German Divorce Decree Translation
German divorce decree translation for a green card petition, a new marriage in the US or a family court case. We translate the Scheidungsbeschluss of a German Familiengericht, older Scheidungsurteile, Austrian and Swiss decisions, and US divorce decrees into German.
- Up to 250 words per page
- $25 per page
- Standard turnaround
- From 24 hours
- Certificate of accuracy
- Signed & stamped
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Written for German divorce decree records
Reading a German divorce decision
A German divorce is decided by the Familiengericht at the local Amtsgericht, and the decree reads like a court ruling rather than a certificate.
Beschluss, not Urteil
Since September 2009 a German court decides a divorce by Beschluss; earlier decrees are titled Urteil. The Tenor at the top states that the marriage is geschieden, then the court rules on the side matters, and the Gründe explain why. US readers need the full decision, not just the first page, so we translate the Tenor, the reasons and the judge's signature block.
The Rechtskraftvermerk
A divorce is final only once the decision becomes rechtskräftig, and the court notes the date on the decree with a Rechtskraftvermerk. Without it the document proves a decision, not a finished divorce. USCIS and a US county clerk both look for that date, so we translate the stamp and its handwritten date as part of the page.
Versorgungsausgleich and Zugewinnausgleich
Most German decrees also split pension rights through the Versorgungsausgleich, listing each pension fund and the amount transferred from one spouse to the other. A property settlement under the Zugewinnausgleich may appear as a separate agreement recorded by the court or a notary. We translate these terms with a short bracketed note rather than a US label that would change their meaning.
Who is asking for your German divorce decree translation?
The translation is the same. What changes is whether the recipient wants anything added to it.
USCIS
USCIS asks for a complete English translation and a signed certification from the translator. No notarization is needed.
Marriage license offices and courts
A county clerk issuing a marriage license, or a family court, needs to see the prior marriage ended. A certified translation of the decree is accepted, notarized where the office asks.
Registries abroad
To remarry or register a divorce in another country, the US decree usually needs an apostille and a translation into that country's language.
Before you upload
Three things that save a day of back and forth on a German divorce decree.
Send every page of the judgment
A decree is complete only with its reasoning, its resolutive points and the finality note or certificate. Pages missing from the middle leave the translation unable to show the divorce is final.
Add the registry act or the margin note
Where the divorce was recorded at a civil registry, the act or the note on the marriage record is often the page a clerk wants. Upload it with the judgment.
Tell us if only part was requested
If the recipient asked for the ruling alone, say so at checkout. Otherwise we translate the full document, which is what USCIS requires.
Details and pricing
What is included in a German divorce decree translation
One price per page covers the translation and its certification. A page is up to 250 words, and the quote tells you the page count before you pay.
Everything on the divorce decree is translated, including stamps, seals and handwritten notes. Tell us the English spelling you use for each name when you order.
Certified Translation
Word-for-word translation with a certificate of accuracy for official use.
$25
USD / page
up to 250 words per page
Included
- Signed & stamped certification of translation accuracy
- Certified by a professional translator
- Digital delivery via PDF
- Review and approve final translation
- 100% Guaranteed Acceptance
- Standard turnaround starting at 24 hours
Optional services
- Expedited turnaround
- Priority handling when your deadline is shorter than the standard turnaround.
- By deadline
- Notarization
- A notary public signs and stamps the certification statement.
- $20 per order
- Physical copy
- A wet-ink original of your translation, mailed by express courier.
- $35 per order
- Apostille
- Authenticates the notary’s signature and seal for use in Hague Convention countries.
- $180 per document
What the certificate of accuracy states
Your translation arrives with a Certification of Translation Accuracy issued by ImmiTranslate. It is the page the receiving organization checks first.
- The translation is complete and accurate.
- The document title and the language pair.
- The translator is competent in both languages.
- A signature and the ImmiTranslate certification stamp.
- Our American Translators Association corporate membership.
Our translation process
Our goal is to make the translation process as simple as possible for you. Our service is streamlined specifically for documents of this nature.
German Divorce Decree FAQ
Most questions about pricing and turnaround can be answered faster by requesting a quote.
- I divorced in Germany and want to marry in the US. What do I bring?
- Most US marriage license offices ask for proof that the earlier marriage ended. Bring the Scheidungsbeschluss with its Rechtskraftvermerk and our certified translation. If the decree is lost, the Familiengericht that issued it can send a new copy, or the Standesamt where you married can issue a beglaubigter Ausdruck aus dem Eheregister, which shows the divorce as a later entry.
- Do you translate a US divorce decree into German?
- Yes. Before a German Standesamt will marry you again, a US divorce usually has to be recognized by the Landesjustizverwaltung under § 107 FamFG, unless both spouses were US citizens at the time. The office asks for the decree with a German translation, and some accept only a translator sworn in Germany, which rules us out, so read the office's document list first.
- My divorce was in Austria or Switzerland. Is it different?
- Austrian courts often end a marriage by consent, the einvernehmliche Scheidung, with a Beschluss and a Scheidungsfolgenvereinbarung covering support, custody and property. A Swiss divorce comes as an Urteil or Entscheid of the cantonal court with a Rechtskraftbescheinigung. The translation keeps the Austrian or Swiss court name in German beside the English, since court names differ by country and by canton.
- How much does a certified translation cost?
- Certified translation is $25 per page, with a page counted as up to 250 words. Notarization, a mailed physical copy and an apostille are optional and priced separately.
- How long does a certified translation take?
- Standard turnaround starts at 24 hours and depends on the length and language of your documents. If you have a deadline, include it in your quote request.
Other German documents we translate
Divorce decree translation in other languages
Each of these pages is written for that language's divorce decree records.
Sending it with an application? Read the USCIS translation requirements, Apostille service before you order.