Certified translation of Tigrinya and Amharic documents

What a certified translation is — and when you need one

A certified translation is a translation accompanied by a signed declaration from the translator confirming that it is a complete and accurate rendering of the source document. In Germany and across much of Europe this declaration is binding: the translator vouches for the translation before the law, and the document can then be submitted to courts, registrars, immigration authorities, universities and insurers. For Tigrinya and Amharic documents, certification is most often required for birth, marriage and death certificates, divorce and custody rulings, academic transcripts and diplomas, medical reports, police clearances, adoption files and asylum decisions.

It is important to understand the difference between a certified translation and a sworn interpreter. A certified translation is a written product, signed and dated by the translator, and is usually produced from a scan or photocopy of the source. A sworn or court-appointed interpreter, by contrast, works orally in a hearing. Adulis provides both, but the two services are commissioned separately and follow different procedures. When a German authority asks for a 'beglaubigte Übersetzung', it is the written certified translation that is required.

How Tigrinya and Amharic documents are translated and certified

The process begins with a clear scan or photograph of the original document. A native-speaking linguist of the source language — Tigrinya or Amharic — translates the full content, preserving names, dates, stamps, seals and the layout of official forms. Ge'ez-script names are transliterated consistently with the spelling used in the holder's passport or identity documents, because inconsistent transliteration is one of the most common reasons authorities reject a certified translation. The translation is then reviewed, formatted to mirror the original, and issued with a signed and dated declaration of accuracy.

Turnaround depends on length and legibility. A single civil-status certificate is typically returned within one to two working days; longer files such as court dossiers or medical records are quoted by the page. Urgent same-day certification is available on request. The certified translation can be delivered as a scanned PDF by email and, where the authority requires the original declaration, by post.

Confidentiality and handling of personal documents

Certified translations almost always involve personal data — names, dates of birth, medical information and legal status. Adulis treats every document as confidential from the moment it is received. Files are shared only with the assigned linguist, stored for the minimum period required, and never passed to third parties. For institutions with recurring demand, framework agreements fix pricing, turnaround and data-handling terms in advance.