What Is a Notarial Translation?
A notarial translation is a translation of a document that has been certified by a notary public, giving it legal force. The process works as follows: a professional translator performs the translation and signs it. The notary then certifies the translator's signature, confirming the translator's identity and professional qualifications. The result is a document that carries legal weight and is recognized by government authorities, courts, immigration offices and other official bodies.
Notarial translation is essential when foreign authorities require legally verified translations of your documents. It is the most widely recognized form of certified translation across the world and is accepted in the vast majority of countries for official purposes.
It is important to understand the distinction between three types of certified translation. A regular translation is simply a linguistic conversion without any legal certification — useful for informational purposes but not accepted by most authorities. A notarial (notary-certified) translation is one where the notary certifies the translator's signature — this is the most common and universally recognized form of certified translation. A sworn translator translation is performed by a translator who has been officially appointed by a government authority or court — for example, a Vereidigter Übersetzer in Germany or a traductor jurado in Spain. Some countries accept only sworn translator translations, while others accept notary-certified translations. Global Docs Pro provides both types.
Which type of certified translation do you need? Most countries — including the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Israel — accept notary-certified translations. Germany requires translations by a sworn translator (Vereidigter Übersetzer). Spain requires a traductor jurado. France requires a traducteur assermenté. If you are unsure which type your destination country requires, contact us — we will advise you and arrange the correct format.
When Do You Need a Notarial Translation?
A notarial translation is required in a wide range of situations whenever a foreign authority needs to read and verify the content of a document issued in another language. Below are the most common scenarios.
Immigration & Visas
Residence permits, green cards, work visas, family reunification, naturalization. Immigration authorities almost always require certified translations of birth certificates, marriage certificates, police clearance certificates and other supporting documents.
Education
Diplomas, academic transcripts, certificates of advanced training, school leaving certificates. Universities and credential evaluation agencies require certified translations of all educational documents for admission and degree recognition.
Employment & Business
Employment certificates, employment record books, contracts, powers of attorney for business purposes. Foreign employers and business partners often require certified translations of professional documents.
Family Matters
Marriage certificates, divorce decrees, child custody orders, adoption papers, consent letters. Cross-border family proceedings require certified translations of all relevant legal documents.
Medical
Medical certificates, vaccination records, health examination reports, hospital discharge summaries. Medical institutions abroad require certified translations for treatment, insurance claims and visa medical examinations.
Legal & Court
Powers of attorney, court decisions, contracts, inheritance documents, notarized agreements. Courts and legal authorities require certified translations for cross-border litigation, property transactions and probate proceedings.
What Documents Can Be Translated?
Virtually any document can be notarially translated. The translation can be performed on different types of source material depending on your needs and the requirements of the receiving authority.
Notarial copies: In most cases, the notarial translation is performed on a notarized copy of the original document. This is the most common approach — the notary first makes a certified copy of your original, and the translator then translates this copy. Your original document remains safe and untouched.
Original documents: Some authorities require the translation to be attached directly to the original document. In this case, the translation is bound to the original with the notary's certification. We will advise you if this is required for your specific situation.
Scans and electronic copies: If you are located outside Russia and cannot send the physical document, we can arrange for the translation to be done on the basis of a scan or photo. The final notarial certification will be performed when our office has access to the document. Contact us to discuss the options available for your case.
How We Do Notarial Translation
The process of obtaining a notarial translation is straightforward. We handle everything from start to finish — you do not need to visit any offices in Russia.
1. Send Us Your Request
Contact us via WhatsApp or Telegram. Tell us which document needs to be translated, the target language and the country where it will be used. Send us a clear photo or scan of the document. We will identify the correct type of certified translation for your destination country and provide a price quote.
2. Translation
A professional translator with notary accreditation performs the translation. Our translators specialize in legal, technical and medical terminology and ensure accurate, faithful rendering of the source document. For sworn translator countries (Germany, Spain, France), we work with court-appointed translators recognized by the destination authority.
3. Notarial Certification
The completed translation is brought to a notary public in Moscow who certifies the translator's signature. The notary verifies the translator's identity and professional credentials and affixes their seal and certification stamp. The document is now legally valid.
4. Delivery
We send you photos of the completed notarial translation for your review and approval. Once you confirm everything is correct, we ship the original documents to your address anywhere in the world via insured courier with full tracking. Average delivery time is 3-7 business days.
Cost of Notarial Translation
Our pricing is individual and depends on several factors: the language pair (common languages cost less than rare ones), the volume of the document (number of pages or words), the complexity of the text (legal and medical documents may require specialist translators), and the level of urgency.
We provide a full cost breakdown before starting any work — no hidden fees, no surprises. The price includes the translator's fee, notary fee and any additional services such as making a notarized copy of your original document.
Contact us via WhatsApp or Telegram with a photo of your document and tell us the target language and destination country. We will calculate the exact cost within minutes.
Why Choose Global Docs Pro
- 9+ years of experience with notarial translations for international clients
- Accredited translators with specialist legal, medical and technical expertise
- 30+ languages available — from English and German to Chinese and Arabic
- Notarial certification at notary offices in Moscow
- International delivery with full tracking and insurance
- Personal support in Russian, English and German
- Clients from 30+ countries trust us with their document translations
- We also provide sworn translator translations for Germany, Spain, France and other countries that require them