Certified German Translation for UK Home Office
Last updated: 2 October 2026
Do you live in Germany and plan to move to the UK? We make a certified German translation for UK Home Office applications. This covers visas, settlement (ILR) and British citizenship. Our own German–English translators translate your document into English. Then we sign a statement that the translation is accurate. This is a certified translation. It is not a German sworn translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung), and you do not need one for the Home Office. The GOV.UK guidance asks for a translator's certification, not a sworn translator.
- The 4 details GOV.UK asks for: accuracy statement, date, full name and signature, contact details
- Every stamp, seal and handwritten note translated, front and back
- 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
Do I need a certified translation of my German documents for a UK visa?
Yes. If a document is not in English or Welsh, GOV.UK guidance asks for a certified translation. There is no exception for German or other EU documents. The translation must confirm that it is accurate. It must also show the date, the translator's full name and signature, and contact details. Check the guidance for your own route.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who translates | Our own professional German–English translators (not a German sworn translator) |
| German name of the document | Geburtsurkunde, Eheurkunde / Heiratsurkunde, Führungszeugnis, Zeugnis 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 qualifications are on the certificate. They are not on justiz-dolmetscher.de, because this is not a sworn translation. |
What does the Home Office need on a certified translation?
The GOV.UK guide to supporting documents says each translation 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
The GOV.UK page on certifying a document says the same. The translator confirms in writing that it is a true and accurate translation. They add the date, their full name and contact details. Neither page asks for a sworn translator (beeidigter Übersetzer) or a notary.
Best practice we add (not a GOV.UK requirement):
- A short line about the translator's qualifications
- Our company letterhead and contact details
- A copy of your German document attached to the translation
- Page numbers, so the officer can match each page
Our certified German translation for UK Home Office applications
We translate the whole document. This includes stamps, seals, margin notes and the back page. We never write a summary. The layout follows the original, so the caseworker (the Home Office officer) can compare both easily.
Names need special care. We copy every name exactly as it is on your German document, letter by letter. We do not change the order or the spelling. If your passport shows a different spelling, we add it in a translator's note. This way the translation stays true to the document, and the officer can still link it to your passport.
| On your document | In your passport | In our translation |
|---|---|---|
| Jürgen Weiß | JUERGEN WEISS (machine-readable line) | Jürgen Weiß (translator's note: passport spelling JUERGEN WEISS) |
Dates are written in a clear format, for example 3 September 1997. German place names stay in German, so they match official records.
Übersetzung Deutsch–Englisch for a UK visa: documents we translate
| Document (German name + English) | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Geburtsurkunde (birth certificate) | Visas, family routes, citizenship |
| Heiratsurkunde / Eheurkunde (marriage certificate) | Spouse and partner visas, name change |
| Scheidungsurteil / Scheidungsbeschluss (divorce decree) | Spouse visas, proof a past marriage ended |
| Führungszeugnis (certificate of conduct) | Skilled Worker jobs in education, healthcare, therapy or social services, when you apply from outside the UK |
| Abschlusszeugnis, Zeugnis, Diplom (school or university certificate) | Work and study visas, qualification checks |
| Meldebescheinigung (proof of address) | Proof of where you lived |
| Arbeitsvertrag, Arbeitszeugnis (job contract, reference) | Work routes, proof of experience |
| Kontoauszug, Gehaltsabrechnung (bank statement, payslip) | Financial evidence |
| Namensänderungsurkunde (name change certificate) | Passports, linking names across documents |
Applying for a UK passport instead?
HM Passport Office (HMPO) has its own rules. It asks for original documents, and a certified translation for anything not in English or Welsh. For passports from Germany, including a first passport for a baby born here, see our certified German translation for a UK passport.
Common problems that delay applications
- 1Only part of the document is translated. We translate everything, including stamps and notes on the back.
- 2The certification misses a detail. Our signed statement always shows the accuracy statement, date, full name, signature and contact details.
- 3Names are changed to match the passport. We keep names as on the document and give the passport spelling in a translator's note.
- 4A self-made or machine translation. An independent professional translator is easier for the Home Office to trust.
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 delivery time. 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 and the signed original by post.
Read more about How our process works.
Prices
| Option | What you get | Delivery | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Full translation + signed certification, PDF + signed original by post | PDF in 3 working days | from €25 per document (+ €9 for a signed paper copy by post) |
| Express | Same, faster | PDF in 1 working day | + €15 |
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.
Moving somewhere else, or staying in Germany for now?
Moving to the US instead? See our German to English translation for USCIS. Going to Canada or Australia? See our certified German translation for IRCC and our translation for an Australian visa. Or see all countries we translate for. Need the other direction? See our English to German translation. Do you still need documents for a German office? We also arrange sworn translations for German offices. Or browse All our translation services.
Frequently asked questions about certified German translation for the UK
Do I need a sworn translator for a UK visa from Germany?
No. GOV.UK guidance asks for the translator's confirmation of accuracy, the date, their full name and signature, and contact details. It does not ask for a sworn translator or a notary. Check the guidance for your route.
Can I translate my German documents myself?
We do not recommend it. The Home Office asks for a translator's confirmation that the translation is accurate. An independent professional translation is safer and easier to trust.
Is a PDF enough for my UK application?
For many visa applications you upload scanned documents, so the signed PDF is what you use. Check your application instructions. If an office asks for paper, use our signed original.
Do I need to translate my Führungszeugnis?
Only if your route asks for a criminal record certificate. For Skilled Worker visas, this applies when you apply from outside the UK for jobs in education, healthcare, therapy or social services. If yours is in German, you need a certified translation.
Do EU documents need translation for the UK?
Yes. GOV.UK asks for a translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh. There is no exception for German or other EU documents.
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 the Home Office accept my translation?
Our translation includes every detail the GOV.UK guidance lists. But only the Home Office decides on your application. We cannot guarantee a decision.
Ready to send your German documents to the UK?
Upload your document today. You see the fixed price before you pay. Still unsure? See More questions answered.
Questions? Email us: info@germantranslators.de