Testament / Last will / Inheritance contract – Certified Translation

Get a certified translation of your will / testament / inheritance contract

In order for a foreign will (e.g. in English, Turkish or Italian) to have legal effect in Germany or for a German will to have legal force abroad, you need a certified translation of the will.

If you inherit on the basis of a will or inheritance contract, you must submit the following documents to the probate court in order to apply for a certificate of inheritance (see also: The most important steps for applying for a certificate of inheritance in Germany).

• Testament or inheritance contract (a certified translation is required for inheritances with a foreign connection)
• Other dispositions due to death
• Information on whether a legal inheritance dispute is being conducted

What is a last will or testament?

A will regulates the last will and testament of a person in the event of his or her death. In particular, it contains information on who receives the estate of the deceased (i.e. the deceased person). The estate is the totality of the goods and obligations left by a deceased person.

Certified translation of a will

A certified translation of a will is a careful and true-to-layout translation of the language of your document into the desired target language (e.g. German) by a translator sworn in at a German court. The latter confirms the accuracy and completeness of the translation in relation to the original document by his stamp and certification mark. A copy of the original document is also usually attached to the certified translation. For the translation we only need a copy (scan or photo) of your document. For information on submitting the document and digitizing your document, click here. You will receive the certified translation by mail within the specified delivery time (2-3 business days for short documents). You can find more useful information about the order process here.