How to translate a birth certificate to use abroad

If you are getting married, studying, working or applying for residence in another country, you will very likely be asked for a translated birth certificate. For most official procedures, any translation will not do: the receiving authority requires a sworn translation, signed and stamped by an authorised translator.

What kind of translation you need

Civil registries, consulates, town halls, universities and immigration offices usually ask for a sworn translation. The translator certifies with their signature and stamp that the translation is faithful to the original document, which gives it official status.

Every country has its own system of authorised translators. That is why we work with an international network of sworn translators and assign each certificate to the right professional for the language pair and the country where you will present it.

Step by step

1. Get a recent copy. Many authorities require a certificate issued within the last three or six months. Check this before you start.
2. Check whether it needs an apostille. If the destination country is party to the Hague Convention, the certificate usually has to be apostilled in the country that issued it. It is best to apostille it before translating, so the apostille is translated too.
3. Send us a scanned copy. A PDF or a clear photo of every page is enough, including apostilles, stamps and marginal notes.
4. Tell us the destination country and authority. This lets us choose the right sworn translator and a format that will be accepted.
5. Receive the signed and stamped translation. We deliver it on paper or as a digitally signed file, depending on what the authority accepts.

Full, short-form or multilingual certificate

Before translating, check which version you are asked for. A full certificate includes all details and annotations; a short-form one only the essential data. Some countries issue multilingual certificates that, for certain procedures between signatory countries, may make a translation unnecessary. If in doubt, ask the receiving authority or ask us.

How long it takes and how much it costs

A birth certificate is a short document, so we usually deliver it within a few days. If you are in a hurry, you can request our urgent service. The price depends on the language pair: send us the document and we will prepare a free, no-obligation quote.

Common mistakes

• Translating an old certificate that the authority then rejects because of its date.
• Forgetting the apostille, or adding it after the translation.
• Sending only the first page and leaving out marginal notes or the back.
• Spelling names differently from the passport: tell us the correct spelling.

Need your birth certificate translated? Email us at info@ddminternational.eu or use our contact page. Learn more about our sworn translation service.

More sworn translation guides

• What is the Hague apostille and when do you need it with a sworn translation?
• Sworn translation of degrees and academic transcripts
• Sworn, official and certified translation: what is the difference?