Apply for authorization as a translator, general swearing-in as an interpreter for prosecutorial and notarial purposes, general swearing-in as a sign language interpreter with a professional qualification from abroad

Online application: (will be available shortly)

• The application and the required supporting documents can be submitted directly via the online service.
• The Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Bremen will decide on your application on the basis of the information you provide and the documents submitted, once the advance on costs has been received. You will receive an invoice for costs.
• If you meet all the requirements, your application will be granted. You will then be asked to swear an oath before the competent authority that you will act faithfully and conscientiously.
• A record of this will be made and you will receive a certificate of your authorization or general swearing-in. After receiving the certificate, you may use the title
  
  • "Authorized translator for the courts, public prosecutor's offices and notaries of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen for (specify the language for which you are authorized)" or "Authorized translator for the courts, public prosecutor's offices and notaries of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen for (specify the language for which you are authorized)
  • "Generally sworn interpreter for (specify the language for which they are sworn) for the public prosecutor's offices and notaries of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen" or "Generally sworn interpreter for (specify the language for which they are sworn) for the public prosecutor's offices and notaries of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen"
  • "Generally sworn sign language interpreter for the courts, the public prosecutor's offices and the notaries of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen" or "Generally sworn sign language interpreter for the courts, the public prosecutor's offices and the notaries of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen"
• The right to invoke the authorization or general swearing-in ends after 5 years.

Written application:

• Send the application and the required supporting documents to the President of the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Bremen, Am Wall 198, 28195 Bremen or use the mailbox there.
  You will find the link to the application form under "Forms".
  The rest of the procedure is the same as the online application.

• Personal evidence:
  
  1. a certificate of good conduct in accordance with Section 30 (5) of the Federal Central Criminal Register Act, which must not have been issued more than 6 months previously (certificate of good conduct document type O for submission to an authority)
  2. a curriculum vitae (in tabular form)
  3. a declaration stating whether you have been sentenced to a penalty or detention order in the 5 years prior to submitting the application or whether preliminary proceedings were pending against you
  4. a declaration as to whether insolvency proceedings have been opened against your assets and no discharge of residual debt has yet been granted or whether you are entered in the debtor register
  5. a certificate that you are not entered in the debtor register of the Central Enforcement Court
  6. a negative certificate from the insolvency court in accordance with Section 26 (2) of the Insolvency Code, which must not have been issued more than 6 months ago
  7. if you are not a citizen of an EU member state, you must also provide proof that you are permitted to work as a self-employed person by the competent immigration authority in the Federal Republic of Germany
  8. identity document
  9. a declaration that you are available for short-term assignments - even those of considerable scope - if required. If you are in a dependent employment relationship, a corresponding certificate of exemption from your employer must be submitted
• Technical evidence:
  
  1. Proof of language proficiency: by passing an examination abroad that has been recognized by a competent German authority as equivalent to an examination of a state or state-recognized examination office in Germany or another state or state-recognized examination for the interpreting or translation profession,
  2. as well as proof of basic knowledge of the German legal language. Proof of no. 2 can also be provided by means of an examination in accordance with no. 1.

• Application for general swearing-in as an interpreter or authorization as a translator
  

Fees are charged in accordance with No. 4 of the Schedule of Fees under the Bremen Judicial Costs Act (Annex to Section 1 (2)) and the notes.

The fee for the application is reduced if the application is withdrawn before a decision is made (see fee schedule 4.3, note b)).

The fee is only charged once if the general swearing-in as a court interpreter, interpreter for prosecutorial and notarial purposes and the authorization as a translator are applied for at the same time and for the same language or communication technology.

If the general swearing-in as a court interpreter, interpreter for prosecutorial and notarial purposes and the authorization as a translator is applied for in more than one language, the fee for the second and each additional language or communication technique shall be increased in accordance with no. 4.3, note d).

The fees are due upon submission of the application (advance payment obligation).

What deadlines must be paid attention to?

There are no deadlines for submitting your application.

How long does it take to process

The office responsible for processing your application will confirm receipt of the documents submitted by you within one month of receipt of the application and, if necessary, ask you to submit further documents. The procedure will be completed within three months of receipt of all documents. This period may be extended by one month in justified cases.
If there is any doubt as to the authenticity of the certificates or evidence submitted or if further information is required, the authenticity can be verified by contacting the competent authority in the country of origin. Corresponding information can also be obtained. The expiry of the deadline is suspended for the duration of the investigation.

• Gesetz über die allgemeine Beeidigung von gerichtlichen Dolmetschern (Gerichtsdolmetschergesetz - GDolmG)
• Gesetz zur Ausführung des Gerichtsverfassungsgesetzes (AGGVG)
• Bremisches Justizkostengesetz in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 4. August 1992 - Transparenzportal Bremen

• Hanseatisches Oberlandesgericht in Bremen
• Dolmetscher:in / Übersetzer:in - Hanseatisches Oberlandesgericht in Bremen