Einheitlicher Ansprechpartner Berufsanerkennung, Öffentlich bestellte und allgemein vereidigte Dolmetscher und Übersetzer

Court Interpreter Act (GDolmG): https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/gdolmg/index.html

Hamburg Interpreting Act (HmbDomG): https://www.landesrecht-hamburg.de/bsha/document/jlr-DolmGHA2005V4P1

Interpreter fee schedule (DolmGebO): https://www.landesrecht-hamburg.de/bsha/document/jlr-DolmGebOHA2023rahmen

Language mediators can - if certain personal and professional requirements are met - be sworn in generally for work in courts and authorities. For interpreting work in the courts, the requirements that lead to the swearing-in are based on the Federal Court Interpreter Act (GDolmG). For interpreting work for authorities and/or translator work for authorities and courts in accordance with the Hamburg Interpreting Act (HmbDolmG). This law also applies to sign language interpreters. The personal and professional requirements that lead to a general swearing-in are essentially the same in the legal bases. If a language mediator seeks a general swearing-in both for interpreting in court and also for written language transmission, they need two swearing-ins. Once according to the court interpreter law and once according to the Hamburg interpreter law. An exception applies to sign language: for work in court, no general swearing-in under the Court Interpreter Act is possible.
The general swearing-in by a central instance is intended to make it easier for the courts and authorities to select personally and professionally suitable language mediators. However, courts and authorities may also bring in language mediators who are not generally sworn in. These are then sworn in at the hearing.

Completed application form, 1 photo, curriculum vitae in German, showing the educational and professional path and the extent of the foreign language skills, proven application for a current certificate of good conduct (document type 0) for submission to the authority, proof of professional suitability, declarations financial circumstances and criminal convictions (included in the application form).

• Application form: https://www.hamburg.de/contentblob/16961110/dc238b94fcbfe5fc326a1f46cd8f45cc/data/anmeldung-dolmetscher-u-uebersetzer.pdf

A notice:
Evidence must be submitted in the original or as a certified copy. Documents written in a foreign language must be submitted in a translation by a publicly appointed and generally sworn or authorized person in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The following apply to a general swearing-in:
1. Personal requirements: Age of majority, suitability and reliability of the applicant, existence of orderly economic circumstances.
Only for interpreting work in court(!): EU nationality or nationality of a contracting state of the Agreement on the European Economic Area or Switzerland or proof of a professional establishment or a place of residence in these states.
2. Technical requirements: A domestic examination passed by a state or state-recognized examination office for the interpreting and/or translator profession or another state or state-recognized examination for the interpreting and/or translator profession. An examination passed abroad that has been recognized by a competent state authority as being equivalent to one of these examinations. In all cases must   Basic knowledge of German legal language must be proven. These can also be purchased separately.

A written application must be submitted both for general swearing-in under the Court Interpreter Act and for public appointment and general swearing-in under the Hamburg Interpreter Act. This can be summarized in one form if the application is submitted at the same time. Documents must be attached to the completed application (see 'Documents').
Attention: in special individual cases, for example in the case of rare languages, the technical requirements can also be provided by alternative certificates of competence. Before submitting an application, it is essential to contact the competent authority.

Fees are charged for the procedures according to the interpreter fee schedule (DolmGebO).

• For the application for public and general swearing-in according to § 1 paragraph 1 HmbDolmG, a fee range of EUR 100.00 to 500.00 is provided according to the annex to the DolmGebO in number 1.1.
• For the application for a general swearing-in according to § 3 paragraph 1 GDolmG, according to the annex to the DolmGebO in number 2.1. A fee framework of EUR 100.00 to 500.00 is provided.
• For the approval of an application for recognition of equivalence according to § 13 paragraph 1 sentence 2 HmbBQFG of an examination passed abroad with an examination according to § 1 paragraph 3 sentence 1 number 1 HmbDolmG is in the annex to the DolmGebO in number 3.1. a fee framework of 100, 00 to 500.00 EUR provided.
• For the approval of an application for recognition of equivalence according to § 13 paragraph 1 sentence 2 HmbBQFG of an examination passed abroad with an examination according to § 3 paragraph 2 sentence 1 number 1 GDolmG is in the annex to the DolmGebO in number 3.2. a fee framework of 100, 00 to 500.00 EUR provided.

Note: If the application is submitted at the same time in accordance with numbers 1.1 and 2.1 of the Annex, the fee in accordance with number 2.1. of the facility reduced by three quarters. This also applies to official acts according to Numbers 3.1 and 3.2 (cf. Section 3 Paragraph 1 of the Interpreter Fee Schedule).

The application will be confirmed within one month. If necessary, additional documents will be requested. The procedure is usually completed within three months and, if the decision is positive, leads to a general swearing-in under the Court Interpreters Act and/or public appointment and general swearing-in under the Hamburg Interpreters Act. In justified individual cases, the duration of the procedure can be extended by one month.
The general swearing-in or public appointment and general swearing-in is carried out by the competent authority. Taking the oath requires the person mediating the language to appear in person at the responsible office.

The completion of the procedure up to the swearing-in can usually take place within three months.

No

The interpreters must be able to correctly and unambiguously convey oral and written statements in their native and working language in the area of activity of authorities and courts. They must have a high level of linguistic competence in their native and working language, so that a C2 language level can generally be assumed. Basic knowledge of German legal language must also be demonstrated.
Further information is available on the website of the Ministry of the Interior and Sport at: http://www.hamburg.de/dolmetscher. Telephone information during the following service hours: Tues.: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. and Wed. - Thurs.: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at: 040-42839-3818. As the office is located in a secure area, personal appointments can only be made by prior arrangement.

Objections can be raised within one month against the decision rejecting the application or applications.

The personal and professional requirements for the general swearing-in of language mediators for interpreting work in the courts are based on the Federal Court Interpreter Act (GDolmG).
For interpreting work for authorities and/or translator work for courts and authorities in accordance with the Hamburg Interpreting Act (HmbDolmG).
However, the personal and professional requirements for a general oath are essentially the same according to both legal bases. Exception: only a public appointment and general swearing-in according to the Hamburg interpreter law is possible for sign language.

Department of Home Affairs and Sport