Russian birth certificate translation to German — certified with ISO 9 transliteration for German authorities
The clerk at the "Standesamt" (Registry Office) examines your Russian birth certificate translation. She compares the name spelling to your passport, finds an exact match thanks to ISO 9 transliteration, and stamps your file without a single question about Cyrillic conversion. Your wedding date is confirmed.
- ✓ ISO 9 transliteration standard prevents name spelling rejections
- ✓ Soviet-era green booklets fully supported
- ✓ Apostille translation included with your certificate
- ✓ Guaranteed acceptance by German authorities
Officially certified — guaranteed acceptance
Our translations meet the formal requirements for recognition by authorities and institutions across the EU. Every Russian to German translation is handled by court-appointed sworn translators (vereidigte Übersetzer) who specialize in the Russian-German language pair and understand the specific challenges of Cyrillic transliteration. Select "PDF & original by post" when ordering — authorities typically require the printed original with stamp and signature.
Accepted by:
Why ISO 9 transliteration matters for your Russian documents
German bureaucracy demands consistency. When the clerk at the "Ausländerbehörde" (Immigration Office) compares your translated birth certificate to your passport, every letter must match. This is where most Russian to German translations fail — and where our sworn translators excel.
The transliteration problem explained
Converting Cyrillic letters to the Latin alphabet is not straightforward. The Russian letter "е" could become "e" or "ye" depending on the system used. The ending "ий" might appear as "ij," "iy," or just "y." If your translator uses a different system than the one on your passport, German authorities will question whether both documents refer to the same person.
ISO 9 is the international standard that German authorities recognize and expect. Our court-appointed translators follow this standard precisely, ensuring your name appears exactly as it should across all your documents.
Common transliteration differences you might notice
- е = e (not ye) Евгений becomes Evgenij, not Yevgeniy
- ий = ij (not y or iy) Дмитрий becomes Dmitrij, not Dmitry
- х = h (not kh) Михаил becomes Mihail, not Mikhail
- ю = ju (not yu) Юлия becomes Julija, not Yulia
You might look at your translated name and think it looks different than you expected. This is normal. What matters is that it matches the ISO 9 standard that German authorities require. Our translators can add clarifying notes to the certification if your passport uses a different transliteration system, helping authorities understand that both spellings refer to you.
Soviet-era vs. modern Russian birth certificates
Whether you have a small green booklet from the Soviet Union or a modern A4 certificate from the Russian Federation, we translate both formats with equal expertise. Our translators have processed thousands of Soviet-era documents and know how to handle the unique challenges they present.
Russian birth certificate types we handle
- Modern Russian Federation certificate A4 format, colored security features, issued after 1991
- Soviet Union birth certificate Small green booklet or hardcover, often from the 1960s-1980s
- Re-issued certificate (Duplikat) Povtornoye svidetelstvo issued when original is lost or damaged
- Handwritten Soviet documents Older certificates with manual entries requiring specialized expertise
Special considerations for Soviet documents
Soviet-era birth certificates are fully accepted by German authorities when properly translated and certified. However, they present unique challenges. Place names have changed — Leningrad is now St. Petersburg, Sverdlovsk is now Yekaterinburg. Our translators note these historical changes in the translation to prevent confusion.
Handwritten entries in older Soviet documents can be difficult to decipher. Our translators are experienced in reading Soviet-era handwriting styles and administrative abbreviations that were common during that period.
The apostille requirement
German authorities require Russian birth certificates to have an Apostille for legal use in Germany. This certification must be obtained from Russian authorities before translation. We translate both your birth certificate and the Apostille together — forgetting to translate the Apostille itself is a common mistake that delays applications.
We do not provide apostille services. If you need an apostille on your translation for use outside Germany, you must request it from the regional court (Landgericht or OLG) responsible for your translator.
Common mistakes to avoid
- ✓ Use a translator sworn in Germany — foreign certifications are often rejected by German courts
- ✓ Ensure ISO 9 transliteration is used — incorrect transliteration causes name mismatch issues
- ✓ Translate the Apostille — authorities need both documents translated
- ✓ Obtain an Apostille for re-issued documents — using a Duplikat without apostille will be rejected
Common use cases for Russian birth certificate translation
German bureaucracy requires your translated birth certificate for more situations than you might expect. Each authority has specific requirements, and all of them demand ISO 9 compliant transliteration.
Marriage registration at the "Standesamt" (Registry Office)
You have chosen a date, booked the venue, and sent invitations to family traveling from Russia. The "Standesamt" requires your translated birth certificate weeks before the ceremony. Without it, they will not confirm your wedding date. Imagine calling your grandmother in Moscow to explain the celebration is postponed because of a spelling discrepancy in a translation. Our ISO 9 compliant translations prevent this scenario entirely. The clerk compares your documents, finds everything in order, and confirms your appointment.
Residence permit application at the "Ausländerbehörde" (Immigration Office)
Your current visa expires in six weeks. The "Ausländerbehörde" appointment you waited three months to get is next Tuesday. They require a certified translation of your birth certificate, and there is no second chance if something is wrong. The anxiety of sitting in that waiting room, knowing your legal status depends on paperwork, is something we understand. Our translations arrive in 3-4 business days, or 24 hours with express service, giving you time to prepare everything properly.
Citizenship application at the "Einbürgerungsbehörde" (Naturalization Office)
After years of living and working in Germany, you are applying for citizenship. The "Einbürgerungsbehörde" has the strictest documentation requirements of any German authority. Your name must appear identically across every document — birth certificate, marriage certificate, residence permits, employment records. A single inconsistency in transliteration can delay your application by months. Our translators ensure perfect consistency with ISO 9 standards across all your documents.
Family reunification
You want to bring family members to Germany. The process requires birth certificates for each person to prove family relationships. Multiple documents mean multiple opportunities for transliteration inconsistencies. We handle entire document sets with consistent transliteration throughout, ensuring names match across all family members' paperwork.
How it works
Order online, receive by email and post. No office visits required, and considerably less waiting than traditional translation services.
Upload your Russian birth certificate
Take a clear photo or upload the PDF of your birth certificate and Apostille if you have it. A smartphone photo works perfectly — we enhance the image quality on our end. Soviet-era green booklets, modern certificates, and re-issued documents are all accepted.
Translation and certification
A court-appointed sworn translator specializing in Russian-German translations creates your ISO 9 compliant translation. They apply the official certification clause (Beglaubigungsvermerk), their personal stamp showing court appointment and registration number, and their signature.
Delivery
Receive the digital PDF by email within 3-4 business days (24 hours with express, available Mon-Fri for selected language combinations). The signed and stamped original follows by priority post. Check it first, pay later — choose Klarna invoice payment at checkout.
What you receive
Every certified translation of your Russian birth certificate includes:
- ✓ Complete German translation with ISO 9 compliant transliteration
- ✓ Official certification clause (Beglaubigungsvermerk) confirming accuracy
- ✓ Sworn translator's signature and official stamp with court appointment details
- ✓ Translation of your Apostille if included with your order
- ✓ Clean PDF for digital submission plus printed original by post
This certification has permanent legal validity in Germany. Unlike some countries that require recent translations, German authorities accept certified translations regardless of when they were made.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. German authorities accept Soviet-era birth certificates when properly translated and certified by a sworn translator. We have translated thousands of Soviet documents, including the small green booklets from the 1960s-1980s. The key requirement is that your document has an Apostille. If your original Soviet certificate cannot be apostilled, you will need to obtain a re-issued certificate (Duplikat) from Russian authorities first.
German authorities require ISO 9 transliteration, which converts Cyrillic letters to Latin in a specific standardized way. This might differ from informal transliterations you have used before. For example, "Юлия" becomes "Julija" under ISO 9, not "Yulia." What matters is consistency with your passport and other official documents. Our translators can add clarifying notes if your passport uses a different system.
The Apostille must be translated along with your birth certificate. German authorities require both documents in German. When you upload your birth certificate with its Apostille, we translate everything together. Forgetting to translate the Apostille is a common mistake that delays applications.
Standard delivery is 3-4 business days. Express service delivers your digital PDF within 24 hours (available Monday to Friday for the Russian-German language pair). The printed original with stamp and signature follows by priority post. Weekend orders with express are delivered the next business day.
Yes. Select Klarna invoice payment at checkout. You receive your translation first, check that everything is correct, and then pay. This gives you peace of mind that you are getting exactly what you need before any money changes hands.
Our translators are experienced with Soviet-era handwritten documents. They can decipher the administrative handwriting styles and abbreviations common during that period. If any entry is unclear, we will contact you to verify details before completing the translation.
Yes. We translate all Russian civil status documents including marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and death certificates. We also handle passport translations and educational credentials. Ordering multiple documents together ensures consistent transliteration across all your paperwork.
Calculate your price here
Upload your Russian birth certificate now and see your exact price. Most translations are ready within 3-4 business days, with express delivery available for urgent deadlines. Court-appointed sworn translators. ISO 9 compliant transliteration. Guaranteed acceptance by German authorities.
Calculate your price See your price before you commit · Delivery first, payment second with Klarna
