Certificate translation

If the PIO or another authority referred you to a sworn translator, you are in the right place. The Press and Information Office no longer issues translations, but it publishes the Register of Sworn Translators, where you can verify our entry under No. 094. We handle birth, marriage, divorce, death and criminal record certificates. You will see the terms sworn, certified or official translation. They mean the same thing.

Which certificates we translate

• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• Single status certificate
• Divorce certificate
• Death certificate
• Family status certificate
• Certificate of permanent residence
• Criminal record certificate (clean criminal record)

When you need a certificate translation

Civil status certificates are requested in many official procedures: marriage to a foreign national, registration of a child, applications for citizenship or a passport, study, work abroad, inheritance matters and registration with public services. When the certificate is not in the language required by the receiving authority, a sworn translation is needed.

Apostille and legalisation

Whether an Apostille or another form of legalisation is required depends on the country that issued the certificate, the country where it will be used and the requirements of the receiving authority.

For public documents issued in European Union member states that fall within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, no Apostille or equivalent legalisation is required.

For public documents originating outside the European Union, an Apostille or another prescribed form of legalisation may be required before the sworn translation.

Where an Apostille is required, it is usually affixed before the sworn translation, so that the relevant endorsements on the document are also translated.

The correct order of steps

1. Obtain the original or a certified copy of the certificate from the issuing authority.
2. Where required, arrange the Apostille or other prescribed legalisation.
3. Contact us so that we can confirm the procedure and send you a quote.
4. Under the guidance of the Council for the Registration of Sworn Translators, the original document must be presented before the sworn translation.
5. You receive your sworn translation, ready for use.

Take care with the spelling of names

The transliteration of names is the most common source of error. The spelling of the name in the translation must match exactly the spelling in your official documents. A small discrepancy can delay a citizenship or registration procedure. Tell us how your name is written in Greek or in German, so that the transliteration is consistent.

How quickly

A certificate is typically one page. You receive a quote and a delivery time the same day, once we have seen the document. A clear photograph or scan is enough for the quote.