Certified German Translation Services
German to English translation of birth, marriage, police and academic records from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. $24.95 per page, delivered in 24 hours, USCIS acceptance guaranteed.
How much does certified German translation cost?
Certified German to English translation costs **$24.95 per page** with standard **24-hour delivery**, which is the same flat price we charge for every language. Each translation includes a signed Certificate of Accuracy at no extra charge. If you need it sooner, choose **expedited delivery at $39.95 per page (12 hours)** or **rush delivery at $59.95 per page (same day)**. Notarization is **$24.99 per document**. USCIS does not require it, but some state agencies and foreign offices do. A mailed hard copy is $13.95. Larger orders get volume discounts automatically: 10% off for 10–24 pages, 15% off for 25–49 pages, and 20% off for 50 pages or more. See the full breakdown on our [pricing page](/pricing).
- Standard: $24.95/page, 24-hour delivery
- Expedited: $39.95/page, 12-hour delivery
- Rush: $59.95/page, same-day delivery
- Optional notarization: $24.99/document; mailed hard copy: $13.95
Which German documents do we translate?
We translate every kind of German personal, academic and legal document, and most orders involve German civil status records (**Personenstandsurkunden**). These are issued by the local civil registry office (**Standesamt**). They come either as a certificate (Urkunde) or as a certified extract from the register (**beglaubigter Registerausdruck**). The extract often carries later annotations, such as a marriage, a name change or a divorce, and every one of them has to be translated.
- Geburtsurkunde (birth certificate) and register extracts from the Geburtenregister
- Heiratsurkunde (marriage certificate) and Scheidungsurteil (divorce judgment)
- Sterbeurkunde (death certificate)
- Führungszeugnis (certificate of good conduct / police certificate)
- Meldebescheinigung (residence registration certificate)
- Abiturzeugnis, university Zeugnis, Diplom, Bachelor and Master certificates and transcripts
- Court judgments, powers of attorney (Vollmacht), contracts and notarial deeds
- Driver's licenses (Führerschein), bank statements and employment references (Arbeitszeugnis)
Will my German translation be accepted by USCIS?
Yes. Our certified German translations meet the USCIS requirement in **8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)**, which asks for a complete English translation plus the translator's certification that they are competent in both languages and that the translation is accurate. Every order includes that signed certification, and it is backed by our USCIS acceptance guarantee: if USCIS rejects the translation, we revise or redo it free. We translate the whole document, including stamps, seals, handwritten notes and marginal annotations. That matters for German register extracts, where a later annotation (a Randvermerk, or a note on the register entry) can record a legitimation, name change or divorce. Use the [USCIS document checklist](/tools/uscis-checklist) to confirm what your petition needs. You can also read more about [USCIS translation services](/immigration/uscis-translation-services).
What makes German documents tricky to translate?
German documents carry naming, grading and formatting conventions that a translator has to handle consistently, or reviewers will see mismatches between documents. Our native-speaking translators apply these rules on every page.
- **Umlauts and ß:** a name like Müller or Groß may appear as MUELLER or GROSS in a passport's machine-readable zone. We reproduce names exactly as written on the source document, and you can tell us the spelling used on your other records so the file stays consistent.
- **Compound terms and official titles:** words like Standesbeamter (registrar) or Aufenthaltstitel (residence title) are translated to their functional English equivalent, not word-for-word.
- **Grading scales:** German grades run from 1 (sehr gut, the best) to 5 or 6 (fail). We translate grades exactly as issued and never convert them. Conversion is the job of a credential evaluator.
- **Degree names:** pre-Bologna degrees such as Diplom and Magister, as well as the Staatsexamen, are kept in German with an English descriptor, so their meaning is not overstated or understated.
- **Old documents:** records from before the mid-20th century may be handwritten in Kurrent or Sütterlin script or printed in Fraktur type. Mention this when you request a [quote](/quote) so the document can be assessed first.
Do you translate English documents into German for use in Germany?
Yes, we translate English documents into German. Before you order, though, check with the German authority that will receive them. German courts, registry offices and some universities often require translations made by a translator publicly sworn in Germany (öffentlich bestellter und beeidigter Übersetzer). The German consulates in the US say this themselves and advise asking the receiving office whether a translation made in the US will be recognized. For employers, businesses, schools and many private purposes in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, a professional certified translation is usually enough. For US documents going abroad, you may also need an **Apostille** on the original document. Germany, Austria and Switzerland are all members of the Hague Apostille Convention. An Apostille attached to a German document you are submitting in the US is translated along with the document itself.
Where do German-language documents come from?
German is the most widely spoken native language in the European Union, with more than 90 million native speakers. The documents we receive come mostly from **Germany**, **Austria** and **Switzerland**, and also from Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Belgium's German-speaking community and South Tyrol in Italy. We also see older records from the former East Germany (DDR) and German-language church and civil records used in family history and citizenship research. Each country has its own document formats. An Austrian Staatsbürgerschaftsnachweis (proof of citizenship) differs from anything issued in Germany, and Swiss documents are often multilingual. Our translators are native German speakers who work into English, and they follow an ISO 17100 compliant process.
How do I order a certified German translation?
Ordering takes a few minutes online: upload a scan or phone photo of your document, pay the flat per-page price, and get your certified translation as a PDF by email. There is no phone call or consultation to book. Standard orders arrive within 24 hours. If you need notarization or a mailed hard copy, add it at checkout. For business, technical or large legal projects such as contracts, manuals or patent documents, request a custom quote. These projects are priced individually rather than per page. See [how it works](/how-it-works) for each step.
Frequently Asked Questions
A certified German to English document translation costs $24.95 per page, delivered in 24 hours, with a signed Certificate of Accuracy included. Expedited 12-hour delivery is $39.95 per page and same-day rush is $59.95 per page. Business and technical projects are quoted individually.
No. USCIS requires a complete English translation with a signed certification from a translator competent in both languages, and a machine translation has no such certification. Free tools are fine for understanding a document yourself, but not for official submission.
For USCIS, the translator does not need a state license or sworn status. What they need is fluency in both languages and a signed certification of competence and accuracy. Authorities in Germany are stricter and often ask for a translator sworn in Germany, so check with the receiving office when a translation is going there.
Not for USCIS, which accepts a certified translation without notarization. Some state agencies, courts or foreign offices do ask for it, and you can add notarization for $24.99 per document.
Yes. When you submit a German document in the US, translate everything on it, including the Apostille, stamps and annotations, so the translation is complete. We include them as part of the page count.
Names are reproduced exactly as they appear on the German document, including ä, ö, ü and ß. If your passport or other records use a spelling like ue or ss, tell us when you order so we can keep the file consistent.
Yes. We translate German-language documents from Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg at the same $24.95 per page, and we keep each country's official document and office names intact.
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