The extract from the Register of Entrepreneurs is the document a foreign bank, partner company, tender commission or registry abroad asks for first: it is what proves that the company really exists, who its director is and who owns the shares. The extract is issued by the National Agency of Public Registry, and its translation almost always needs notarization and often an apostille as well. Our bureau in Tbilisi, on Davit Aghmashenebeli Avenue, prepares the translation of a register extract with notarization in one working day and, where needed, also handles the apostille procedure.
What the extract is and what it proves
The extract from the Register of Entrepreneurs is an official statement from the Register of Entrepreneurs and Non-Entrepreneurial Legal Entities reflecting the company's current legal status. It can be obtained at the Public Service Hall or electronically, in a few minutes. The extract usually contains the following data:
- the company's full name and legal form (LLC, JSC, cooperative, sole proprietor, branch)
- the identification code and the date of registration
- the registered address and email
- the persons authorised to manage and represent the company and the limits of their authority
- the partners, their shares and the charter capital
- information on seizure, pledge, reorganisation or liquidation
It is on the basis of these data that the foreign side decides who is entitled to sign on behalf of the company and whether a transaction with it can be concluded.
When a register extract needs a translation
A company needs a translation of the extract in the following situations:
- Opening an account at a foreign bank or payment system. The bank's compliance department (KYC) asks for an extract no older than 30 days, with a certified translation.
- Registering a branch or subsidiary abroad. The foreign registry asks for the extract of the founding Georgian company with an apostille and a translation.
- International tenders and grants. The tender commission asks for every registration document in the language of the package.
- Concluding a contract or a power of attorney with a foreign partner. The counterparty's lawyer checks that the signatory really has representative authority.
- Court and arbitration proceedings. A party's legal status is proven with a certified translation.
- Business visa and residence. In a director's or partner's visa application the extract proves the link to the company.
The apostille on an extract: the correct order
The extract from the Register of Entrepreneurs is a document issued by a state body and the apostille is placed directly on it. In Georgia this is done by the Public Service Hall and the Public Service Development Agency. The proper order is this:
- obtaining a fresh extract as close as possible to the date of submission
- placing the apostille on the extract
- translating the extract and the apostille together, as one document
- notarizing and binding the translation
- for certain countries (Italy, Spain, China) a second apostille on the notarized translation itself
If the destination country is not party to the Hague Convention, for example the United Arab Emirates, consular legalization is required instead of the apostille, which takes more time and must be planned in advance. A frequent mistake is when a company prepares the translation first and then tries to have the apostille placed: in that case the apostille stays untranslated and the document is often sent back.
What matters when translating an extract
Company name and legal form
The company name is not translated: it is transliterated as it is written on the company's seal, in the bank details and in international contracts. The legal form keeps its original abbreviation and is explained in brackets with the established equivalent, for example "Sh.P.S." is rendered as "LLC" or "GmbH" with an explanation, so that it is not taken for a different type of company in the target jurisdiction.
Names, surnames and personal numbers
The names of the director and partners are written exactly as in their passports. The bank compares the translation of the extract with the director's passport, and even one different letter raises additional questions. So when taking the order we ask for copies of the passports or the Latin spelling of the names.
Dates, codes and statuses
The identification code, the registration number and the dates stay unchanged, while the date format is adapted to the standard of the target country. Terms such as "person authorised to manage", "representative authority" or "seizure" are rendered with the legal terminology of the target language and not word for word.
The electronic extract and the QR code
An electronic extract is protected by an electronic signature and a QR code. The translation describes the presence of these elements so that the receiving authority sees how to verify the original. Some foreign banks do not accept an electronic extract and ask for a version with a seal, so we confirm the requirement in advance.
Translating a foreign register extract into Georgian
When registering a branch or subsidiary in Georgia, opening a bank account, buying real estate or taking part in a tender, a foreign company submits the extract of its own register with a Georgian translation. We regularly translate the Companies House extract and Certificate of Incorporation from the United Kingdom, the German Handelsregisterauszug, the American Certificate of Good Standing, the French Kbis, Turkish trade register entries and extracts from the registers of legal entities of the post-Soviet countries. A foreign document must receive the apostille in the issuing country itself; in Georgia it is only translated and notarized.
Turnaround and how we work
An extract is usually one or two pages and its translation with notarization is ready within one working day; a document delivered in the morning is handed back the same day. For regular corporate clients we keep a glossary so that every new extract is translated with terminology identical to the previous translations.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a translation of a register extract valid?
The translation does not expire, but most foreign banks and registries require the extract itself to be no older than 30 days. So we obtain and translate the extract close to the date of submission.
Is the apostille placed on the extract or on the translation?
First on the extract, at the Public Service Hall, and only then is the document translated together with the apostille. Some countries additionally require an apostille on the notarized translation too.
Can an electronic extract be translated?
Yes. An electronic extract is a fully valid document and its electronic signature and QR code are described in the translation too. If the receiving side accepts only a version with a seal, we find that out in advance.
Do I need to bring the original?
A scan or the electronic version is enough for the translation. The original is needed only if the translation has to be attached to it or an apostille is required.
What should I do if I have a foreign company's extract and need it in Georgia?
First the document must receive the apostille in the issuing country, then we translate it into Georgian and notarize it. Such a document is accepted by the Public Registry, banks and notaries.