As a translator authorised by the State Court of Hanover for German, English, and Russian, I am licensed to stamp translations, i.e. I can certify (my) translations so that they are officially recognized by public and local authorities.
Occasions for which certification is a legal requirement include getting married, studying abroad, immigrating and emigrating. Documents needing certification include birth certificates, marriage certificates, Certificates of No Impediment (CNI), degree certificates, etc.
This is how it works:
- Please post or fax the document to be translated to me, or scan it and send it by email (full contact details are given here). I cannot provide a quote without having seen the document!
- You will then receive a quote and I will let you know how long I need to complete the translation.
- As a matter of course, all documents you send me will be treated confidentially and deleted from my computer along with our email correspondence should you decline my offer (or have not responded after 7 days).
- You can pay the quoted amount by bank transfer or PayPal.
- Having translated the document, I will certify the accuracy and completeness of the translation by stamp, signature, and the appropriate clause. The translation is then inseparably attached to the source text and I will indicate whether I received the source text as an original, a verified copy or a copy (in some cases the original document is required. Please check with the relevant authorities as to what is required. Generally, a copy will be sufficient).
- Finally, I will post the finished document to you (posting as a letter within Germany is free of charge!)
As it was in Germany that I received my authorization to provide certified translations, I am only able to officially certify translations into or out of German, not out of English into Russian or vice versa.
Document Translation Rates
Certified document translations are charged in accordance with the German Judicial Remuneration and Allowances Act (JVEG) at € 2.32* per standard line (55 characters incl. spaces, based on the target text). I will gladly provide you with an individual quote if you send me the document by scanning it in and attaching it to an email. Texts of fewer than 30 lines (55 characters each) will attract a one-off minimum fee of € 70.00.
Additional copies of the translation will cost € 2.00 per page plus € 10.00 for the certification.
Posting as a letter within Germany is free of charge!
*As document translations are generally required by private customers, all the prices shown under “Document Translation Rates” include statutory German VAT at the current rate of 19%.
Frequently Asked Questions—Document Translation
In German, translators can be “beeidigt”, “vereidigt”, “ermächtigt” or “öffentlich bestellt”. What do these terms mean and which one do I need?
All of these terms mean the same thing. The differences are simply down to the fact that each Federal State uses its own term. They all refer to a sworn translator who has been officially authorised or appointed by the relevant district court to certify the correctness and completeness of written translations. As such, a sworn translator is able to translate documents “with certification” or “with stamp”, i.e. with legal certification, as required by the public authorities and universities.
A “zertifizierter” translator is, however, merely a translator who is certified according to the European Standard DIN EN 15038. While this is certainly a hallmark of quality, it has nothing to do with certified translations in the legal sense.
… or am I actually looking for an interpreter?
Sworn interpreters work with spoken language, for example at court hearings, with the police, in registry offices, etc. I do NOT offer this service.
What about state certified (staatlich geprüft), IHK approved (IHK-geprüft) or graduate (Diplom) translators?
These are all qualifications to watch out for as the title “Translator” is not protected by law in Germany. The fact remains that certified translations of certificates, documents, etc. may only be undertaken by sworn translators (“ermächtigte” translators in Lower Saxony) as described in the above paragraph. No other title will do.
Would I be better off sending my document to a notary?
No. A notary can do a lot, but cannot certify translations. Only sworn translators can do this, as described in the above paragraph.
The public authorities in the USA require the following: All documents not in English, or the official language of the country where the visa application will be processed, must be accompanied by a certified translation. Your translation must include a statement signed by the translator that states the following: Translation is accurate, Translator is competent to translate. Can you fulfill this requirement?
In English: As a duly authorized translator for the English language by the Regional Court Hanover, Germany, I hereby certify that the foregoing is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, a true and correct translation of the German document submitted to me as a copy/certified copy/original.
In German: Die Richtigkeit und Vollständigkeit vorstehender Übersetzung des mir als unbeglaubigte Kopie/beglaubigte Kopie/Original vorgelegten Dokuments wird bescheinigt.The stamp that I use to officially seal translations confirms that I am authorised by the State Court of Hanover to provide certified translations in German, English and Russian. That, along with my signature, fulfils this requirement.
Could I just come round to your office to drop the documents off?
I would rather you didn’t. As a freelancer, I work from home rather than running a translation office. Please send me your documents by email.
I need a translation into/from a language other than English or Russian; where can I find someone to do this?
A database of officially authorised, appointed and sworn translators and interpreters is provided for all languages by the State Justice Administrations at www.justiz-dolmetscher.de.
I have a copy of a German/English/Russian document which needs certifying; can you do this?
No. I am only authorised to certify (my) translations into or out of German, English, and Russian–nothing else is permitted. Please contact your local authorities to have your copy certified.
I’ve already translated something myself; could you stamp it for me?
In principle I can certify translations by other people. However, as I will need to compare the translation very closely with the source text and alter or add things to the translation if needed, I charge the same for this as for a new translation by me.
Do you also translate from Russian into English and vice versa?
No. As it was in Germany that I received my authorization to provide certified translations, I am only allowed to certify translations into or out of German.