# Marriage license translation for EEA residency card?



## Lil_M (May 16, 2012)

Ok, the next one in my series of questions... I'm looking into translation of my US marriage license to Germany for my EEA residency card (+ Anmeldung). But the options and technicalities are pretty confusing. Some sources seem to suggest I need it apostilled but not necessarily translated (http://www.germany.info/contentblob/4879970/Daten/7144821/Family_Reunion_EU_EEA_Spouse.pdf). Some sources don't explicitly say it needs to translated or apostilled (https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324282/en/). Other sources I've come across seem to suggest I simply need it translated to German (+with an official stamp?...). And then I somehow almost think I could possibly get away with simply providing the document in English (in Berlin), based on an anecdote from a friend who got an EEA residency card in Austria with a translated/apostilled marriage certificate, and was told they would've accepted his US one. (though I don't want to wait and have to come back another day if my assumption is wrong). I've got a couple quotes for certified translations of my marriage license into German (one stating "certification" as meaning that it comes with a "certification of translation accuracy", the other not specifically saying what's meant by "certification"). One would give me back a physical copy, one is online and would send me the translated document as a PDF. 

Please enlighten me on what I really need 

Also, bonus points for sharing what you did and recommendations for such services!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Generally speaking, the individual countries within the EU are free to fix their own immigration requirements, so what a friend had to do in Austria may or may not relate to what you have to do for Germany.

I take it you're married to a Brit (based on your being an expat currently in the UK). The safest thing to do is to ask at your local Rathaus or Ausländeramt for their requirements. Under the EU regs, they only have to offer a "simplified" process - which may well involve having to get your marriage license apostilled, but not necessarily translated "officially." In some cases a "certified" translation involves getting the translator to verify the authenticity of the document itself, which means there is a difference between a translator "certified" for British documents vs. American ones. You'll also need proof of your spouse's EU nationality - which, given all the fun and games with this upcoming Brexit stuff, could prove to be a "stickier" matter than the marriage documents depending on your timing.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

Best option is to ask the Ausländerbehörde in Berlin, but I expect they're too swamped to answer questions. Next option is to ask someone who's recently gone through the process in Berlin. 

Your husband is Polish, if I recall. That removes Brexit concerns.

It's but one anecdote and a very long time ago so not too useful, but we had our Canadian marriage license translated only. At the time I was working at the British Embassy so for the price of a coffee had one of our translators do it with a great big official embassy stamp. Stamps always help. Lots and lots of stamps. Germans love their Stempel.


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## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

Lil_M said:


> Please enlighten me on what I really need
> 
> Also, bonus points for sharing what you did and recommendations for such services!


Do you want the cheapest option or the overprepared option?

Option 1

Take everything you have with you and hope for the best. Either they will tell you if they want something else and you'd have to go back or they'll accept what you have (and possibly grubble about you know providing the docs in German).

Option 2

If you want to be sure that you don't have to go back, you can submit beeidigte Übersetzungen. 

More info here:

Beeidigte Dolmetscher und Übersetzer: Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer e.V.

Make sure to obtain a few quotes first, prices vary.


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## waqasars (Jun 23, 2016)

Hi Lil_M,

I have send you an PM. Can you please reply on that.


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