Translation Agency for Essen – Certified and Specialist Translations

Key facts at a glance

• ✓Certified translations by translators authorised by the court – the official North Rhine-Westphalia term for what are often called sworn translators
• ✓For the registry office, immigration office, driving licence authority, courts and the recognition of qualifications
• ✓Specialist translations for law, medicine, engineering and business
• ✓Drop-off without an appointment in Mülheim-Styrum, or send a photo or scan online
• ✓No-obligation quote with a fixed price and delivery date before any costs are incurred

Which documents do authorities in Essen require as certified translations?

Authorities in Essen generally require foreign-language certificates and documents as a certified translation into German. Exactly which documents depends on the purpose:

• Essen registry office (Standesamt): to give notice of marriage, depending on the country of origin, for example a birth certificate, a certificate of no impediment to marriage (Ehefähigkeitszeugnis) or a divorce decree. More information: Birth certificate translation.
• City of Essen immigration office (Ausländerbehörde): for example the marriage certificate for family reunification, the children's birth certificates or documents for naturalisation. See also Marriage certificate translation.
• Driving licence authority (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde): if you want to exchange a foreign driving licence for a German one, you usually need a translation – details under Driving licence translation.
• Courts: judgments, divorce rulings and contracts for Essen Local Court (Amtsgericht) or Essen Regional Court (Landgericht).
• School, university and work: certificates and diplomas for job applications and recognition. For certificates not issued in German or English, the certificate recognition office (Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle) of the Düsseldorf district government (Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf) requires a German translation by authorised or sworn translators. More information: Diploma and certificate translation.

The form an office requires is usually stated in its letter or on its website. If in doubt, ask them – or simply send us the letter along with your documents.

What is a certified translation – and who may produce one in North Rhine-Westphalia?

A certified translation is a translation whose completeness and accuracy have been confirmed by a translator authorised by the court, with a certification statement, stamp and signature. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the official term for these professionals is authorised translators (ermächtigte Übersetzer:innen). The legal basis is the North Rhine-Westphalia Justice Act (Justizgesetz NRW).

Other federal states use terms such as sworn or publicly appointed translators (beeidigt, vereidigt or öffentlich bestellt). So if you are looking for a sworn translator in Essen, you will in practice be looking for an authorised translator. The certification is in principle valid throughout Germany: authorities across the country generally accept it.

Not to be confused with: a certified copy (beglaubigte Kopie) only confirms that a copy matches the original. You can get one, for example, at the citizens' office (Bürgeramt) or from a notary – not from a translation agency.

Translators for Turkish, Arabic and 170 languages

Our network includes over 1,000 language professionals. Among them are authorised translators for Turkish, Arabic, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Romanian, Farsi and many other languages. There is a dedicated page for Turkish: Certified Turkish–German translation.

Which specialist translations do companies in Essen need?

RAGUNATHAN translates specialist texts in law, medicine, engineering and business for companies in Essen – texts in which every technical term has to be right. Essen is home to the headquarters of major energy, industrial and trading groups, as well as many suppliers, service providers, law firms and hospitals. Our specialist translators handle, for example:

• Law: contracts, general terms and conditions, powers of attorney and court documents
• Business: commercial register extracts, annual financial statements, tenders and presentations
• Engineering: operating instructions, technical data sheets and safety briefings
• Medicine: doctors' letters, medical findings and consent forms for hospitals and practices

If no authority is involved, a specialist translation without certification is often sufficient. For negotiations and trade fair appointments, we also provide interpreters in Essen.

How do you reach our translation agency from Essen?

Bring your documents to our office in Mülheim-Styrum without an appointment or send them online – as a translation service for Essen, we work with the same care either way.

• By S-Bahn: lines S1 and S3 run from Essen Hauptbahnhof (central station) via Mülheim Hauptbahnhof to Mülheim (Ruhr)-Styrum station.
• By car: take the A40 (Ruhrschnellweg) towards Duisburg as far as the Mülheim-Styrum junction.
• Address and opening hours: Limburgstraße 7, 45476 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. You will find all the ways to reach us on our Contact page.

1. 01
   Hand in your document

   at our office without an appointment, or as a photo, scan or PDF via the form above, by email or WhatsApp.

2. 02
   Check your quote

   you receive a fixed price and delivery date – with no obligation.

3. 03
   Translation and certification

   an authorised translator for your language translates the document in full, including all stamps and notes.

4. 04
   Delivery

   an advance copy as a PDF by email, the original with stamp and signature by post to Essen or for collection at our office.

Do I also need an apostille for my translation?

Whether you need an apostille is decided by the body to which you submit the document. An apostille confirms the authenticity of a public document so that it is recognised in another country. It is not issued by the translation agency but by an authority of the country in which the document was issued. Countries that do not use the apostille procedure often require legalisation instead.

How much does a translation for Essen cost?

The price of a translation depends on length, language pair, subject area, certification and the delivery time you need. A one-page birth certificate costs less than an extensive contract full of technical terms. That is why we give you a fixed price and a binding delivery date once we have seen the document. Costs are only incurred once you accept.

Do you have a deadline with an authority in Essen? Then give us a call – express orders are possible.

Request a quote for my translation

Why RAGUNATHAN?

• Since 1986

  Experience with official documents, certificates and specialist texts from all over the world – for public authorities, courts and companies.

• Authorised translators

  Certifications that authorities in Essen and throughout Germany generally recognise.

• ISO 9001:2015

  Processes certified by TÜV SÜD. Owner Ayadurai Ragunathan is a member of the BDÜ – the German Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators.

• In person or online

  Drop-off without an appointment in Mülheim-Styrum, or upload from the comfort of your home in Essen.

Do you have questions about your document? Call us on +49 208 99 04 77 (Mon–Fri 8:30 am – 4:30 pm) or email info@ragunathan.de.