I get a lot of frantic midnight emails. The appointment at the foreigner’s office (Ausländerbehörde) is looming, and all the supporting documents are written in English. Resumes, references, bank statements, contracts… how important is it to have your documents translated into German for your visa or permit appointment?
It is advantageous have at least some documents translated into German. Here’s why:
Red Tape Translation is thrilled to announce we now offer certified translations from English into German. Birth certificates, academic transcripts, divorce decrees, you name it, we now have a certified translator on board who can translate and certify them for you.
The system in Germany can seem a bit confusing at first. There are different words used in different states, such as “beeidigte Übersetzer”, “vereidigte Übersetzer”, “ermächtigte Übersetzer” “beglaubigte Übersetzung”, etc. If you receive information from a public authority, an agency, or a government department that contains one of these words, you might need a sworn or certified translation.
When might I need a certified or sworn translation?
Red Tape Translation just finished an interesting project, interpreting for a meeting with a foreign investor and a real estate developer in Berlin.
The potential for growth within the real estate market in Berlin is major, and investors are flocking to the city to make the most of wonderful acquisition opportunities in popular metro areas of Berlin. Not only in the thriving centre but also beyond the city ring in leafy residential quarters, there are some very special investment opportunities: apartments in wonderful old buildings that are being refurbished, as well as brand new modern style housing complexes.
Red Tape Translation just helped British and Australian tourists in Berlin at the police station in Prenzlauerberg, after they lost track of a very important carry-on suitcase containing passports, a laptop, and internet banking passwords. This discovery was accompanied by several heart palpitations, as the tourists had flights booked to London the following evening, and weren’t having any luck communicating with anyone, let alone solving their suitcase mystery. They had less than 24 hours to recover the missing suitcase, or there would be emergency trips to more than one embassy very early the next morning. Here’s what happened.
Moving to Berlin? Red Tape Translation has resources at hand to help you with the culture shock. Check out our Resources page for free PDF downloads and videos.
Use Red Tape Translation to Make Important Phone Calls in German
Red Tape Translation just got a great rap in Elliot Herman’s blog, Lost in Translation. Kathleen was able to find a simple solution to a problem that was driving Elliot crazy. New apartment, new lights,new stove — installation necessary! Without speaking a word of German, Elliot was having a bit of difficulty getting an appointment with an electrician. Having tried Language Line, a telephone interpretation service, Elliot was floored to discover that the cost of using an interpreter there was as much as $3.95 per minute.
Berlin is a vibrant, multicultural hub of artistic genius and entrepreneurship. You knew that already, that’s why you’ve come here. Hundreds of exciting startups are establishing themselves in Berlin every year. The city is teeming with projects for writers, artists, actors, musicians, IT gurus, marketing specialists and young business practitioners. Bright and funky work environments in Mitte, Prenzlauerberg and Kreuzberg, Friday night drinks, Berlin events and parties, casual dress, flexible working hours, no hierarchy.
