What does “certified translation” mean?
When a foreign-language document is to be submitted to a public authority, court, university or other body, a simple rendering of its content is usually not enough. The authority may ask for an official or certified translation – a translation accompanied by a specific certification and linked to the document it was made from.
A certified translation covers the whole document: headings, names, dates, numbers, stamps, signatures, handwritten notes and, where present, the Apostille.
However, there is no single acceptance rule for every country and every authority. The right form of translation depends on the type of document, the issuing country, the destination country and the requirements of the receiving authority.
Before a document is sent for certified translation, it should be checked that it is complete, legible and properly legalised.
Foreign public documents from a state party to the Hague Convention usually need an Apostille, unless an exemption applies under an EU regulation, a bilateral agreement or another specific provision. Documents from other countries may need consular legalisation.
Private documents may need prior certification, legalisation or a notarial deed, depending on how they will be used. An unsigned or uncertified private document can be translated linguistically, but that does not automatically give the translation official status.
A translation that is official under Greek law is not necessarily accepted in the same way in every other country. The foreign authority may require:
- a translator registered in its own national register,
- a sworn or court-certified translation,
- notarial certification of the signature,
- an Apostille on the certification of the translation,
- a translation made in the country of submission,
- a specific printed or electronic format.
Before ordering, ask the receiving authority to confirm its requirements. It is best to ask in writing and state who will issue the translation, in which country and with what certification.
This avoids ending up with a correct translation that does not meet the specific formal requirements of that procedure.
Certified translations are used, among other things, in procedures before municipalities, civil registry offices, tax authorities, courts, universities, social insurance bodies and other public services.
Final acceptance depends on the procedure. For example, different documents may be required for:
- transferring tax residence,
- recognition of studies or professional qualifications,
- university enrolment,
- obtaining a marriage licence,
- registering a birth or marriage,
- court or notarial use,
- employment or social insurance procedures.
In some cases, documents issued in another EU member state can be submitted without an Apostille or accompanied by a multilingual standard form. This does not mean that every European document is automatically exempt from translation or legalisation.
Depending on the procedure and the receiving authority, translations by an authorised official of a Greek consular authority, or translations prepared or certified by an embassy or consulate, may be accepted.
For certain administrative procedures, translations by graduate translators of the Department of Foreign Languages, Translation and Interpreting of the Ionian University are also recognised.
Acceptance should not be taken for granted in every case. An authority may apply a specific legal framework or ask for a particular type of certification. That is why you should ask the competent authority for written confirmation before ordering the translation.
The Greek Lawyers’ Code provides that a lawyer’s work also includes translating documents from and into foreign languages.
For the translation to have full validity before a court or other authority, it must be accompanied by a certified copy of the translated document. The lawyer must also confirm that they have sufficient knowledge of both the source and the target language.
Being a lawyer is therefore not enough on its own: the conditions of Article 36 of the Lawyers’ Code must also be met.
If the document is to be used outside Greece, you should also confirm that the foreign authority accepts a translation by a Greek lawyer, or whether it requires a translator certified under its own national system.
Greece has a Register of Certified Translators of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Registered translators work as freelancers and can officially translate public and private documents from foreign languages into Greek and vice versa.
Each certified translation made within the Register is recorded in the relevant information system and receives a unique number. You can search for a certified translator for the language you need through the official gov.gr service.
For foreign public documents, the required legalisation procedures must be completed first. Depending on the country of origin, an Apostille, consular legalisation or another form of legalisation may be required.
How do you choose the right form of translation?
Before ordering a certified translation, gather four key pieces of information:
- In which country was the original issued?
- In which country and with which authority will it be submitted?
- Is an Apostille or other legalisation required?
- Which type of translator or certification does the authority accept?
Always send all pages of the document, including stamps, signatures and the Apostille. Also state your deadline and whether you need delivery on paper, electronically or both.
Confirming the requirements early protects you from repeated translations, extra certifications and delays.
Need documents translated for a Greek or foreign authority? Send your document to Translatable together with the country and authority of submission, so that we can check its language, legibility and completeness.
