For a marriage, naturalisation or registration at the civil registry office, often only one thing is still missing: the certified translation of your certificate. UniTranslate translates birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees and death certificates into more than 100 languages – certified, on request with an apostille for use abroad, and without you having to part with your originals.
Your civil status certificate, recognised by the authority
A certificate translation is not free-form text: authorities usually compare every detail against the original. Names must match the spelling in your passport exactly, dates, register numbers, stamps and annotations are reproduced in full, and the layout follows the original so that checking is easy. Our translators specialise in civil status documents and know what offices look for during verification – from transliteration standards to the correct designation of foreign authorities.
Birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree, death certificate
- Birth certificates – frequently required for marriage, naturalisation, family reunification or registering the birth of a child
- Marriage certificates and certificates of no impediment – for example for the recognition of a marriage concluded abroad
- Divorce decrees and divorce certificates – for instance for registering the divorce or remarrying
- Death certificates – for inheritance matters, insurers and authorities
- Other civil status documents such as certificates of single status, family record books or adoption certificates
Several documents often belong to the same official procedure: someone getting married may submit a certificate of single status and proof of residence alongside the birth certificate; someone applying for naturalisation, an entire dossier. Send us all your documents together – we translate them from a single source, with consistently uniform spelling of your names and place names, so that nothing diverges at the authority.
Certification, notarisation or apostille?
Which form your translation needs depends on its purpose: for Swiss offices a certified translation is usually sufficient, while for use abroad a notarised translation with apostille is often required in addition. The final, binding decision on form, type of certification and recognition always rests with the official receiving authority – we advise you on this free of charge. Simply tell us what you need the translation for, and we deliver the appropriate variant including all necessary stamps and confirmations.
How it works: send a scan, receive your translation
- Photograph or scan your certificate: We do not need your original documents – a clearly legible photo is enough.
- Quote within 30 minutes: During office hours you promptly receive a quote with a delivery date; for urgent official appointments we deliver express within 12–24 hours.
- Translation with verification: A specialised translator transfers your certificate, and a second person checks names, dates and numbers against the original.
- Delivery as you prefer: By post, by registered mail or as a PDF with a qualified electronic signature (QES) – depending on what your receiving authority accepts. Many offices accept the digital version directly; for others we send the stamped paper copy to your home.
Discretion for personal documents
Certificates tell your life story: origin, marriage, divorce, family. With us, these details do not end up in the wrong hands – your documents are transmitted in encrypted form, viewed only by the translation team in charge and used exclusively for your order. This applies to all languages: we translate certificates from more than 100 languages, including from other writing systems such as Arabic, Cyrillic, Chinese or Tamil, with clean transliteration of names. More than 6000 satisfied customers have already entrusted us with their personal documents. You are looked after by our team in Küsnacht ZH, who will personally help you with any questions about certification or the process – even if you are ordering a certified translation for the first time.
Upload your certificate now as a photo or scan – you will receive a quote within 30 minutes: Request a free quote →
FAQ
Do I need a certified translation of my certificate for the civil registry office?＋
Civil registry offices usually require a certified translation of foreign-language certificates. The exact requirements differ depending on the receiving authority – the final, binding decision always rests with the official receiving authority. We advise you on this free of charge and deliver the appropriate form.
Do I have to send in my original certificate?＋
No. A clearly legible scan or a photo taken with your smartphone is entirely sufficient. Your originals stay safely with you – a great advantage, especially for certificates that are difficult to replace.
When do I need an apostille?＋
An apostille is often required when your translated certificate is to be used abroad, for example for a marriage or an official procedure in another country. Whether it is needed is determined by the receiving authority in the destination country – on request, we organise the apostille for you as well.
How quickly will I receive my translated certificate?＋
During office hours you receive a quote within 30 minutes. We deliver standard orders within a few days, and for urgent official appointments also express within 12 to 24 hours – by post, by registered mail or as a PDF with a qualified electronic signature (QES).
How are names from other writing systems transferred?＋
We adopt the spelling from your passport or your Swiss documents already on record, so that all your papers match. Simply tell us your preferred spelling when placing your order.
