The criminal record certificate, that is the certificate of no criminal record, is the document without which an application abroad for residence, a work visa, citizenship, adoption, a firearms permit or work in a licensed profession is simply not considered. At the same time it is the "shortest-lived" personal document: most foreign authorities accept it for three, rarely six, months from issue. So when translating a criminal record certificate the key is not only accuracy but correct timing: obtaining the certificate, the apostille, the translation and the certification have to be arranged so that the document is still valid on the day of submission. Our bureau in Tbilisi, on Davit Aghmashenebeli Avenue, arranges this chain through one window and prepares the translation in one day.
Where and how the certificate is issued in Georgia
The criminal record certificate is issued by the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It can be requested at the Public Service Hall, at the Agency's service centres and electronically through the state services portal, and for those abroad through a consulate or an authorised representative. The certificate is issued in Georgian, contains the person's name, surname, date of birth, personal number and an entry on the existence or absence of a criminal record, and is certified with an electronic or physical seal and signature. As standard the certificate is ready within a few working days, faster under the expedited procedure. If the certificate was issued electronically, a printed, certified version is often needed for the apostille; we confirm this detail as soon as we take the order.
When a translation is required
- Residence permit and long-term visa. Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, the USA, Canada, Australia and the Gulf countries ask for the criminal record certificate with an apostille and a translation on the first residence application and often on renewal too.
- Employment. In the medical, educational, financial and security sectors the employer or the regulator asks for the certificate before signing the employment contract; often together with a certificate from the previous employer.
- Citizenship and naturalisation. A certificate from Georgia and from every country you have lived in during recent years; all of them are translated into one language.
- Marriage abroad. Some countries ask for a criminal record certificate for the registration of a marriage, together with the certificate of marital status.
- Adoption, guardianship, firearms permits, licences. In all these procedures the certificate is a mandatory attachment.
- A foreign certificate in Georgia. When applying for residence, citizenship or adoption in Georgia, a foreigner submits the certificate of their own country with a Georgian notarized translation.
What we pay attention to when translating
Wording the authority must read unambiguously
The key sentence of the certificate, "has no criminal record" or "the conviction has been expunged / spent", must be rendered with the official wording established in each language: has no criminal record in English, keine Eintragung im Strafregister in German, nulla risulta in Italian and so on. If the certificate contains an entry, it is translated exactly with the article number of the Criminal Code, the type of sentence and the date it was expunged, because it is by these details that the foreign authority assesses the case, and ambiguity does more harm than the entry itself.
Name, personal number, issuing authority
The name and surname are written exactly according to the Latin entry of the passport, the personal number stays unchanged, the name of the issuing authority (the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs) is translated with its official equivalent, and the electronic signature, QR code and seal are described separately. If the certificate was issued in a woman's pre-marriage surname, the marriage certificate is attached to the translation.
The date from which validity is counted
The date of issue is the most important field of the document, because it is from this date that the authority counts the period of validity. In the translation it is converted to the format of the target country and checked separately by the editor.
Apostille and notarization
The apostille on a criminal record certificate is placed by the Public Service Hall and the Public Service Development Agency. The order never changes: first the apostille on the original certificate, then the translation of the certificate and the apostille together, finally the notarization, during which the notary certifies the translator's signature. For Italy, Spain and Portugal a second apostille is placed on the translation as well, at the Ministry of Justice. For English-speaking countries (the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada, Australia) an apostille is often not needed and a translator-certified translation is enough; we tell you this in advance so that you do not spend extra time. The general rules are described on the personal documents page.
Timing: how not to let the certificate expire
The typical chain looks like this: obtaining the certificate 1-5 working days, the apostille 1-5 days, the translation and notarization 1 day. Add the time left until submission and, if the document is sent abroad, the courier. If the authority requires a three-month validity, obtaining the certificate 3-5 weeks before submission is optimal: enough time for the apostille and the translation, but a wide margin in case the submission date moves. If the visa interview or residence appointment is already scheduled, we plan backwards from it and, where needed, use expedited procedures at every stage. For those abroad, obtaining the certificate and the apostille is possible by power of attorney, and the translation is sent as a scan or goes by courier.
A foreign criminal record certificate in Georgian
When applying for a residence permit, citizenship or adoption in Georgia, a foreigner submits the certificate of their own country. We translate British DBS and ACRO certificates, the American FBI Identity History Summary and state certificates, the German Führungszeugnis, the Italian casellario giudiziale, Turkish, Iranian, Indian, Ukrainian, Russian and Central Asian certificates. The name is rendered in Georgian as it is already written in the foreigner's Georgian documents (the residence card, the passport translation), so that one person is not perceived as two different records.
Mistakes that get the certificate rejected
- An expired certificate. The most frequent problem: the certificate was valid when translated, but no longer on the day of submission.
- Translation before the apostille. The apostille text does not make it into the translation and everything starts over, while the certificate "ages" in the meantime.
- An electronic certificate without certification. Some authorities accept only the sealed, physical version; we confirm this in advance.
- A certificate from Georgia only. In citizenship and residence cases a certificate from every recent country of residence is often needed.
- Free wording. An unofficial translation of the "clean record" or "no crime" type makes the authority suspicious; we use only the established terms.
Turnaround
The criminal record certificate translation with notarization is ready within one working day; a certificate delivered in the morning is handed back the same day. If you translate the certificate into several languages at once or together with other documents, we certify them in one visit. Delivery by scan, email or at the office; collection at the office, by courier or as a scan.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a criminal record certificate valid abroad?
The certificate itself carries no validity period in Georgia, but most foreign authorities do not accept a certificate older than 3 months, some 6 months. The period is counted from the date of issue, so obtain the certificate shortly before submission.
Does a criminal record certificate need an apostille?
In residence, citizenship and employment procedures of Hague Convention countries, as a rule, yes. The apostille is placed at the Public Service Hall before translation.
Can I obtain the certificate directly in English?
The certificate is issued in Georgian. For English-speaking authorities we prepare a certified English translation, and for other languages a notarized translation together with the apostille.
How soon will it be ready?
The translation with notarization within one working day; a certificate delivered in the morning the same day. Obtaining the certificate and the apostille takes extra days.