Whenever foreign documents are to be submitted in Germany, they will require sworn translation. Every country has its own translation laws and rules, and Germany is no different. The rules for submitting foreign documents are clearly laid out and must be followed in order for the documents to be accepted as part of any official process in the country. In today’s article, we will discuss what a sworn translation means in Germany and how to obtain one.
A sworn translation is a legal translation produced by a court-appointed translator in Germany. It varies from certified translations in the United States, and a US-certified translation will likely be rejected for use in Germany, as it does not conform with German laws. The translation will contain the translator’s stamp and signature, and will have legal force in Germany.
In order to obtain a sworn translation, it is important to ensure the translator has been appointed by a court in Germany. A regular certification or certification from another country is not valid in Germany. Typically, a scan of the original document is sufficient in order to provide the translation, however, a hard copy of the translation may be required in order to submit it to the receiving entity in Germany.
A sworn translator has been approved in one or more languages, and can only prepare sworn translations in those language pairs. For example, Spanish to German sworn translations can only be completed by a sworn Spanish to German sworn translator.
Common documentation that is translated for official purposes in Germany includes property deeds, divorce decrees, birth certificates, marriage certificates, court rulings and other documents. Foreign documents are commonly submitted in Germany to apply for citizenship, formalize a change of marital status or as part of a legal proceeding. It is important that any documents that come from an apostille member country be apostilled prior to translation and submission in Germany. Failure to provide an apostille can lead to rejection by the German authority. For more information about apostilles, read our article here.
At CSH Translation, we specialize in German sworn translations in a variety of languages, including, but not limited to: Spanish to German sworn translations, Polish to German sworn translations, Portuguese to German sworn translations, Serbian to German sworn translations and French to German sworn translations. We would be delighted to assist you with your next German sworn translation project. Please contact us for a quote: info@cshtranslation.com