of legal terminology and the different areas of the law, especially civil, criminal and administrative law, including the relevant procedural law. They will have obtained this knowledge either by studying law during their translation studies (and gaining an appropriately good final grade) or by attending the summer law school run by the BDÜ (Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer - German Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators) and taking the final exam.
Translators must also provide evidence of good character with a CRB check or equivalent certificate, guaranteeing that they have no criminal record or investigations pending, and certifying that they do not appear in the list of debtors or the bankruptcy directory. A handwritten CV is also requested. Translators are then officially certified by the respective judge and specimen signatures provided to the court.
The actual certification process involves checking the translation, whose layout should also correspond to that of the original document. A copy of the original document and the translation are stapled together, with the translator's stamp on the folded edge. Then the translator attaches his/her certification statement, stamp and signature.
Do you need a certified translation? Then you have come to the right place. You can obtain a quote here.
Not all translators are allowed to certify a translation. They must be able to prove their language qualifications with a certificate such as a translation degree, or be state-recognised translators. They must also have a sound knowledge of legal terminology and the different areas of the law, especially civil, criminal and administrative law, including the relevant procedural law. They will have obtained this knowledge either by studying law during their translation studies (and gaining an appropriately good final grade) or by attending the summer law school run by the BDÜ (Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer - German Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators) and taking the final exam.
Translators must also provide evidence of good character with a CRB check or equivalent certificate, guaranteeing that they have no criminal record or investigations pending, and certifying that they do not appear in the list of debtors or the bankruptcy directory. A handwritten CV is also requested. Translators are then officially certified by the respective judge and specimen signatures provided to the court.
The actual certification process involves checking the translation, whose layout should also correspond to that of the original document. A copy of the original document and the translation are stapled together, with the translator's stamp on the folded edge. Then the translator attaches his/her certification statement, stamp and signature.
Do you need a certified translation? Then you have come to the right place. You can obtain a quote here.
