Notarized Residence Permit Translation
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A residence permit answers not the question “who is this person” but the question “on what grounds are they in the country”. That is why its translation is ordered when an institution cares about legal status: a bank deciding whether to open an account, a notary deciding whether a person may take part in a transaction, the migration service or a court deciding which residence regime applies. And that is why this small card is held to the same translation standards as multi-page legal documents: exact names of authorities, permit types and dates.
MovaPro has been translating residence permits and resident cards since 2012. A notary works directly at our office in Kyiv, so the translation and the certification happen in a single visit, with no separate trips.
Price: from UAH 570 per card (translation — from UAH 170 depending on the language + notarial certification — UAH 400) Turnaround: translation — from 2 hours Quote: free, within 15 minutes
Foreign resident cards — for institutions in Ukraine
The most common direction is translating foreign residence documents into Ukrainian:
- Karta pobytu (Poland) — temporary or permanent;
- Aufenthaltstitel (Germany) — a residence title of any type;
- Green Card (USA) — the permanent resident card;
- residence cards and permits of other countries — Czechia, Italy, Spain, Canada, the United Kingdom.
In Ukraine, such a translation is requested in very specific situations. An inheritance case where the heir lives abroad — the notary must document their foreign status. A real estate sale involving a person permanently residing in another country. Marriage registration, a bank’s source-of-funds check, court proceedings, applications to the State Migration Service. In each of these cases the institution works only with the Ukrainian text, and for the translation to carry legal weight, a notary certifies the authenticity of the translator’s signature — we describe exactly how that procedure works on the notarized translation page.
A technical detail that is often missed: biometric cards are translated on both sides, because the permit type, the grounds of stay and the validity dates are usually printed on the back. Even so, the card counts as one standard document — being double-sided does not affect the price.
A Ukrainian residence permit — for use abroad
The reverse direction is translating a residence permit issued by the State Migration Service of Ukraine to a foreigner (temporary or permanent) into a foreign language. This translation is most often needed for visa applications to third countries: the consulate wants to see that the applicant holds legal status in Ukraine, not just the passport of their citizenship. The second typical scenario is foreign banks and financial institutions requesting confirmation of a client’s country of residence.
Here the formal requirements are set by the receiving side: for some, a translation with the agency’s seal is enough; others require notarization; and certain institutions ask for a bilingual notarial inscription. Tell us the country and the institution — we will recommend the format they usually accept.
The residence permit and the passport are a pair, not substitutes
These two documents are regularly confused, while institutions keep asking for both. The logic is simple: the passport certifies identity, the residence permit certifies status. A notary handling an inheritance involving a Polish citizen with a Ukrainian residence permit checks both who is in front of them and on what grounds that person is staying in Ukraine. A bank does the same when identifying a foreign client.
So when planning a visit to a notary or a bank, budget for translations of two documents: the residence permit and the passport. We handle them as a single order — with identical name spelling in both translations, which is critical for institutions: a one-letter discrepancy between two documents raises unnecessary questions.
Apostille, validity period and temporary protection documents
Apostille. As a general rule, residence cards are not apostilled — they are identity and status documents, which fall outside the apostille procedure. If a foreign institution nevertheless requires an apostille, the route usually runs through a notarized copy or a notarized translation — whether it works depends on the specific institution’s requirements, so clarify this point before ordering.
Validity period. A residence permit is a document “with an expiry date”. Institutions check the validity dates, and in most cases a translation of an expired card will not be accepted. Before ordering, make sure the document is valid; if your status has already changed, you may need to translate the new document or a certificate confirming it.
Temporary protection. A large separate group of requests concerns the documents of Ukrainians granted temporary protection in EU countries: German Aufenthaltserlaubnis cards, Polish, Czech and other permits and residence documents. They are translated for Ukrainian banks, notaries and government bodies — for example, to confirm a place of residence abroad in an inheritance case or a bank check. We regularly work with such documents from all EU countries.
What it costs and how to order
The price has two parts: translation of the card — from UAH 170 depending on the language (English — UAH 300, Polish — UAH 430, German — UAH 450 per document), and notarial certification of the translator’s signature — UAH 400. In total — from UAH 570. If the institution accepts the agency’s seal instead of a notary, certification costs UAH 100. Rates for the rest of our 40+ languages are collected on the prices page. Consular and administrative fees for subsequent procedures are paid separately — check their amounts with the institution you are applying to.
Translation takes from 2 hours; if a passport or other documents are translated together with the residence permit and the total reaches 5 pages, a discount applies. Send photos or scans of both sides of the card, tell us where you are submitting it — and within 15 minutes we will come back with an exact price and turnaround. Order a residence permit translation.
Frequently asked questions
Do both sides of a residence permit need to be translated?
Yes. Modern residence permits and resident cards are biometric, and meaningful information appears on both sides: the front carries the name and photo, the back carries the permit type, the grounds of stay, the issuing authority and the dates. The card is translated in full, both sides, yet it still counts as one standard document — there is no extra charge for the second side.
Can an apostille be placed on a residence permit?
Not on the card itself: residence permits, like passports, belong to identity and status documents, which are not apostilled. If a foreign institution nevertheless insists on an apostille, in practice a different route works — through a notarized copy or a notarized translation — and whether that option is available depends on the requirements of the specific institution. First find out from them which document format they accept, and we will advise how to arrange it.
Why does the bank require translations of both the passport and the residence permit?
Because they are documents about different things. The passport confirms identity — who you are; the residence permit confirms status — on what grounds and until what date you are staying in the country. Banks, notaries and migration authorities usually check both, which is why they ask for notarized translations of both documents. We handle them together as a single order, with each document counted separately.
How much does a notarized residence permit translation cost?
From UAH 570 per card: the translation is from UAH 170 depending on the language (English — UAH 300, Polish — UAH 430, German — UAH 450), and notarial certification of the translator's signature is UAH 400. If the receiving institution does not require a notary, certification with the agency's seal is available for UAH 100. Translation takes from 2 hours, and a discount applies to orders of 5 pages or more.
Do you translate temporary protection documents issued in the EU?
Yes — it has been one of the most frequent requests in recent years: Ukrainians granted temporary protection status in Germany, Poland, Czechia and other EU countries translate their permits and residence documents for Ukrainian banks, notaries and government bodies. We work with such documents from all EU countries. The only requirement is that the document is valid at the time of submission — institutions check the validity dates.
Will a translation of an expired residence permit be accepted?
Almost certainly not. A residence permit's value lies precisely in its dates: it certifies that the status is valid now or was valid during a specific period. Institutions that accept the translation check the validity period first, so an expired card usually will not do — you will need a valid document or a certificate confirming your current status. If in doubt, send us a scan and name the institution — we will tell you whether translating that particular document makes sense.
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A photo or scan by messenger or email. Discount on 5+ pages.