Does your German document translator need to be German
A sworn translator in Germany doesn't need German nationality, but must be sworn in by a German court. A stamp from Cairo or Damascus won't pass.
Ahmed Quteishat
Assistenzarzt, Innere Medizin (Berlin) · Founder of Klaro
Your sworn translator does not need to be German. What matters is where they were sworn in, and that has to be a German court, called a Landgericht.
Many doctors send translations done by a certified translator in Cairo, Damascus, or Lahore. The chamber sends the file back and asks for a new one. This costs you weeks.
Who checks the translation
Your state medical chamber (Landesärztekammer) or the recognition office reads every stamp on your file. They look for the words vereidigt or ermächtigt, which mean sworn in, next to the name of a German court.
A translator's nationality does not matter here. An Egyptian or Indian translator who lives in Germany and was sworn in at a German court is exactly what the office wants.
Where to find one
- Search the official court directory for sworn translators (justiz-dolmetscher.de).
- Filter by your language pair, for example Arabic to German, and the city near your chamber.
- Many work by post or email, so you do not need to live in that city.
What about English translations
A planned change, still a draft, would let offices accept translations into German or English from November 2026 onward. It is not law yet, so send German for now unless your chamber tells you otherwise in writing.
What normally needs translating
- Your medical degree and transcripts
- Your home country doctor licence
- Your certificate of good standing
- Your criminal record extract
All of these usually need to be no older than 3 months when you submit them, alongside your sworn translation.
What to do now
- Search justiz-dolmetscher.de for a translator sworn in at a German court for your language pair.
- Ask your chamber in writing: do you accept English translations yet, or only German?
- Send your degree, transcripts and licence to the same translator together, so names and dates match across documents.
Stand: 2026-10-27. This is a guide, not legal advice. Every German state has its own rules, and rules change. Check with your state's medical chamber (Landesärztekammer) before you act.
Ahmed Quteishat — Assistenzarzt, Innere Medizin (Berlin) · Founder of Klaro
Ahmed built Klaro after watching how much of a doctor's move to Germany gets lost in paperwork rather than medicine.
