A civil wedding ceremony is always a happy occasion. But sometimes, there’s a need to organise an interpreter if one of the spouses doesn’t speak German (sufficiently well). The interpreter present during the application for marriage and the ceremony itself needs to be sworn.
Sworn interpreter
In order to become a sworn interpreter for civil wedding, certain conditions need to be met. The interpreter needs to file an application at the competent regional court – in my case Heidelberg – and prove that they have completed an M.A. in conference interpreting or a comparable training. Should the interpreter be unable to prove that kind of training, they need to sit an exam in Karlsruhe. Only after successfully passing this exam will the interpreter be able to call themselves sworn interpreter for notary appointments. I have been a sworn interpreter for the English language, appointed by the courts of Baden-Württemberg, since 2019.
Registry appointments
A sworn interpreter for civil wedding is not only needed for the ceremony itself, but also for the preliminary appointments. During those, the couple already signs several forms, so both partners need to be able to understand the content of those forms.
Finding a sworn interpreter
Professional associations like VKD are a great starting point for everyone looking for a professional interpreter. Only those complying with high professional standards and ethics can successfully become memebers and build a strong networks of equally professional colleagues – a major benefit for clients planning a larger or more complex multilingual event. Being part of a professional association, we can always find the right colleague for a job, even for the rarest languages.
If you’re looking for a sworn interpreter in particular, the database of sworn interpreters (website in German) might be useful. It lists all sworn interpreters and translators in Germany.