Certified translations of birth certificates: Information and costs

To have a birth officially recorded, you need to follow a specific administrative process. In some cases, you may also need to have a birth certificate translated. To help you, Alphatrad outlines below what you need to know about getting a birth certificate translated.

What is a birth certificate?

As well as providing information on the place of birth, the birth certificate shows the sex of the newborn child and the identity of the parents. It is kept by the responsible regional authority, which can usually issue a certified copy for a fee. A birth certificate is required for marriages, for example, but is also needed for other official procedures. In some countries, a child can only obtain a passport on presentation of the parents' birth certificates. Similarly, official proof is often required for insurance purposes or for examinations.

When should a birth certificate be translated?

As long as a person remains in their country of birth, translations of birth certificates are rarely necessary. However, there are many instances when you might need a translation of a birth certificate for presentation to the authorities abroad. Here are some examples of situations that may require a birth certificate to be translated:

• Expatriation
• Applying for a visa in a foreign country
• A wedding abroad
• Studying abroad
• Legal or administrative transactions (passport renewal, request for an extract from a family record book, divorce certificate, etc.) with multilingual contacts
• Application for naturalisation

How do I get a birth certificate translated?

Depending on the country, you will either need a sworn translator (this is the case in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Spain and France) or a notarised translation (this is the case in the United Kingdom, Portugal and Switzerland) to have a birth certificate translated.

Legalising a translated birth certificate or affixing an apostille

In some cases, foreign authorities may ask for the birth certificate to be authenticated before it is provided to the relevant authority, in order to certify its legal value abroad.

This authentication process can take the form of an apostille or legalisation. Authentication of a birth certificate by apostille is simpler and quicker than legalisation.

Costs of a certified translation of a birth certificate

The costs of certified translations of birth certificates vary and the price and the processing time depend on various factors such as:

• language combinations
• requested delivery time
• text volume
• type or difficulty of the text

It should also be noted that translations of short texts (often the case with a birth certificate) are usually charged at a minimum amount. Additional costs may also be incurred for sending the translation.

You want to have a birth certificate translated?

Our translation agency can translate birth certificates from many languages and we work with translators or notaries who are authorised to issue an official translation. Since regulations in individual countries can vary, we require accurate information to calculate prices and the costs you will incur. It is particularly relevant when considering the target language into which a translation is to be made. Please use our online form to contact us for a no obligation quote.

FAQ on the subject of certified translations of birth certificates