How Online Sworn Translation Works: From Upload to Your Letterbox
Last updated: 2 October 2026
This page shows how online sworn translation works with us, step by step. You upload a photo of your document, whether it is a Turkish civil registry extract, a Ukrainian birth certificate or an Afghan Tazkira, and get a fixed price. After you pay, a partner translator sworn by a German court makes the sworn translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung) into German. You get a PDF by email and the signed original by post.
- Order from anywhere in Germany, from your phone or computer
- Fixed price before you pay, no obligation
- PDF by email first, so you can check it at once
- 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 €39 · You see the price before you pay
How online sworn translation works, in short
You upload your document, approve a fixed price and pay online. A translator sworn by a German court translates it, signs it and stamps it. You get the PDF in 3 working days and the signed original by post, usually 1–3 working days later. A sworn translation is valid throughout Germany. The office makes the final decision.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who translates | Our partner translators sworn by German courts (beeidigt / ermächtigt) |
| German name | Beglaubigte Übersetzung (sworn translation) |
| Price | English documents from €39, all other languages from €49, 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 | Front and back of every page (JPG or PDF), any apostille; passport photo page (recommended) |
| Where to verify the translator | justiz-dolmetscher.de |
Six steps from upload to your letterbox
Every order follows the same six steps, whatever the language. Nothing starts before you approve the price, and you check the PDF before the original is posted.
Step 1: Upload your document
Take a clear photo or scan of every page, front and back. Choose the language of the document, the purpose and a delivery option. Then upload your document.
Step 2: Get your fixed price
We check your files and send one fixed price by email within 2 working hours on working days (CET). The quote shows the price per document, your delivery option and the delivery date. If a page is missing or hard to read, we ask you first. See our prices for a first idea.
Step 3: Approve and pay
You accept the quote and pay online by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal or SEPA bank transfer. Nothing starts before you approve.
Step 4: A translator sworn by a German court translates
The translator translates everything on your document: text, stamps, seals, handwritten notes and the back side. Names stay exactly as on your document and are transliterated from Arabic, Cyrillic, Persian or Devanagari script. If your passport spells a name differently, the translator adds a note. Before signing, a second person checks names, dates and numbers. Then the translator certifies, stamps and signs it. Learn more about what a sworn translation is.
Step 5: You get the PDF by email
You get the PDF in 3 working days. Please check names, dates and places at once. The PDF is for checking and your records. Many offices want the signed paper original, so check your letter.
Step 6: The signed original arrives by post
We post the signed original to your German address. It usually arrives 1–3 working days after posting. You get a tracking number.
Upload tips: what to send for your document
Send every page and side, including pages with only a stamp, plus any apostille, which many offices want translated too. A flat photo in daylight with all four edges visible is usually enough.
| Document | What to upload |
|---|---|
| Turkish document from e-Devlet (e.g. Nüfus Kayıt Örneği) | The PDF exactly as downloaded, every page, plus the apostille if you have one |
| Afghan Tazkira or e-Tazkira | Front and back, so all Dari or Pashto entries and stamps are visible |
| Ukrainian extract from the civil register (Витяг) | All pages and the apostille; older Soviet-era certificates in Russian as well |
| Syrian Ikhraj Qaid or family statement | All pages with every stamp and any legalisation stamp |
| Iraqi Unified National Card | Both sides; for Kurdistan Region documents, all Kurdish and Arabic parts |
| Russian ZAGS certificate | The certificate and the apostille page |
| Indian bilingual certificate | Front and back, including the regional-language part |
Also add your passport photo page, so the translator can note your passport spelling. Country questions are answered in our FAQ.
Delivery times
Standard gives you the PDF in 3 working days; Express in 1 working day.
| Option | What you get | Signed original | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | PDF + signed original by post | 3 working days | Posted after the PDF, usually 1–3 working days |
| Express | PDF + signed original by post | 1 working day | Posted after the PDF, usually 1–3 working days |
| Digital (QES) | PDF with a qualified electronic signature | 3 working days | No paper original |
| Extra paper copy | Another signed original | With your order | In the same letter |
Long documents or rare languages can take longer. Your quote shows the exact date.
Digital (QES) or paper: which do you need?
A digital sworn translation has a qualified electronic signature (QES). Under EU law (eIDAS), a QES has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature. But it is valid only as a file, not as a printout.
- Choose paper (Standard or Express) if your office wants documents by post or in person. This is still common.
- Choose digital (QES) only if your office accepts files by upload or email. Ask your office if you are not sure.
Do you need to send your original document?
No, you keep your original. A clear scan or photo is usually enough. If your office wants the translator to see the original, contact us before you order and we explain the options.
If your office wants to check your foreign document
A translation does not prove your document is genuine. That check is separate, depends on the country, and does not stop you ordering the translation now.
- Turkey, Ukraine and Russia: the office usually wants an apostille from the issuing country.
- India: an Indian apostille is not valid in Germany; your office can request a document verification.
- Syria: the German Embassy in Beirut legalises certain e-register extracts; otherwise the office decides.
- Iraq and Afghanistan: legalisation is currently not possible, so the office decides at its discretion.
How we protect your data
Your files are transferred encrypted and deleted after 30 days (GDPR). Only the people who prepare your quote and translation see your documents. Read our privacy policy for details.
If your office asks for a correction
If your office asks for a change to our translation, we correct it free of charge.
Send us the office's letter or a photo of its note. We check the request with the translator and reply within 2 working hours on working days (CET).
What we do and what we don't do
We only translate. We do not fill in applications and we give no legal or immigration advice. Your office decides which documents it needs. See all our translation services by purpose.
Frequently asked questions about the process
Beglaubigte Übersetzung online bestellen: is it the same as ordering in person?
Yes. The translation is made, signed and stamped by a translator sworn by a German court, just like in a local office. Only the way you send your document and receive the translation is different.
Can I order from anywhere in Germany?
Yes. This is a sworn translation by post, Germany-wide. We post the signed original to any German address.
How do I know the translator is really sworn?
The translator's name, court and stamp are on your translation. You can check the name at justiz-dolmetscher.de, the official database of the German federal states.
What if I find a mistake in the PDF?
Tell us before the original is posted, if possible. We check it with the translator and send a corrected version.
Can I get the translation faster?
Choose Express when you order. Your quote shows the exact delivery date before you pay.
Start now: it takes a few minutes
Now you know how online sworn translation works. Upload your document, get your fixed price and decide.
Questions? Email us: info@germantranslators.de
More questions? Read our FAQ.