In dealings with German-speaking bodies a "certified translation" can mean two completely different things: a Georgian notarized translation, to which an apostille gives international force, or a German "beglaubigte Übersetzung", which a sworn translator in Germany certifies with their own seal. Which one you need depends not on the document but on the receiving body, and this page will help you make exactly this choice. We consider the mechanism of Georgian notarization in the German-Georgian pair, the real practice of the bodies of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the apostille routes and the details that determine whether a document is accepted or rejected in German bureaucracy.
Georgian notarization through the eyes of a German official
In Germany a notary (Notar) is not engaged in certifying translations: their field is real estate, the founding of companies, inheritance and family contracts. An official translation there is done by a translator sworn in by the regional court, who adds a certification note (Bestätigungsvermerk) at the end. So when a German official receives a Georgian document in which a notary certifies the translator's signature, they cannot "place" this form in the German system and look for the apostille: it is precisely the apostille that tells them that the Georgian notary is a person with public authority and their signature is genuine. Because of this, in the German direction a notarized translation without an apostille is returned far more often than, for example, in the British or American direction, where the official is less focused on form.
Which body needs what: a practical map
The German Embassy in Tbilisi accepts a Georgian notarized translation for a national visa, with an apostille on civil status records. uni-assist and most universities accept a notarized translation, sometimes even without an apostille. For the ZAB evaluation a notarized translation with an apostille is sufficient. The Standesamt (civil registry) often requires a German sworn translator when registering a marriage, especially in small towns. The Approbationsbehörde and the Regierungspräsidium for the recognition of nurses differ by federal state: Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as a rule, require a sworn translator in Germany, some other states also accept a translation apostilled abroad. The Ausländerbehörde usually requires a local translation when extending residence. This map changes, and with every order we check the receiving body's current requirement.
"Beglaubigte Übersetzung" and a Georgian translation: how to connect them
When a body requires a sworn translator in Germany, this does not mean that a Georgian translation is useless. Often the most effective way is to send the Georgian apostilled source to a German translator who translates directly from Georgian; the number of such translators in Germany is small, so the deadlines are long. The alternative is a two-stage scheme: we prepare a Georgian notarized translation with an apostille, and a German sworn translator "confirms" this document or formalises it as their own version, which is far faster for them than translating from scratch. We prepare the document for both routes and, where necessary, cooperate with German colleagues, so that the client manages the process from one window.
An apostille on a Georgian document for Germany
Germany, Austria and Switzerland are parties to the 1961 Hague Convention, so consular legalization is not needed for any of them. The apostille on a Georgian document is placed by the Public Service Hall, and in the case of a diploma or school certificate the process is preceded by confirmation of the document's genuineness by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement. For German practice it is especially important that the apostille is placed on the source before translation, because a German official looks for the text of the apostille in the translation too: the ten standard fields (country, signatory, position, seal, place, date, issuer, number, seal, signature) must be rendered in German. If the body requires legalization of the translation as well, a second apostille is placed on the notarized translation, which means two separate visits to the Public Service Hall and a corresponding deadline.
An apostille on a German document for Georgia
In Germany the body issuing the apostille depends on the type of document: for court and notarial documents the president of the regional court (Landgericht), for administrative documents (Führungszeugnis, Meldebescheinigung, school certificate) the relevant state administrative body (Regierungspräsidium, Bezirksregierung or the ministry of the interior), and for federal documents the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt). In Austria the apostille is issued by the regional courts and the foreign ministry, in Switzerland by the cantonal state chancellery (Staatskanzlei). A German document arriving in Georgia without an apostille may not be accepted by a Georgian body, so we advise clients to obtain the apostille before leaving Germany or through a relative, because organising this procedure from Georgia is difficult.
Standesamt and marriage: the most requested package
When marrying a Georgian citizen in Germany, the Standesamt requires the apostilled source and a certified translation of the Georgian birth certificate, the certificate of capacity to marry (the analogue of the Ehefähigkeitszeugnis, which in Georgia the Public Service Hall issues as a certificate of not being married) and, where necessary, the document confirming divorce. Here there is a German specific: Georgia does not issue an "Ehefähigkeitszeugnis" in the German form, so the Standesamt often requests an exemption from this requirement from the higher regional court (Oberlandesgericht), for which the full package of Georgian documents is checked in more detail. In the opposite case a German citizen marrying in Georgia receives an Ehefähigkeitszeugnis from the Standesamt, which is valid for six months and is submitted with an apostille and a Georgian notarized translation.
Medical professions' documents
The package for a doctor's Approbation or a nurse's recognition is the most voluminous in the German direction: diploma, supplement, the document confirming residency or specialisation, state certificate, certificates of work experience, criminal record certificate, health certificate and, often, an hourly description of the study programme (curriculum), by which the body compares Georgian and German education and establishes the "deficit". In this package every document needs separate certification and an apostille, while the description of the study programme, which is dozens of pages, must be translated with uniform terminology. We prepare the medical package as one project: one translator, one terminology base, one format, so that the body sees the same names and dates in every document.
School certificate, diploma and the grading system
German bodies convert Georgian grades to the German system by the "Bavarian formula" (modifizierte bayerische Formel), for which three data points must be visible in the translation: the grade obtained, the maximum grade and the minimum passing grade. So we attach to the translation of the transcript a note on the grading system (for example, a 51-100 scale where 51 is the minimum pass, or a 1-10 scale where 5 or 6 is the minimum, depending on the university), which makes the conversion easier for the body. The translator does not perform the conversion itself. The degree is carried over into German with Bologna terminology (Bachelor, Master, Doktor), while an old, Soviet-era five-year diploma with the "specialist" qualification needs a separate explanation, because in the German system it is often considered the equivalent of a Master's, but not automatically.
Führungszeugnis and the Georgian criminal record certificate
A criminal record certificate is required in almost every procedure in the German direction. The Georgian certificate issued by the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is translated into German as the analogue of a "Führungszeugnis", and the absence of an entry is rendered with the standard formula ("keine Eintragung"). The validity of the certificate at German bodies is usually three to six months, so we plan the translation and apostille as soon as the certificate is obtained. In the opposite direction the German Führungszeugnis, issued by the Federal Office of Justice in Bonn, is submitted in Georgia in residence, employment or adoption procedures; the "erweitertes Führungszeugnis" (extended certificate), used for working with children, is a different document from the ordinary one, and this difference must be reflected in the translation.
Corporate and notarial documents
When a German company is registered in Georgia the Public Registry requires a notarized translation of the Handelsregisterauszug, the Gesellschaftsvertrag and the Gesellschafterbeschluss, in which the signatory's authority (Geschäftsführer, Prokurist) is unambiguously visible. The German "Prokura", a special form of commercial power of attorney, does not exist in the Georgian system and its scope must be explained in the translation. A power of attorney drawn up before a German notary is valid in Georgia for a real estate transaction with an apostille and a Georgian notarized translation, but a Georgian notary requires that the powers be listed specifically, while a German "Generalvollmacht" is sometimes too general for Georgian practice. So before a power of attorney is drawn up in Germany we give clients the list of a Georgian notary's requirements.
Certification of Soviet-era and old documents
A Soviet-era document often has to be submitted to a German body: a birth certificate issued before 1991, a Soviet diploma with the "specialist" qualification, an employment record book confirming work experience for a pension or recognition of experience. These documents are bilingual (Georgian and Russian) or only in Russian, with handwritten entries, seals and sometimes damage. For notarization such a document is translated in full, including the entries in both languages, while illegible fragments are marked unambiguously. The translation of an employment record book is especially in demand for German pension insurance, because Germany takes Soviet work experience into account under certain conditions, and every entry (hiring, transfer, dismissal, order number) must be carried over exactly. Russian and Georgian translators work together on such documents, and certification is done as one document.
Driving licence and exchange of the Fahrerlaubnis
After more than six months of residence in Germany a Georgian driving licence must be exchanged for a German one, and the Führerscheinstelle requires a certified translation of the licence for this, often done by ADAC or a German sworn translator, although many bodies also accept a notarized translation apostilled abroad. A Georgian driving licence is bilingual (Georgian and English), but a German body does not consider the English fields sufficient. In the translation the licence categories (B, C, D and sub-categories) and the dates of issue stay unchanged, while the Georgian category system, which follows the European one, receives a note on its correspondence with the German Fahrerlaubnisklassen. In the opposite direction a German Führerschein, when exchanged in Georgia, is submitted to the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a Georgian notarized translation.
Pension and pension insurance documents
For persons who return to Georgia after working in Germany, or live in Germany but have Georgian work experience, pension documents move in both directions. The German Rentenversicherungsverlauf (extract of insurance periods) and Rentenbescheid (pension award decision) are translated into Georgian for the Georgian pension agency, while the Georgian employment record book, the certificate of work experience and the documents of the Social Service Agency are translated into German for the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. German pension terminology is specific ("Entgeltpunkte", "Wartezeit", "Regelaltersrente", "Erwerbsminderungsrente") and finds no direct equivalent in the Georgian system, so in the translation these concepts are conveyed descriptively and, where necessary, explained with a note. The annual life certificate required by the German fund is prepared with a Georgian notary's certification and a German translation.
What a finished package for a German body looks like
A completed notarized translation is a bound document: a copy of the source (with the apostille, if attached), the translation with the translator's signature, the notary's certification note and seal, and, where necessary, an apostille on the translation. For German practice we also translate the certification note into German and attach it to the document, so that the official does not have to decipher the Georgian text independently. At the end of the translation we add a translator's note ("Anmerkung des Übersetzers"), in which the grading system, the function of a body or an illegible fragment is explained, which is a familiar format for a German official. We also attach a scanned version to the finished package for uploading to the online system of uni-assist, ZAB or the embassy, before the paper version reaches you by courier.
What causes rejection at a German body
- an apostille that is not visible in the translation, because it was not attached before translation
- a university name that does not match the anabin entry
- a spelling of the first name and surname that differs from the passport
- the absence of a note on the grading system in the transcript
- a criminal record certificate older than three months or an Ehefähigkeitszeugnis older than six months
- a Georgian notarized translation where the specific state body required a German sworn translator
- leaving seals and entries on the reverse side untranslated
Who does a German notarized translation
A German translation for notarization is done only by a translator who is registered with a specific notary in the German-Georgian pair, that is, whose qualification the notary has checked in advance. Our German translators have experience of studying or working in Germany, Austria or Switzerland and know German administrative formats: what a Bestätigungsvermerk looks like, how a seal is described ("Rundsiegel mit Staatswappen"), how a date is written and how an illegible fragment is marked ("unleserlich"). These formal details are a sign of the document's reliability for a German official and give the translation a "German" look, even if it was done in Tbilisi.
Deadlines, organisation and delivery
A notarized translation of a one-page document is ready in one working day, in express mode in 1-2 hours. A full medical recognition package, which covers up to ten documents and a description of the study programme, usually needs 5-10 working days including apostilles. The whole process is managed online: upload, confirmation, payment, and the finished package comes to you electronically and by courier. For clients in Germany we send the document by international courier or hand it to a representative in Georgia. Every order is processed under a confidentiality agreement, which is especially important in the case of medical and corporate papers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Georgian notarized translation and a German "beglaubigte Übersetzung"?
The Georgian one is certified by a notary and an apostille gives it international force; the German one is certified by a sworn translator in Germany with their own seal. Which one you need depends on the receiving body, and we confirm this before the order.
Does the embassy require an apostille on every document?
No. On civil status records (birth, marriage, divorce) usually yes, while for certificates, a diploma and bank documents a notarized translation is often enough. We go through the list together according to the visa type.
My state's Approbationsbehörde requires a German translator. What do you offer?
We prepare an apostilled Georgian notarized translation, which a German sworn translator confirms quickly, or we send the apostilled source directly to a German colleague. We choose between the two routes together with you.
Do I have to be present at the notary?
No. The notary checks the translator's signature, so your presence is not needed. The process is managed fully online.
How long is an Ehefähigkeitszeugnis valid?
The certificate issued by a German Standesamt is valid for six months. Within this period the apostille, the translation and the registration of the marriage in Georgia must take place, so we plan the sequence in advance.
I brought a German document without an apostille. What do I do?
A Georgian state body, as a rule, will not accept such a document. The apostille must be placed in Germany at the relevant body, which can be done through a relative or representative. We prepare the translation after the apostille is received.
Does an Austrian Matura certificate need recognition in Georgia?
Yes, for enrolment in a higher education institution the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement requires a Georgian notarized translation of the apostilled certificate, in which the Austrian grading system (1-5, where 1 is the best) is explained with a note.