Certified German Translation for New Zealand Visas
Last updated: 2 October 2026
Planning your next step from Germany to New Zealand? We make a certified German translation for New Zealand visa applications. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) does not translate documents for you. You must get them translated before you apply. Our own German–English translators translate your document in full. Then the translator certifies it as a correct translation and signs it on our letterhead. This is not a German sworn translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung). INZ asks for a reputable translation business, not a translator sworn by a German court.
- Certified as a correct translation, signed, on our business letterhead, as INZ describes
- Translated by an independent business, never by you, your family or your adviser
- Names kept exactly as on your document, with your passport spelling in a translator's note
- PDF in 3 working days, signed original posted to your German address (usually 1–3 working days)
Fixed price from €25 · You see the price before you pay
What does Immigration New Zealand need from a German translation?
INZ wants a certified English translation from a reputable translation business, certified as correct and signed or stamped by the translator. For a resident visa, this applies to every document not in English. For other visas, it applies at least to police and medical certificates. You always send the German original together with the translation.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who translates | Our own professional German–English translators (not a German sworn translator, not a New Zealand translator) |
| German name of the document | Führungszeugnis, Geburtsurkunde, Heiratsurkunde / Eheurkunde, Arbeitszeugnis, Kontoauszug and more |
| Price | Fixed price from €25 per document (+ €9 for a signed paper copy by post), shown before you pay |
| Delivery | PDF in 3 working days, signed original posted to your German address (usually 1–3 working days) |
| What to upload | A clear scan or photo of every page, front and back |
| Where to verify the translator | The translator's name, signature and contact details are on the certificate. They are not on justiz-dolmetscher.de, because this is not a sworn translation. |
Which visa needs which kind of translation
INZ sets different rules for different visas. This table shows what its translation page says.
| Your visa | What INZ asks for |
|---|---|
| Resident visa (for example, the Skilled Migrant Category) | Every supporting document in English, or with a certified English translation |
| Work, student and other temporary visas (for example, the Accredited Employer Work Visa) | Certified English translations of all police and medical certificates. For other evidence, INZ says a translation helps it process your application faster |
| Visitor visa | Full English translations of all documents not in English. They do not need to be certified, except police and medical certificates. You must give the translator's full name, address, phone number, qualifications and experience |
Our certified translation covers all three cases. For a visitor visa, our certificate already lists the translator's details that INZ asks for. Proof of funds, like a Kontoauszug (bank statement), must be translated in full. INZ says partial translations may not be accepted.
What INZ asks for on a certified translation
INZ says each certified translation must:
- be on the translation business's official letterhead, if possible
- be certified as a correct translation by the translator
- be stamped or signed by the translator or the translation business
INZ does not take translations made by you, a family member or the immigration adviser who helped you with your application. We are an independent translation business, so this rule is met. We also attach a copy of your German document and number every page.
Your German police certificate (Führungszeugnis) for New Zealand
If you plan to stay in New Zealand for 24 months or longer, INZ says you must give a police certificate with your application. People aged 17 and over may need one. The certificate must be less than 6 months old when you submit your application. Since July 2026, INZ asks you to upload required police certificates when you apply. A missing certificate can lead to a decline.
In Germany, the police certificate is the Führungszeugnis (certificate of conduct). The Bundesamt für Justiz (Federal Office of Justice) issues it on green special paper, in German. You apply at your Bürgeramt or online with your eID card. Because it is in German, INZ needs a certified English translation, even for a visitor visa. Check INZ's instructions for Germany to see which type of certificate it wants.
Plan your timing. The 6-month clock starts on the date of the certificate. Order the translation as soon as the Führungszeugnis arrives. Our PDF comes in 3 working days, or in 1 working day with express.
Übersetzung Deutsch Englisch for a New Zealand visa: documents we translate
| Document (German name + English) | Where it can come up |
|---|---|
| Führungszeugnis (certificate of conduct) | Police certificate for stays of 24 months or longer |
| Geburtsurkunde (birth certificate) | Children included in your application |
| Heiratsurkunde / Eheurkunde (marriage certificate) | Partner applications, including your partner |
| Meldebescheinigung (proof of address) | Proof that you live together |
| Arbeitsvertrag, Arbeitszeugnis (work contract, job reference) | Skilled resident and work visas |
| Gehaltsabrechnung, Kontoauszug (payslip, bank statement) | Proof of funds and income (translated in full) |
| Zeugnis, Diplom (school and university certificates) | Skilled and study applications |
| Scheidungsurteil (divorce decree) | Proof that an earlier marriage ended |
Your qualifications may also need an assessment. The body that does this may have its own translation rules, so check with it first.
Your name in the translation and the "other names" field
INZ asks you to check how your passport writes your name in English. If a translation shows another spelling, INZ wants that spelling in the "other names" section of your visa form.
We copy every name exactly as on your German document, letter by letter. This keeps the translation true to the document. Your passport spelling goes into a translator's note, so the officer sees both forms side by side.
| On your document | In your passport | In our translation |
|---|---|---|
| Günter Böhm | GUENTER BOEHM (machine-readable line) | Günter Böhm (translator's note: passport spelling GUENTER BOEHM) |
If a form in the translation differs from your passport, list it under "other names" in your application. Dates are written in full, for example 9 November 2022.
How it works
- 1Upload your German document. Usually a clear scan or photo is enough. Some offices want the translator to see the original, so check your letter.
- 2Get a fixed price and a delivery date. You pay online.
- 3Check the draft. Tell us if a date or place looks wrong before we certify it.
- 4Receive your translation. You get the signed PDF by email for your online application. The signed paper original comes by post if you order it.
Read more about How our process works.
Prices for a certified German translation for New Zealand
| Option | What you get | Delivery | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Full translation, certified as correct and signed, on letterhead, as PDF | PDF in 3 working days | from €25 per document |
| Signed paper copy | The signed original, posted to your German address | usually 1–3 working days after the PDF | + €9 |
| Express | Same translation, faster (useful for the 6-month police certificate window) | PDF in 1 working day | + €15 |
| Notarised affidavit (only if asked) | Translator's affidavit sworn before a notary, arranged on request | Confirmed with your quote | Price in your quote |
All prices shown are starting prices incl. VAT and postage within Germany. Your exact fixed price comes in a written quote after upload, before you pay.
Your files are transferred encrypted and deleted after 30 days (GDPR).
If your office asks for a change to our translation, we correct it free of charge.
See our prices for longer documents, or Get a fixed-price quote for your exact files.
Comparing countries, or need German papers first?
Many people compare several countries before they decide. We also offer a certified German translation for Australian Home Affairs: see our translation for Australian Home Affairs. There is also our translation for Irish immigration, our translation for Canada (IRCC) and our translation for USCIS. You can find every German to English service on one page. For the other direction, our partners make an English to German sworn translation. Still need papers for the Ausländerbehörde or Standesamt? See our sworn translations for German offices.
Frequently asked questions about German translations for New Zealand
Can I translate my own German documents for a New Zealand visa?
No. INZ does not take translations made by you, a family member or the immigration adviser who helped with your application. Use an independent translation business instead.
Do I need a certified translation for a visitor visa?
Not for most documents. INZ says visitor visa translations do not need to be certified, except police and medical certificates. But you must give the translator's full name, address, phone number, qualifications and experience. Our certificate already includes these details.
Does my Führungszeugnis need a certified translation?
Yes. INZ asks for certified English translations of all police certificates, also for visitor visas. The certificate must also be less than 6 months old when you apply.
Do I need a sworn translator for New Zealand?
No. INZ asks for a reputable translation business that certifies the translation as correct and signs or stamps it. It does not ask for a translator sworn by a German court.
Do I need to send the original German document?
You provide the German document together with the English translation. If you apply online, you upload clear scans of both. INZ contacts you if it needs to see an original.
How long does it take?
The PDF comes in 3 working days, or 1 working day with express. The signed original then comes by post, usually in 1 to 3 working days. We confirm the time with your quote.
Will INZ accept my translation?
Our translation follows every point INZ lists for certified translations. But only INZ decides on your application. We cannot guarantee a decision.
Ready to take your German documents to New Zealand?
Order your certified German translation for New Zealand today. Upload your documents and see the fixed price before you pay. Still unsure? See More questions answered.
Questions? Email us: info@germantranslators.de