Marriage Certificate Translation
As part of many official applications you will be asked to provide proof of your relationship with your partner. This is normally done with a marriage or civil partnership certificate.
If that certificate isn't issued in the official language of the authority that you're applying to, then you may be asked to provide an official or certified translation of your marriage or civil partnership certificate.
In countries all over the world, official translations mean different things, so it is important that you understand the local translation requirements and work with an official translation service that's able to guarantee that your translation will be accepted.
Why You Need a Marriage Certificate Translation
There's a whole host of reasons why you may be asked to translate your marriage or civil partnership certificate. You'll normally have to submit it as evidence for one of the following:
| 1 | Divorce applications | when you apply for a divorce, you'll need to show evidence of your marriage in the first place. |
| 2 | Marriage visa or spouse visa | If you're moving to a country where your partner has full citizenship, then you will also be required to provide evidence of your relationship. This is a standard document for most family, marriage or spousal visa applications. |
| 3 | New marriage (both at home and abroad); | In some European countries, such as in Northern Ireland you could be asked to submit the marriage certificate from your previous marriage when registering for a new marriage. |
| 4 | Surname change | If you're also renewing official Government documentation (such as a passport or driving licence) with a new surname. You'll need to show why it's changed. Most of the time, the only way to do that will be with your marriage certificate. |
| 5 | New passport application | you may also need to submit a marriage certificate when applying for a new passport or citizenship. This time though, it could be your parent's marriage certificate. |
Translation Requirements for Marriage Certificates
Marriage certificates, like any other supporting document, must be submitted in the language of the country your application takes place in. Not only does your document need to be translated, but it needs to be an official translation. The definition of an official translation varies from country to country.
Once you've been asked to translate your marriage certificate, you'll first need to establish the local translation requirements. For instance, your marriage certificate translation could either be certified or a sworn translation. You may also require notarisation and / or legalisation (Apostille) depending on your specific use case.
In the United Kingdom, Ireland and United States, for an example, you will be required to produce a certified translation of your marriage certificate, which must contain:
- confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document;
- the date of the translation;
- the translator's full name and signature;
- the translator's contact details.
If you're submitting your marriage certificate as part of a Visa or Residency application to specific embassies in these countries, you may also be required to produce a Notarised or Legalised Translation. These are produced in slightly different ways, and we provide additional information on our page about certified translations.
In some European countries like France, Germany, Italy and Spain, you may be asked to provide a sworn translation of your marriage certificate instead of a certified translation. This applies to several other EU countries too, and some countries in South America (e.g. Brazil).
Sworn translators take an oath in court and must personally declare that the work they carry out is accurate and reliable to the best of their knowledge. Once they've translated your document, an official stamp with their details will deem the translation sworn and acceptable for official use.
When having your marriage certificate translated by us, it is usually helpful to let us know the country you're submitting the application to, so we can ensure the translation is certified correctly.
How to Translayte Your Marriage Certificate
Given the complexities around understanding the local translation requirements and finding a suitably qualified translator, it is often advisable to use a certified translation agency that understands the local requirements, works with reliable translators and can deliver your translation quickly and at a fair price.
At Translayte, we specialise in providing certified and sworn translations of your marriage certificates, and you can be rest assured that your translation will be delivered quickly, at a fair price, and will be accepted.
