Russian translation with notarization: what is different

The notarization of Russian documents in Georgia differs in several important details from the certification of European or American documents, and these differences are often a pleasant surprise for the client: in some cases the procedure is simpler than you expected. In the opposite direction, however, for submitting a Georgian document in Russia, the rules are, on the contrary, stricter. This article explains both cases with reference to the legal foundations on which they stand.

The Minsk Convention: why a Russian document needs no apostille in Georgia

The most important fact that holders of Russian documents should know: an official document issued in the Russian Federation needs no apostille or consular legalization to be submitted in Georgia. The basis for this is the Minsk Convention of 22 January 1993 on legal assistance in civil, family and criminal matters, under which Georgia waives the legalization requirement for the documents of ten countries. These countries are Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In the case of Ukraine the same result is ensured by separate agreements.

In practice this means that a Russian birth certificate, diploma or marriage certificate needs only one thing to be submitted at the Public Service Hall, a court or a bank: a Georgian translation done by a professional translator and certified by a Georgian notary. No additional seals from the Russian side, no consular procedure. This saves a lot of time, although one condition is strict: the translation must be done and certified precisely in Georgia, by a translator registered with a Georgian notary. A Georgian body usually does not accept a Georgian translation certified in Russia.

The opposite direction: a Georgian document for Russia

Here the picture is different. Russia has been a member of the Hague Convention since 1992, so a document issued in Georgia needs an apostille to be submitted in Russia, which is issued by the Public Service Hall. But as regards the translation itself the practice of Russian bodies is strict: the civil registry (ZAGS), courts, banks, Rosreestr and the migration service, as a rule, accept only a translation certified by a Russian notary on the territory of Russia. A Russian translation done and certified in Georgia, even if flawless, often needs re-certification in Russia.

This does not mean that our service is useless in this direction. On the contrary: we prepare the document with an apostille and a high-quality Russian translation that will pass a local notary's certification in Russia quickly and without problems, since the text is already done correctly. Besides, the same document is often needed in another Russian-speaking country as well, where the rules are different. The main thing is to know about this nuance in advance and to build the additional step on the Russian side into the plan.

Consular matters: where Russian citizens go in Tbilisi

Since 2008 there have been no diplomatic relations between Georgia and Russia, so there is no functioning Russian embassy in Tbilisi. The consular matters of Russian citizens are handled by the Russian Federation Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland, which is located on Chavchavadze Avenue. That is where, for example, Russian citizenship is arranged for a child when one of the parents is a Russian citizen. For such procedures a Russian translation of Georgian documents is often needed, for example of a birth certificate issued in Tbilisi, and that is exactly where our service becomes necessary.

The patronymic and the carrying over of names

The most frequent problem of a notarized Russian translation is connected with names, and this problem is two-way. Russian documents almost always contain a patronymic (otchestvo), which is not a standard field of Georgian civil documents. In the translation it must be carried over so that the document stays complete, but in a way that does not confuse the Georgian body into taking it as part of the surname. Conversely, a Georgian name in a Russian document may be written in a Russified form, while in a modern Georgian passport the Latin transliteration is done by a completely different rule. If the same person is written three ways in three documents, the body cannot recognise them as one person's documents. That is why before starting a translation we always ask for a copy of the valid passport and write the name in exactly the form that is already officially recorded.

Certification of Soviet-era documents

The notarization of documents issued before 1991 is a separate category. In such documents the seals are often those of Soviet bodies that no longer exist, the entries are handwritten, and sometimes the paper is damaged. The notary certifies not the historical genuineness of the document but that the translation corresponds exactly to what is written in the source, including seals, signatures and handwritten entries. So on such documents the translator gives a more detailed description: where which seal stands, which entry is handwritten, where there is an illegible fragment. This detail is exactly what allows the body to accept the document.

A power of attorney from Russia: the most frequent question

Many families have a situation where one member lives in Russia and has to send a power of attorney to dispose of property, a bank account or an inheritance in Georgia. Here the Minsk Convention is especially useful: a power of attorney certified by a Russian notary is accepted in Georgia without an apostille, only its notarized Georgian translation is needed. The only thing you should take care of in advance is the completeness of the text of the power of attorney: a power of attorney drawn up in Russia sometimes does not contain the specific authority that the Georgian Public Registry or a bank requires (for example, the exact cadastral code or a specific banking operation). So we advise you to agree the text of the power of attorney with us before signing it in Russia, so that after the translation the body does not require an additional document and you do not start the process over.

Diploma and school certificate: recognition and translation are two different steps

To use a Russian or Belarusian higher education diploma in Georgia, for example for work or to continue studies, two separate procedures are often needed: a notarized Georgian translation (which we do) and recognition of the education by the relevant Georgian body, which is a procedure independent of the translation and has its own deadline. These two steps are often confused, and a person thinks that with the translation the diploma is already "recognised". It is not: the translation is a precondition for recognition, not the recognition itself. When translating a diploma supplement (transcript) we indicate the number of hours and the grading system with particular care, since it is exactly this data that the recognition body uses.

Which body requires what

Since most Russian documents do not need an apostille, the main question becomes whether a specific body needs a notarized translation or whether a version certified with the agency's seal is enough. The Public Service Hall, the Civil Registry, the courts and the Public Registry usually require notarization. Banks and private companies often accept a certified translation as well, although this varies by bank. If you are not sure, tell us where you will submit the document, and we will advise the appropriate option, so that the document is not returned to you.

The criminal record certificate: the deadline trap

The criminal record certificate needed for a residence permit and some other procedures is the only one among documents issued in Russia or another country where the time factor is decisive: many bodies accept such a certificate only for a limited period from its issue. So if you already have the certificate, the translation and certification must be done urgently, so that the period does not expire before you submit the document. It is exactly in such cases that the express mode is most useful: give us the certificate in the morning, and by midday you already have the certified translation in hand.

Deadlines and process

A notarized translation of a standard personal document is ready in one working day. Since most Russian documents do not need the apostille stage, this is one of the fastest directions: in express mode a full, certified document can be received in 1-2 hours. The process runs fully online, and you receive the finished document by courier or from the office. Every translator works under a signed confidentiality agreement. If the document package is large, for example a whole family's papers for a residence permit, we advise you to give us everything at once: this way the translation is done faster and more uniformly, and all the documents are certified at once with one visit to the notary.

Frequently asked questions