The passport and the ID card are the documents whose translation is required in almost every procedure abroad or at home: in a visa application, when registering a marriage abroad, when applying for a residence permit, opening a bank account, in a property transaction or when signing a power of attorney at a notary. At first glance this is the simplest translation there is: one page, a few fields. In reality it is the passport translation that determines how your name will be written in every other document, and a single different letter becomes the reason for rejecting the whole package. Our bureau in Tbilisi, on Davit Aghmashenebeli Avenue, prepares passport and ID card translations with notarization the same day.
When a passport or ID card needs a translation
The Georgian biometric passport and the electronic ID card are bilingual, Georgian-English, so English-speaking authorities often accept them without a translation. A translation becomes necessary in three cases:
- The target language is not English. Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Poland, Turkey, Israel, the Arab countries and the Russian-speaking world ask for the document in their own language.
- A foreign passport in Georgia. A foreign citizen needs a passport translated into Georgian and notarized to register a marriage at the Public Service Hall, for a residence permit, at a bank, for any transaction at a notary and to found a company.
- The authority formally requires a notarized translation. Some embassies and immigration services ask for a certified translation or a notarized copy even of an English-language document, so that the completeness of the document is confirmed.
Old, non-biometric passports and Soviet-era ID cards are drawn up in Georgian or Russian only and always need a translation.
What matters when translating a passport
Name and surname according to the machine-readable zone
The two bottom lines of the passport, the machine-readable zone (MRZ), are the only official Latin version of your name. It is this entry that goes into the translation and then into every other document: the birth certificate, the marriage certificate, the diploma, the certificates. If the target language uses a non-Latin script (Russian, Arabic, Hebrew, Greek), the name is rendered by the official transliteration rules of that country and the Latin version is kept in brackets so that identification is unambiguous.
Every field, every mark
The document type, the code of the issuing country, the passport number, name, surname, citizenship, date and place of birth, sex, the dates of issue and expiry, the issuing authority and the personal number are all translated. The signature, photo, hologram and coat of arms are described in square brackets. Dates are converted to the format of the target country, so that 03.05 is not read as 5 March where the month comes first.
Which pages are translated
For most procedures the data page is enough. In immigration cases, residence extensions, court disputes and citizenship applications all pages are often needed, with visas and border stamps, so that the periods of stay in a country are confirmed. In that case every stamp is described separately with its date, country and entry or exit type. We confirm the receiving authority's requirement as soon as we take the order, so that you do not miss a necessary page.
Notarization: copy, translation and apostille
A passport translation is never attached to the original, because binding an extra sheet into a travel document spoils it. The translation is attached to a copy of the passport, and here there are two options:
- Translation on a plain copy. The notary certifies only the translator's signature. This is enough for most embassies, banks and universities.
- Translation on a notarized copy. The notary first certifies that the copy is identical to the original, then certifies the translator's signature. This option is required by the Public Service Hall when a foreigner registers a marriage, in property transactions and by foreign registries. The original must be shown for it.
If the document is going to a Hague Convention country and the authority asks for an apostille, the scheme is this: a notarized copy of the passport is prepared, the Ministry of Justice places the apostille on it, then the copy is translated together with the apostille and the translation is notarized. No country places an apostille on the passport itself. We also describe this scheme in detail on the personal documents page.
Translating a foreign passport into Georgian
For foreigners living in or arriving in Georgia, the Georgian translation of the passport is the first document they need. We translate passports of the EU, the USA, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Iran, India, China, Israel, the Arab countries, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and the Central Asian countries. For documents in a non-Latin script (Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Hebrew) the name is rendered in Georgian from the Latin entry of the MRZ, so that it matches what the border system and the bank see. For bilingual documents (Belgian or Swiss passports, for example) we agree in advance which language to translate from.
Particulars of translating an ID card
The Georgian electronic ID card is a two-sided card and both sides are translated: from the front the name, surname, personal number, date of birth, sex and citizenship, from the back the registration address, issuing authority and the dates of issue and expiry. The address is especially important, because the ID card often serves as the certificate of residence. In the address the names of streets and settlements are transliterated, while administrative units (municipality, district, city) are translated. For old, laminated ID cards, which are in Georgian only, a translation is always needed and often includes handwritten entries too.
Typical cases from our practice
- National visa for Germany. The embassy asks for a copy of the passport with a German translation and notarization, and the name must match the translation of the birth certificate exactly. One translator prepares both documents in one day.
- A foreigner's marriage at the Public Service Hall. A notarized copy of the passport with a Georgian translation and a certificate of marital status with an apostille are needed. We prepare both as one package so that no questions arise on the day of registration.
- Opening an account at a foreign bank. The bank needs the passport translation and a proof of address; often an electronic, scanned version is enough.
- A child's passport and travel. The translation of a minor's passport is usually prepared together with the consent for the child to travel abroad, in one visit to the notary.
- Residence permit in Georgia. The Public Service Development Agency asks for a Georgian translation of all passport pages with stamps, so that the period of lawful stay in the country is confirmed.
Turnaround
The translation of a passport data page or an ID card with notarization is ready within one working day; a document delivered in the morning is handed back the same day. If you need the translation into several languages at once, each language is a separate translation, but they are certified in one visit.
The document can be delivered as a scan or photo through the website form, by email or messenger; you receive the finished translation at the office, by courier or, if the receiving authority accepts an electronic version, as a scan.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to bring the original passport for the translation?
No. A clear scan or photo is enough for the translation. The original is needed only if the notary must also certify that the copy of the passport is genuine.
How long does a notarized passport translation take?
One working day as standard. If you deliver the document in the morning, the certified translation is ready the same day.
Does a passport need an apostille?
An apostille is not placed on the passport itself. Where needed, a notarized copy of the passport is prepared, the Ministry of Justice places the apostille on it, and the copy is then translated together with the apostille.
Which pages are translated?
As a rule, the data page. For immigration and court cases all pages with visas and stamps are often needed. We confirm the receiving authority's requirement in advance.