What is an Official Translation in Greece?
When submitting documents to a Greek public authority, university, court, or international organisation, you will often be asked to provide an "official translation" of a foreign-language document. Degrees, court judgments, certificates, driving licences, contracts, medical reports — the range of documents that require official translation is broad.
But what does "official translation" actually mean? How does it differ from a standard translation? And what does Greek law stipulate?
Definition
An official translation (also referred to as a certified, authenticated, or legal translation — the terms are interchangeable in Greek law) is a translation carried out by a person or authority with a legally recognised right to certify, and one that carries full legal force before any judicial or administrative authority.
Under Law 4781/2021 (Article 145), ΦΕΚ 31Α/28.02.2021 — the primary legislation governing official translations in Greece today:
"An official translation is an accurate and certified, as to its content, translation of a document that has been authenticated or certified in accordance with applicable legislation."
A standard translation — however linguistically accurate — does not constitute an "official translation" unless it bears the certification of a competent person or authority as defined by law.
What Changed with Law 4781/2021
Prior to September 2021, official translations in Greece were handled primarily through the Translation Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which operated under Law 3566/2007 (as amended by Law 4505/2017).
Under Law 4781/2021 (ΦΕΚ 31Α/28.02.2021), the Translation Service was abolished and replaced by the Corps of Certified Translators — a Registry of self-employed translators certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, operating through a fully digitalised platform at metafraseis.services.gov.gr .
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Certified Translators Registry
Document Requirements Before Official Translation
The translation alone is not sufficient. Documents must satisfy certain requirements before translation takes place.
Foreign Public Documents
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (mfa.gr), foreign public documents are eligible for official translation provided they:
- Bear the Apostille stamp, if issued by a country that is party to the Hague Convention (Law 1497/1984).
- Otherwise, bear authentication by the Greek Consular Authority in the country of issue, or by that country's consular authority in Greece, with validation by the relevant department of the K.E.P.P.A.E.
Private Documents
The official translation of private documents takes place when they bear authentication or certification. Unauthenticated private documents may be translated, but such translations do not constitute an official translation.
Source: mfa.gr — Certified Translators Registry
Document Categories — Article 148, Law 4781/2021
The law classifies documents for translation into four categories (applicable to both public and private documents), which determine the minimum fee per translation page. These include, among others:
- Birth, baptism, marriage, death, family status, and criminal record certificates
- Municipal certificates, driving licences, passports
- Medical certificates, residence permits, witness summonses
- Apostille stamps
The minimum legal fee per page is set by Ministerial Decision 092.1/ΑΣ 4151 (ΦΕΚ Β΄ 3903/23.08.2021).
Source: metafraseis.services.gov.gr — Legal framework
The Digital System — Barcode and Electronic Signature
Since September 2021, every official translation by a certified translator:
- Carries a unique serial number (barcode), issued through the digital portal metafraseis.services.gov.gr .
- Is signed with an Approved Electronic Signature, granted to the translator upon registration in the Registry.
- Is accompanied by an electronic declaration of translation details, submitted through gov.gr.
The authenticity of every translation can be verified electronically — a significant advance on the previous paper-based system.
Sources: Ministerial Decision Π23ΜΕΤ-38227 (ΦΕΚ Β΄ 3482/30.07.2021) | Ministerial Decision Π23ΜΕΤ-34908 (ΦΕΚ Β΄ 3149/19.07.2021)
Equivalence of Translations
All official translations — whether by a certified translator from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Registry, a lawyer, or a graduate translator from the Ionian University — carry equal legal force.
In practice, however, some authorities may accept translations only from a specific category. We always recommend confirming the precise requirements with the receiving authority before commissioning a translation.
Wordhub: Graduate Translators and Registered Lawyer
At wordhub.gr, our team includes graduate translators from the Department of Foreign Languages, Translation and Interpreting (DFLTI) of the Ionian University as well as a lawyer registered with a Greek Bar Association, ensuring that every official translation fully meets the legal requirements and is accepted by every Greek public authority, court, and international organisation.
Important notice: This article has been prepared following thorough research and is based exclusively on official government sources. Wordhub is a private translation and interpreting services company — it is not a public body and does not provide legal advice. Legislation may be amended, and each authority may apply the rules differently. We always recommend confirming the exact procedure and requirements directly with the authority or service to which you will submit your documents.
Official Sources
- Law 4781/2021 (ΦΕΚ 31Α/28.02.2021) — Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Articles 145–150
- metafraseis.services.gov.gr — Legal framework
- Ministerial Decision Π23ΜΕΤ-38227 (ΦΕΚ Β΄ 3482/30.07.2021)
- Ministerial Decision Π23ΜΕΤ-34908 (ΦΕΚ Β΄ 3149/19.07.2021)
- Ministerial Decision 092.1/ΑΣ 4151 (ΦΕΚ Β΄ 3903/23.08.2021)
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