German to English Translation Services Singapore

What we translate

• Personal documents: birth, marriage and divorce certificates, diplomas, transcripts and police certificates
• Legal documents: contracts, court documents, powers of attorney and notarial deeds
• Corporate documents: commercial register extracts (Handelsregisterauszug), articles of association, resolutions and financial statements
• Business and technical: reports, correspondence, manuals and engineering specifications

Certification options

• Certified translation: carries our translator’s signed declaration that it is accurate and complete. Enough for most Singapore submissions. ICA also requires notarisation and an apostille, which we arrange.
• Translator’s affidavit: for court use, our German translator swears an affidavit before a Commissioner for Oaths, in person or by video link (the translator must be physically in Singapore when signing).
• Notarisation and apostille: for documents going to Germany, Austria or Switzerland, we arrange notarisation and the Singapore Academy of Law apostille. Some German authorities ask for a translation by a German sworn translator (beeidigter Übersetzer) instead, so check with the receiving authority first. Notary and Singapore Academy of Law fees are regulated by law and passed on at cost, with no mark-up by us (Notaries Public Rules, SAL fees). See Delivery and Collection for costs.

Which certification do I need?

Each agency sets its own requirements. This is what we usually arrange. If yours is not listed, send us its checklist or letter and we will confirm before you order.

The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) apostille authenticates the Notary Public’s appointment. For a country that is a member of the Apostille Convention, it is the last step. For a country that is not a member, the document then needs legalisation by that country’s embassy or consulate in Singapore. We arrange this. Embassy fees are not included in our fees or in the notary and apostille fees: they vary by country and are quoted individually, together with the time needed. Check the official list of Apostille Convention member states.

Example: a one-page certificate for ICA, certified, notarised and apostilled, is S$320.85 (translation S$40, hardcopy S$1, our handling S$100, and regulated notary and apostille fees S$179.85), plus delivery unless you collect. A certified translation alone is charged per page, with a minimum of S$40 per source page. See the full calculation and estimate your total.

See sample translations of certified, notarised and apostilled documents

How we work

Every translation is done and checked by a human translator. We use AI translation only if you ask for it, never for certified, sworn or notarised work, and we always mark it as AI translation.

Fees and turnaround

Short standard documents, such as identity cards, certificates, work permits and driving licences, are charged at a fixed rate per page. Other documents are charged by word count, or by character count for Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The minimum charge is S$40 per page of the source document or audio/video clip. Standard delivery is one business day per 2,000 words; express service is available at an additional charge.

See also: Translator’s affidavit and notarisation · Legal translation · ICA, MOM and personal documents

Frequently asked questions

Do I need notarisation, or is a certified translation enough?

It depends on who receives it. ICA requires a notarised translation with the Singapore Academy of Law apostille. MOM accepts our certified translation. Other agencies vary, so send us the checklist or letter you received and we will tell you which to order before you pay.

Do you offer German to English translation in Singapore?

Yes. We translate documents from Germany, Austria and Switzerland into English, and English documents into German for use in those countries, for individuals, law firms and businesses. Every translation is done and checked by a human translator.

Do I need a German sworn translator (beeidigter Übersetzer)?

Some German authorities ask for a translation by a German sworn translator instead, so check with the receiving authority first. Our certified translation carries our translator’s signed declaration that it is accurate and complete, which is enough for most Singapore submissions. ICA also requires notarisation and an apostille, which we arrange.

Can you provide a translator’s affidavit or apostille for German documents?

Yes. For court use, our German translator swears an affidavit before a Commissioner for Oaths, in person or by video link (the translator must be physically in Singapore when signing). We also arrange notarisation, always with the Singapore Academy of Law apostille. ICA requires both, and they are used for documents going to Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

Do you use AI translation?

We use AI translation only if you ask for it, never for certified, sworn or notarised work, and we always mark it as AI translation.

Can you translate a Handelsregisterauszug or German birth certificate?

Yes. We translate commercial register extracts (Handelsregisterauszug), articles of association, resolutions and financial statements, as well as birth, marriage and divorce certificates, diplomas, transcripts and police certificates.