Legalised translation - when is it needed?

When a certified translation is needed - whenever it concerns documents from and/or to a foreign country that need to take effect in that country.

What does a certified translation mean?

For a translation to be legalised, it must be carried out by a translator who is on the list of a translation agency that has a contract with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to carry out official translations.

The sworn translator who carries out the translation shall be responsible for the accuracy of the official translation made by him in accordance with the requirements of the law. The translator's affidavit must be affixed at the end of the translation and shall describe the type of document and its attributes, together with any endorsements and attestations made on it, the number of pages, the translator's full name and his signature.

The translation shall be printed on a printer, the first page of which must be on the translation agency's letterhead. All pages of the translation shall be numbered, initialled by the translator and stamped with the company seal, the last page of the translation ending with the translator's affidavit. The translated text shall be affixed with the agency's binding seal to the original document, thus certifying that the content of the translation is identical to the original document.

The document thus prepared is submitted to the Legalization and Certification Sector of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for certification of the translation.

Where public documents are issued in Bulgaria and are intended to be used abroad, they must be legalised in order to be effective outside the country. Where the documents are intended for countries which are signatories to the Hague Convention, they must be apostilled and then translated into the relevant language and submitted to the Legalisation and Certification Sector of the Administrative Services for Bulgarian and Foreign Citizens Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for certification of the translation. Where the public document is intended for a country with which Bulgaria has concluded a legal assistance treaty, no apostille is required on the document, but only the translation and certification of the translation need to be made at the Legalization and Certification Sector of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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