• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • DE

Search

Red Tape Translation

  • Home
  • Services
    • All Services
    • Life Admin
      • Top Up Your Credit
    • Coaching
      • Top Up Your Credit
    • Take a Translator
    • Written Translation
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Why Choose Red Tape Translation?
    • Testimonials
  • Contact

Take a Translator (All About Berlin)

Do you have to go to a public office but aren’t sure how you’ll get through it with your limited German language skills?

 

A skilled interpreter will accompany you to your appointments and guide you through the whole process.

With Kathleen’s stellar assistance I walked out of the Ausländerbehörde with a smile on my face and a nice shiny new visa!

Visiting public offices in Berlin can be stressful if you haven’t yet mastered German. Most of the case workers at the public offices in Berlin do not speak English, and visitors are often sent away and told to “come back with a German speaker”.

How frustrating! Hiring an immigration lawyer or a relocation agent is costly and unnecessary when all you need is affordable help with the language. That’s why Red Tape Translation began.

Having an interpreter is a small price to pay for the relief that comes with getting everything done quickly and efficiently. And once you’ve cut through all the red tape, you can get on with the fun stuff: learning German, starting work or study, getting your business off the ground, meeting friends, and discovering Berlin!

Let’s Get Started!

Fill out the form below, make your payment for the first hour and I’ll take care of the rest.

Take a Translator Booking Form

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Address*
Do you need a court-sworn interpreter?*
Do you need a court-sworn interpreter?*
Do you have an appointment set up?*
If your appointment is at very short notice or we can't find someone to go with you (this is rare!) and you've paid the invoice, we will refund 100% of the fee you paid.
Would you like us to find out which office you need to visit and/or book you an appointment?
This service costs extra. If the appointment can be scheduled quickly (e.g. Bürgeramt), we'll charge you 19 EUR. If the appointment is difficult and time-consuming to obtain, (Standesamt, Jugendamt, notary, Landesamt für Einwanderung in Berlin) we charge 55 EUR. Either way, you should tick this box and if necessary, we send you an invoice for an extra 36 EUR.
Date
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Time*
Time
:
Optional. A maximum file size of 2MB is allowed.
Max. file size: 2 MB.

Choose a few date/time slots when you would be available to go to the office.

Please include at least one date that is at least two working days in the future. In the unlikely event that no interpreter is free on any of the date/time slots that you suggest, we will email you with some alternatives or refund you if necessary.

Please let me know the address of the office you're visiting as soon as you can.
We have an intern with us from June-July 2022. Can she attend your appointment to watch your interpreter at work?
Terms & Conditions*
Data Protection Policy*
Newsletter Sign Up
You'll receive the occasional email with helpful information or special offers.
We respect your privacy and won't give out your email to anyone and you can unsubscribe at any time.
please wait
This price includes VAT.
This payment is for the first hour (the minimum fee). This is necessary to book and confirm the appointment. If the appointment lasts longer than one hour, we will send an invoice for the difference.
We need to check to make sure the translator we send to your appointment has the right qualification or experience. Submit this form and we'll respond with a quote.
We'll check to see if someone's available and be in touch with more details.
Your appointment takes place within two working days - we need to make sure someone is free at short notice before you can make payment. Submit this form and we'll respond with our availability.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Primary Sidebar

The Details

Where we go, how long it takes and how much it costs

Residency Permit / Visa appointment

Where?
Ausländerbehörde (Foreigners' Office) This is where you get a work permit, a freelance visa, the artist’s visa, a Working Holiday Visa or an extension (Fiktionsbescheinigung). Make sure you check which office is responsible for your nationality and permit type before you visit! Or get Red Tape Translation to figure it out for you. Just check "yes" to the question "Would you like us to find out which office you need to visit and/or book you an appointment?" and I'll take care of it.
How Long?
If you have an appointment booked, it takes 50-70 minutes on average. If you’re walking in without an appointment, get there 2.5 hours before they open to minimise your waiting time. The good news is that Red Tape Translation caps costs at five hours per visit to the Ausländerbehörde - even if you’re there all day!
How Much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time. Minimum one hour.

Consultation on getting married / appointment to submit documents for marriage

Where?
Standesamt (Registry Office) You can take any interpreter with you to the appointments leading up to your ceremony. You’ll need to show the Standesamt certified translations of your birth certificates if they’re not in German - send the certificates to me as a PDF and I’ll get you a quote and post them to you before your appointment.
How long?
If you have an appointment, it will take around 30-60 minutes. If you don’t, you might have to wait an hour or two just to be seen.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time. Minimum one hour.

Wedding ceremony

Where?
Standesamt (Registry Office) or a location of your choice The civil servant marrying you might insist that you bring a court-sworn interpreter (beeidigte / vereidigte Dolmetscher) with you on your wedding day. If that’s the case, Red Tape Translation would be happy to organise an interpreter with the right qualification. The pricing will be different, though (see below).
How long?
The ceremony usually takes around 30 minutes.
How much?
Price: If the civil servant marrying you is happy to have a regular Red Tape Translation interpreter at the ceremony, it will be 120 EUR, including tax, and you don’t have to worry about travel time or travel costs. If they insist on a court-sworn interpreter, expect to pay around 280-320 EUR including VAT and the interpreter’s travel time to and from the ceremony. Fill out the Take a Translator booking form for a quote.

Paternity / maternity declaration

Where?
Standesamt (Registry Office) It’s fine to get this done before your baby is born so that the father’s name can appear on the birth certificate. If you also want to submit a custody declaration at the same time, you’ll have to go to the Jugendamt. Confused about the paperwork surrounding having a baby in Germany? Book a Baby Bureaucracy coaching with Kathleen Parker.
How long?
The paternity declaration (Vaterschaftsanerkennung) on its own usually takes around 45 minutes. If you also need a maternity declaration, it might take a bit longer.
How much?
Price: 95 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time. Minimum 1 hour.

Paternity declaration plus custody declaration

Where?
Jugendamt (Department of Youth Welfare) When the baby’s father acknowledges paternity legally, many couples decide to submit a joint custody declaration at the same time. You can get it all done at once by visiting the Jugendamt. If you’re stuck, get Red Tape Translation to figure out which department is responsible for your file and I’ll book an appointment for you too. Just check "yes" to the question "Would you like us to find out which office you need to visit and/or book you an appointment?" and I'll take care of it.
How long?
Both matters together usually take around 70-90 minutes.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time. Minimum 1 hour.

Custody declaration

Where?
Jugendamt (Department of Youth Welfare) If parents are not married, the mother will automatically have sole custody of the child from birth, according to German law. If you want to submit a joint custody declaration, visit the Jugendamt.
How long?
The custody declaration alone usually takes around 40-50 minutes.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time . Minimum 1 hour.

Enquiries about Kita vouchers / Elterngeld applications

Where?
Jugendamt (Department of Youth Welfare) Berlin’s systems for processing parental allowance applications and issuing Kita vouchers can be absolute chaos. If you’ve got a Kita waving a contract in front of your nose, you’ll want to react quickly. Sometimes the best solution is to show up in person and plead! P.S. If you need help with newborn-related paperwork, you can book a Baby Bureaucracy coaching with Kathleen Parker.
How long?
If you have an appointment, it usually takes around 30-40 minutes. Walking in without an appointment is anyone’s guess.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time. Minimum 1 hour.

Registering your address, applying for a passport, applying for a driver’s license

Where?
Bürgeramt (Citizen’s Registration Office) A year ago, “black market” appointments at the Bürgeramt were selling like hotcakes for premium prices as the waiting lines snaked down the block. Luckily, things have relaxed a bit in 2017. If you’re not sure how to get an appointment, just check "yes" to the question "Would you like us to find out which office you need to visit and/or book you an appointment?" and Red Tape Translation will book it for you.
How long?
Registering your address takes around 20-30 minutes if you have an appointment and they’re running on time. Other matters (e.g. a foreign driver’s license exchange) might take longer.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time.  Minimum 1 hour.

Meeting at the Agentur für Arbeit / Jobcenter

Where?
Agentur für Arbeit / Jobcenter There are unemployment benefits (ALG I) and then there’s welfare (ALG II or “Hartz IV”). These two types of payments are handled by different organisations. It can be really hard to figure out which office is responsible for your case - it’s not always as clear-cut as just visiting the one closest to your home. If you’re not sure where to go, I’ll find out which office you should be visiting based on your personal circumstances. Just check "yes" to the question "Would you like us to find out which office you need to visit and/or book you an appointment?" and I'll take care of it. A walk-in is required for your first visit, so I won't be able to book the appointment, but I will locate the proper office for our visit together.
How long?
A typical meeting takes 50-70 minutes if you have an appointment. If you’re walking in, you might have to wait for an hour or two, but don’t worry - they’ll give you plenty of paperwork to fill out while you wait, and I'll be there to help!
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time. Minimum 1 hour.

Visiting the tax office

Where?
Finanzamt I mostly help freelancers get their freelance tax number at the Finanzamt, but there are other reasons for visiting. You might have a question about your most recent tax return or how your business is being treated for tax purposes. Go to the office in the district where you’ve registered your address.
How long?
The waiting rooms are not usually crowded, and you’ll probably only spend about 10-15 minutes talking to a person. Hot tip for freelancers: since you’re paying for a 1 hour minimum with an interpreter, why not get help filling out the 7-page form to apply for a freelance tax number before you go in?
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time. Minimum 1 hour.

Rental contract signing / apartment handover

Where?
Real Estate Agency / Your New Apartment Congratulations on your new apartment! Before you sign on the dotted line, you might have some questions for your real estate agent. It’s also handy to have a German speaker at the apartment handover, in case there are holes in the wall or other damages to report. If you want your German rental contract translated into English before you sign, talk to Red Tape - I'm fairly good at accommodating rush jobs.
How long?
An appointment to sign a rental contract usually takes less than an hour, unless you’ve prepared a few pages of questions! The handover appointment can take longer, depending on the state of your apartment and how thorough you are.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time. Minimum 1 hour.

Purchase contract read-through with notary

Where?
Notary’s Office Even if your notary doesn’t insist on having a court-sworn interpreter present at a purchase contract read-through, Red Tape Translation does - I won’t send anyone who isn’t well-versed in contract law. I work with interpreters who have the right qualification and many years of work experience to help you negotiate and sign on the dotted line.
How long?
You should allow at least two hours to get through an average 15 or 20-page purchase contract, at least 3 hours if it’s any longer than that.
How much?
Price: This will depend on the contract length and travel time, but you’ll probably pay around 650-700 EUR altogether for an experienced court-sworn interpreter for around 2 hours.

Red Card (Certificate of Food Hygiene and Safety)

Where?
Gesundheitsamt (Department of Health) If you plan on working in the food and beverages industry, you’ll need a certificate to say you’ve been instructed in food hygiene and safety by the Department of Health (Gesundheitsamt). It’s known as the “Rote Karte” or a “Lebensmittelbescheinigung” and usually involves watching a film. If you don’t speak German, the Department of Health might ask you to bring a translator with you.
How long?
The average appointment takes 60-80 minutes.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time necessary. Minimum 1 hour.

Lost/stolen passports, police reports, etc.

Where?
Police Station (Polizeiabschnitt) If your wallet or passport gets stolen, you’ll have to submit a report to the police, if for no other reason, to make an insurance claim or to get your passport re-issued! You can do it online in German, but if it’s urgent and you’d rather visit the police station in person, I would be happy to go with you.
How long?
If it’s a quiet day on the beat, you can be in and out within 1-2 hours.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time necessary. Minimum 1 hour.

Visiting the pension office

Where?
Deutsche Rentenversicherung (Pension Office) Once you start working in Germany, you’ll probably get membership in the German pension scheme. It’s called the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (the office might also be called Deutsche Rentenversicherung Knappschaft-Bahn-See). If you’ve got questions about your membership, I would be happy to visit the office with you. Not sure where to go? Let me help you find out. Just check "yes" to the question "Would you like us to find out which office you need to visit and/or book you an appointment?" and I'll take care of it.
How long?
The average appointment at a pension office takes 30-60 minutes.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time necessary. Minimum 1 hour.

Visiting your health insurer’s office

Where?
Krankenversicherung: ServiceZentrum (health insurance service point) You might need a stamp, a certificate or a solution to a health insurance problem. Or maybe you want to sign up for membership. There are hundreds of offices all around the country and sometimes the quickest way to get answers is to simply walk in. Take a translator with you to make sure you get the right information.
How long?
The average appointment at a health insurance service point takes 30-60 minutes.
How much?
Price: 85 EUR per hour including tax. No travel costs/time necessary. Minimum 1 hour.

Custom – e.g. business meeting, parent/teacher conversation, etc.

Take a translator with you to fit out a new kitchen. Talk to a lawyer at the German Rental Association (Mieterverein). Discuss plans for your new apartment with your architect or say your piece at a parent teacher meeting.
How much?
Price: it will most likely be 85 EUR per hour including tax, no travel costs/time, minimum 1 hour. If if the subject matter is complex, specialised or legal in nature, it will cost more. Give me as much detail as possible and I’ll get you a quote.  

FAQs by Service

  • Life Admin
  • Coaching
  • Take a Translator
  • Written Translation

Search

Footer

  • Without a doubt the most impressive translator I’ve ever had the pleasure of collaborating with: meticulous, fast and easy to work with.

    Melanie Fieseler, WorkSmart Germany

Sign up for the newsletter

Connect with Red Tape Translation

© 2012 - 2022 Kathleen Parker

Legal Notice Terms of Service Data Protection Policy

Website by Laura Yeffeth.