How Do I Get My Parents' Marriage Certificate Translated Into Greek?

Getting a marriage certificate officially translated into Greek is a step that trips up a lot of applicants, not because it is complicated, but because using the wrong translator can get your entire application rejected. Greek authorities are specific about who they will accept a translation from, and the rules are worth knowing before you spend money on a translation that turns out to be unusable.

Who Is Authorized to Translate

Greek authorities do not accept translations from just anyone. For a document to be accepted by Greek consulates, municipal registries, or the Ministry of Interior, the translation must come from one of the following authorized sources. The first is a certified translator registered on the official Register of Certified Translators maintained by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The second is a Greek lawyer who is a member of the Greek Bar Association and qualified to produce certified translations as part of their legal practice. The third is the Greek consulate in your country of residence, which can in some cases produce certified translations of standard vital records directly.

General translation agencies, online services, and bilingual individuals, however fluent, are not accepted. A translation that does not come from an authorized source will be rejected regardless of how accurate it is.

The Apostille and Translation Order

Before the marriage certificate can be translated, it typically needs to be apostilled. The apostille certifies the document for international use and is obtained from the relevant authority in the country where the marriage took place, usually a state or national government office. Most Greek consulates require the apostille to be in place before the translation is produced, since the translator is then translating the apostilled document including the apostille text itself into Greek. Confirm the specific order required by your consulate before beginning, as getting it wrong means starting the translation over.

Name Discrepancies to Watch For

Marriage certificates often introduce name changes, particularly for women who took their husband's surname after marriage. If your mother's name appears differently on her marriage certificate than on her birth certificate, or if the transliteration of a Greek name into English differs from how it appears in the Greek records, those discrepancies need to be flagged and addressed. Greek authorities want consistent names across every document in the chain, and a translation that reveals an inconsistency will need to be accompanied by supporting evidence such as a statutory declaration explaining the variation.

If You Are Applying for Greek Citizenship

If the translation is part of a broader Greek citizenship application, GetGreece handles all translations and apostilles as part of the full citizenship service, ensuring every document is translated by an authorized party, in the correct order, and reviewed for name consistency before anything is submitted. Book your document case review to get started.