Why you might need a translated marriage certificate
You need a translated marriage certificate if you are submitting documents for official purposes, such as an immigration application, in a country where the language is not your native language. For example, you need to translate your French marriage certificate to English when submitting it for USCIS applications. Here's a list of reasons why you will need a translated marriage certificate
Immigration and visa: Marriage certificate translation is required when applying for a spouse visa, a green card, or citizenship.
Foreign legal recognition: If you married abroad, your home country may require a translated marriage certificate to confirm that the marriage is legally valid and complies with local requirements.
Legal proceedings: You need to provide a marriage certificate translation for matters such as name changes, adoptions, divorces, inheritance, access to benefits, and other cases.
Accuracy for official use: Submitting a professionally translated marriage certificate ensures that it is accurate, and authorities can verify your marital status and other information.
Relocation and administrative processes: If you are relocating for work, family, or other reasons, you will need a translated marriage certificate for administrative procedures at local government offices.
Do you need a certified translation, notarisation, or an apostille?
Whether you need certified translation, notarisation, or an apostille often depends on the receiving country’s requirements. Here’s a breakdown of when each is needed
Certified translations: You need a certified translation when submitting foreign documents for official purposes in countries such as the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. The translator or translation company provides a statement confirming the translation is accurate and complete. This certificate of translation accuracy includes the translator’s credentials, contact details and signature.
Sworn translation: You need a sworn translation when submitting a document for official purposes in European and Latin American countries such as Spain, France, and Germany. Unlike certified translations, the translators must be officially registered and sworn in by the court or government body. The translation must also include the translator's official accreditation number, seal, signature, sworn statement of accuracy and completeness.
Notarised translation: Notarised translations are requested to add an extra layer of authentication. This type of translation requires a notary public to verify the translator’s identity and to witness the signature on the certification document. The notarisation doesn't verify the quality or accuracy of the translation, so you must first have your document translated by an authorised translator before proceeding with notarisation. Some authorities and courts in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China, and Japan require notarisation, particularly for immigration, adoption, and residency proceedings.
Apostille: An apostille is an official certificate issued by a government authority that authenticates a marriage certificate for use in another country. You need this additional authentication if the marriage certificate is submitted for official use abroad, especially when the receiving country is a signatory to the Hague Convention and requests it. This is an additional step after translation and notarisation, and it also increases the cost and time.
Official acceptance requirements by the destination country
The requirements that determine whether your translation will be accepted depend on the receiving country and its laws. Here is a summary of the requirements for some countries
United States: Certified marriage certificate translation for USCIS must be accompanied by a signed statement from the translator confirming competence in both languages. The statement confirms the accuracy of the translations and must include the translator's name, signature, address, and date.
United Kingdom: The UK Home Office and UKVI require certified translations for immigration and visa applications. The translation must be accompanied by a statement confirming accuracy, the translator's full name, contact details, the translation date, and the translator's signature.
Australia: Authorities in Australia accept certified translations for immigration and other official purposes. The requirements often require you to obtain your translation from a NAATI-accredited translator. The translation must also have an official certification statement, the translator's details, their NAATI seal/stamp, and the date the document was translated.
India: If you are submitting a foreign marriage certificate in India, it must be apostilled or legalised in the issuing country. Depending on the issuing country, you may need to notarise the translation before submitting it for an apostille. Indian authorities will accept apostilles or legalised translations of marriage certificates for official purposes.
United Arab Emirates: If you are submitting marriage certificates for translation in Dubai, UAE, they must first be notarised, attested, and legalised in the issuing country before the authorities accept them. Unlike India, the UAE isn’t a member of the Hague Convention, so all foreign documents must follow the consular legalisation process to be accepted for official purposes in Dubai.
What affects the cost of translating a marriage certificate?
Several factors, such as the type of certification, language complexity, volume, additional services, and turnaround time, affect the cost of marriage certificate translation.
Service level: The type of certification and required services will determine your translation costs. A certified translation can cost $30, while notarisation and apostille can add up to $100, which makes the total to $130.
Language pairs: Language pairs such as Spanish to English and French to German are more affordable and have more available translators. However, rare languages such as Amharic, Japanese, Khmer, and Urdu have fewer translators, making marriage certificate translation more expensive.
Document volume and complexity: A single-page marriage certificate translation is typically more cost-effective than a 10-page document with stamps, handwritten notes, and other elements.
Urgency: Requesting same-day or urgent delivery incurs a premium over receiving your translation within the standard turnaround time.
Delivery format: Translation companies deliver projects as PDFs via email at no additional cost. However, if you need physical copies delivered via courier, you will incur additional charges for delivery and related logistics.
Pricing models explained: per page vs per word vs per document
Translation companies adopt different pricing models for their packages. While some charge a fixed per-page rate, others use a flexible per-word model. Here is what you should know:
Per-page pricing: This is a popular pricing model for marriage certificate translations. It uses a fixed price per page, with a page defined as 250-300 words. The per-page model makes translation costs predictable; however, it may be a disadvantage when a page contains very few documents.
Per word: Per-word pricing applies to longer or content-heavy documents. Unlike per-page pricing, each word is priced at a fixed rate, which is great if you are translating a short document.
Per the document: Per-document pricing is fixed for marriage certificates, regardless of page or word count. This model is best suited to simple, fixed-format documents, but it may be difficult when handling multiple formats. It’s also rarely used by translation companies.
If you need a certified translation of your marriage certificate, Translayte uses a per-page pricing model with upfront, transparent rates starting at $25 per page. You can check prices before ordering or request a free quote for complex projects to get accurate rates.
Typical total cost breakdown (translation + add-ons)
The total cost of translating a marriage certificate often includes add-ons such as VAT. Here is a breakdown
Core translation cost
Optional Add-on
Notarisations: $50 - $120
Apostille/legalisations: $30 - $150
Printed copies of translation: $10 - $30
Based on this breakdown, a certified Spanish marriage certificate translated into English, with an apostille and delivered as a printed copy, will cost about $150.
Turnaround times: standard vs express
The turnaround time for a marriage certificate translation also affects the total cost.
Standard turnaround time: Most translation companies can translate a 1-3-page marriage certificate within 2-5 days, depending on complexity and demand. This option follows the standard translation rates and incurs no additional cost. If you are looking for fast, accurate translation services, Translayte offers a 12-24-hour turnaround for 1-3-page documents. You can request a free quote to get started.
Express/same-day delivery: If you require same-day delivery, you will typically pay an additional 30%-50% of the standard translation rate. However, this option is often limited to common language pairs and to minimal complexity.
Notarisation: Notarised translations add approximately 1-3 days to the standard turnaround time, depending on the Notary's availability.
Apostille: The standard processing timeline is 3-5 working days; premium services can reduce this to 2 days for an additional fee.
How to order a marriage certificate translation online
Ordering a marriage certificate online is easy if you follow the steps below:
Upload your marriage certificate: Use a high-quality scan or photo that clearly shows all text, stamps, and seals. Upload every page if your certificate spans multiple pages.
Select your source and target languages: Choose the source and target language for the certificate. For example, if you have a Spanish marriage certificate and want to use it in the USA, select Spanish as the source and English as the target language.
Choose your service level: Select the service type and any additional certifications requested by the receiving authority. The options available are certified translation, sworn translation, notarisation and apostille/legalisation.
Review your upfront quote and turnaround: Once you select the service level and other details, the system will immediately generate your total cost, delivery date, and any add-on fees. You can review the rates and other information before placing your order.
Place your order securely: If the terms are favourable, you can pay the translation fee via the online platform and receive confirmation, including your delivery timeline.
Receive digital delivery: Your certified translation is delivered via secure email download, typically within 2–5 business days (or faster for express). Printed copies and courier shipping are available as options at checkout.
Optional add-ons fulfilled: If you've requested notarisation or apostille, these will be completed after translation and added to your delivery package, along with updated timelines.
Why choose Translayte for marriage certificate translations?
Translayte is a professional translation company that offers certified marriage certificate translations in over 150 languages at competitive market rates. We’ve successfully delivered over 100,000 orders and earned a 4.6-star rating based on 9,000+ reviews. Here’s what you enjoy:
Certified marriage certificate translation accepted by USCIS, UKVI, IRCC, courts, embassy and other global organisations
Accurate translation done by approved translators with language proficiency, expertise and certification where required.
Transparent pricing starting from $25 per page with a
Fast turnaround time with 12 - 24-hour standard timeline and express delivery option for urgent projects.
Additional services, such as notarisation, apostille, and delivery of printed copies, are available on request.
24/7 multilingual customer support via phone, email, and WhatsApp
Whether you need a marriage certificate translation for a visa, green card, residency, court, or any official purpose, Translayte ensures you receive accurately translated documents that are accepted by authorities globally. Request a free quote for your marriage certificate translation.
