We manage the entire process of preparing your UK birth certificate for use abroad, from translation to the FCDO apostille. Each birth certificate translation is specifically tailored to meet the unique requirements of your destination.

Get your UK birth certificate translated and certified correctly

Foreign authorities have strict requirements regarding the authority of the translator and the specific wording used. As such, a standard translation is rarely sufficient for use abroad.

Our document translation and legalisation services take the specific requirements of your destination into account, ensuring your birth certificate is translated correctly the first time.

Several foreign institutions, including embassies, courts, and universities, accept our sworn translations.

When you need to translate a birth certificate

You’ll likely need to translate your UK birth certificate if you intend to use it abroad in a country where English isn’t an official language.

In that case, foreign authorities may require you to submit a translated birth certificate when:

  • Getting married

  • Registering a birth

  • Applying for a visa

  • Applying for dual citizenship

  • Enrolling in an educational institution

Translations prepared for apostille and embassy submission

Document legalisation by way of an apostille certificate and embassy attestation is an essential step to preparing your birth certificate for use abroad.

Depending on the requirements of your requesting authority, there are two sequencing options:

  • Standard process: Your UK birth certificate is apostilled and then translated.

  • Translation-first process: We also encounter requests for a translated version to be apostilled separately. In that case, the sworn translation must be certified first by an FCDO-registered solicitor or notary public before the FCDO can apostille it.

We’ll leverage our network of vetted London notaries and solicitors to prepare the document for an apostille and the subsequent embassy attestation.

What’s included in our certified translation service?

Our translation service covers all the requirements for a birth certificate translation to be valid abroad.

Here’s what you get:

  • A complete and accurate translation of the document

  • Where required, a translation certificate

  • All mandatory elements, including a certification statement, stamp, signatures, and the translator’s credentials

Order your birth certificate translation in 3 steps

We have streamlined the order process to remove complexity. Here’s how to order your birth certificate translation from us:

  • Contact our office: Tell us the destination country, the translation language, how soon you need the process concluded, and how the birth certificate will be delivered.

  • Get a quote and pay: Once we have the details, we’ll assess your needs and give you an all-inclusive quote. If you accept the quotation, the translation process begins.

  • Receive the document: You can collect your translated/apostilled birth certificate from our London office in person. Alternatively, we can send it to you by Royal Mail or DHL.

What our clients say

We’ve helped numerous people prepare documents for use abroad with incredible success. You don’t have to take our word for it, though. Here’s what some of our past clients have to say:

Transparent birth certificate translation costs

We believe in transparent pricing and will provide an itemised quote so you know exactly what you’re paying for. Here’s a breakdown of our pricing levels.

Translation service pricing:

  • Standard certified translation: Starts from £40 per page

  • Sworn translation: from + £10 per page

  • Professional certified translation: Starts from £40.50 per page.

  • Professional sworn translation: from + £12.50 per page

  • Specialist translator: £51 per page

  • Specialist sworn translator: from + £15.30 per page

Note: One page equals a maximum of 250 words.

Additional optional costs are as follows:

  • Priority (24 hours) + £15

  • Urgent (12 hours) + £30

  • Notarised Translation from + £20

  • Apostille / Legalisation from + £97

The costs of returning documents are as follows:

  • PDF sent by email – FREE

  • Return shipping: + £15

  • Worldwide (DHL) + £50

Pre-translation checks to ensure acceptance

Using our services increases the chances that foreign authorities accept your birth certificate. We conduct pre-translation checks to help you identify and correct issues that may lead to rejection.

We check for the following:

  • If it is a short form or long form birth certificate, because some authorities only accept long form versions.

  • The date of issuance, as some foreign authorities only accept documents issued within the last 3 or 6 months. (Please check with the requesting authority!)

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Below are answers to some commonly asked questions about birth certificate translation.

You’ll need a translation from an independent professional. This is because the translation must be certified by a solicitor or notary before the FCDO can apostille it. Most legal professionals will not certify a document you’ve translated yourself.

A sworn translation is one completed by a qualified translator who has taken an oath before a public official. The translator swears to the accuracy of their work.

In the case of a certified translation, the translator appears before a solicitor and signs a declaration of accuracy. The solicitor then certifies the translator’s identity and signature.

Technically, you can translate a short-form birth certificate. However, because it does not contain all the information a foreign authority will likely need, it is best to translate a long-form birth certificate.

Yes, if it is legible and the translator can mirror the format.

Nonetheless, to reduce the risk of rejection, consider ordering a certified copy from the General Register Office (GRO). The GRO will issue a typed certified copy that you can then easily translate.

For certain countries, such as Spain, we can start the translation with a clear scan of the birth certificate. To get an apostille, we must receive the original or an official certified copy from the GRO.

Yes, we can facilitate both the translation and legalisation processes even if you are outside the UK. Simply courier the document to our office, and we’ll return it via DHL.

Order your certified birth certificate translation.

Ready to get your birth certificate translated for use abroad?

Whether your birth certificate translation is for immigration, citizenship, marriage registration, banking, or academic purposes, we can help you meet the unique requirements of your destination.