What to bear in mind with certified translations!

Do you need a certified translation for an official procedure, such as the recognition of international skilled workers, and want to know what you need to bear in mind when it comes to certified translations? In our article, you will learn everything you need to know about certified translations!

A certified translation must contain the certification note, stamp and signature of the sworn translator who produced it. This confirms the accuracy of the certified translation – but not that of the source document.

In Germany, certified translations may only be produced by sworn translators. Their suitability is checked in advance, after which they are sworn in court for specific languages.

Most authorities in Germany only accept certified translations that have been produced by translators sworn in Germany.

A certified translation is particularly necessary when important documents that are not written in German have to be submitted to the authorities. The documents have to be translated so they can be understood. By certification, the sworn translator then guarantees the accuracy of the translation.

Which source documents need to be translated depends on the procedure in question and, above all, on the federal state in which the certified translation is to be submitted to the authorities.  

The following types of source documents can be submitted for translation:

• Simple copy: a copy of the original that has not been certified. You can upload this to us as a scan or photocopy.
• Certified copy: a copy of the original that has been officially certified.
• Original document: the physical original document.
• Native digital documents (“born digital”): purely digital documents for which there is no paper version.

The original document is required for translation only in rare cases. The certification note then also specifies the source document from which the translation was made.

The exact wording of the note may vary depending on the federal state and the type of source document submitted. A typical certification note reads:

“As a publicly appointed and generally sworn translator for [language] in [federal state], I certify that the above translation of the document submitted to me as a [certified copy/original/simple copy], written in [example: English], is correct and complete.”

Certified translations can now also be issued digitally – thanks to the qualified electronic signature (QES for short). The QES ensures that the translation is authentic and unaltered. A digitally certified translation with QES is a legally recognised document in accordance with the EU eIDAS Regulation. It is considered a digital original – unlike a scan of a certified translation.

The digitally certified translation also contains a certification note and the electronic signature of the sworn translator(s). However, a stamp is no longer necessary. This usually contains the contact details of the sworn translator(s). These are already stored with the electronic signature at the service provider where the translation was digitally signed. This also provides better protection for the translator’s data.

The digitally certified translation is only valid in digital form and loses its validity as soon as it is printed out.

Find out more about digitally certified translations in our article.