Aktuelle Sprache: en
Court Interpreter - Apply for General Swearing-in
If you want to work as a court interpreter in Germany, you need a special professional qualification as an interpreter. And you must be sworn in as a court interpreter by the competent court.
As a court interpreter, you translate orally from German into another target language and vice versa. In this way, you overcome language barriers.
Procedure:
As a court interpreter, you translate orally from German into another target language and vice versa. In this way, you overcome language barriers.
Procedure:
- You apply for the general swearing-in as a court interpreter with the required documents. You can fill out the application completely online, upload the required documents and send them directly to the competent body electronically.
- After receiving the minimum fee, the competent office will check whether you meet the requirements for the general swearing-in on the basis of your information and evidence. You will receive information on the further procedure, such as documents that need to be submitted, and will be informed of the current processing status by e-mail.
- After receipt of payment, you will receive a letter of invitation by post from the competent office with the date for the general swearing-in, for which you must appear in person.
- Court interpreters must take an oath for their work.
- After taking the oath, you will be issued with a certificate (certified copy of the transcript) which officially legitimises you as a court interpreter. The oath is issued for a limited period of five years. It can be extended for a further five years on application before expiry.
- You will also be registered as a sworn court interpreter in the Interpreter and Translator Database (see "Further information"). There you can be found publicly with your language mediation services for courts. You can decide in your application which data should be published in the database of interpreters and translators.
Prerequisites
- Residence or professional establishment in Berlin
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Professional competence
Proof of an interpreting examination taken in Germany by a state examination office or a university or an interpreting examination abroad recognised as equivalent by a German state authority. -
Personal suitability
You must prove the required personal reliability for your activity. -
Oath or affirmation
Later, when you are invited to take the oath, you will have to take an oath or affirmation that you will faithfully and conscientiously translate the spoken texts into the target language.
Documents required
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Application
You can only be sworn in upon application, please use the online procedure. -
Identity card
Copy of identity card or passport with certificate of registration.
For applicants who are not nationals of an EU member state: Residence title entitling to permanent gainful employment. -
Curriculum vitae
Curriculum vitae in tabular form with passport photo -
Testimonials
Proof of a successful examination as an interpreter from a state examination office or a university in Germany or of an examination passed abroad and recognised as equivalent -
Certificate of good conduct for presentation to an authority
- To verify personal reliability, information from the Federal Central Register (certificate of good conduct) is required for submission to an authority (document type O).
- The information must not be older than six months.
- When applying, please state "Beeidigung als Gerichtsdolmetscher/in" as the purpose of use. The receiving authority for the certificate is the "Landgericht Berlin - Dienststelle Littenstraße". You can find the current addresses under "competent authorities".
Fees
EUR 40.00 minimum fee
EUR 120.00 to EUR 160.00 in total (depending on the number of languages)
Legal basis
- Court Interpreters Act (Gerichtsdolmetschergesetz GDolmG) § 3
- Berlin Justice Act (Justizgesetz Berlin JustG Bln) Chapter 7 §§ 39 ff.
- Language Mediator Responsibility Ordinance Berlin (Sprachmittlerinnen- und Sprachmittlerzuständigkeitsverordnung Berlin SpZV BE)
- Judicial Administration Costs Act Berlin (Justizverwaltungskostengesetz Berlin JVKostG Berlin ) No. 4 of the Annex to section 1 p. 2
Average time to process request
approx. 3 months