Translate a Foreign Court Decision into Russian
Need a foreign court decision recognized or enforced in Russia — for a divorce, an inheritance dispute, or another case? We translate the full judgment into Russian and have a licensed Russian notary certify the translator's signature, so it is ready to submit to a Russian court or notary.
- In-country team in Krasnodar since 2001
- Fixed quote before you pay
- No Translation Error Guarantee
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What to Send Us
- A clear scan of the full court decision, including every page, stamp, and the court's seal
- The apostille page, if your country requires one for Russia (see below to check whether yours does)
- The full names of everyone named in the decision, spelled exactly as they should appear in the Russian translation
- The Russian court, notary, or ZAGS office you plan to submit the translation to, if you already know it
- A phone number, email, or Telegram handle so we can reach you with any questions
Why a Foreign Sworn Translation Is Not Enough
Many countries let a sworn or certified translator stamp a translation and call it official. Russia works differently. Under Article 81 of the Fundamentals of Legislation on Notaries of the Russian Federation, a Russian notary certifies the signature of a translator who holds a recognized translation diploma and is registered with that notary’s office. A Russian court, notary, or ZAGS office looks for this exact notarized format on a foreign judgment, and a foreign sworn or certified stamp, even a good one, is usually turned away. Our translators are diploma-holders registered with a Russian notary, so every court decision translation we deliver already meets this requirement.
This page covers one direction only: a foreign court decision translated for use in Russia. If instead you have a Russian court decision that needs an apostille and translation for use abroad, that is the reverse service — see apostille + translation of a Russian document.
Do You Need an Apostille First?
An apostille has to be placed on your court decision in the country where the court issued it, before you send it to us. We do not issue apostilles ourselves; we accept a decision that has already been apostilled, or an original from a country that does not need one. If your judgment comes from a country that has a legal-assistance treaty with Russia, including the CIS countries, Serbia, and the Czech Republic, no apostille is required at all, and recognition of the decision in Russia may also follow a simpler treaty procedure. If you are not sure which group your country falls into, tell us where the decision was issued and we will check for you before you order.
Translating a Judgment, Not Filing for Recognition
We translate and notarize the court decision itself, which is usually the document a Russian court or notary asks for when you file a request to recognize or enforce a foreign judgment, finalize a foreign divorce, or open an inheritance file based on a foreign court ruling. We do not file the recognition request or represent you in court; for the legal steps around recognition, a lawyer handling your case can tell you exactly which court to file with and what else the file needs.
Court Decision Translation — Price
Court Decision Translation (up to 5 pages)
from €99starting price, depends on page count
Certified Russian translation of the judgment plus notarization of the translator's signature by a licensed Russian notary
3-5 business days
Long or Multi-Party Court Decision
from €149for longer judgments or cases with multiple parties
Translation and notarization of extended judgments, rulings, or multi-page case files
5-7 business days
No Translation Error Guarantee
If a Russian authority rejects your translation because of a mistake we made — a misspelled name, a mistranslated term, a missing stamp — we redo it at no charge, on a rush basis.
Applies to our own translation and notarization work; does not cover requirements set by the receiving authority, such as an apostille it turns out you needed, or a document type it does not accept in translated form at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I translate a foreign court decision into Russian?
Send us a clear scan of the full decision, including every page and the court's seal. We translate it into Russian and a licensed Russian notary certifies the signature of the translator, which is the format Russian courts and notaries require under Article 81 of the Fundamentals of Legislation on Notaries.
Do I need an apostille on my court decision before you translate it?
It depends on where the court issued the decision. Countries in the Hague Convention need an apostille on the original, placed in the country of origin, not by us. Countries with a legal-assistance treaty with Russia, including the CIS countries, Serbia, and the Czech Republic, do not need one.
Will a notarized translation get my foreign judgment recognized by a Russian court automatically?
No. The notarized translation is a document you need to file for recognition or enforcement of the judgment in Russia; it is not the recognition itself. Recognition is a separate legal procedure handled by a Russian court, and a lawyer can guide you through filing it.
Can I use a sworn translation from my own country's court instead?
No. Russian courts and notaries work with translations notarized inside Russia under Russian law, not with a foreign sworn-translator stamp. Send us the original decision instead and we will produce a translation that a Russian court will accept.
How long does it take to translate a court decision?
A short decision of up to about five pages usually takes 3-5 business days. Longer or multi-party judgments can take 5-7 business days, since the full text has to be translated in detail.
I have a foreign divorce decree — do I need this too?
Yes, if you need the divorce recognized in Russia or need to register the new marital status with ZAGS. A foreign divorce decree is a court decision, and it needs the same notarized Russian translation as any other judgment.
Does the price depend on how long the decision is?
Yes. Court decisions vary widely in length, so the price depends on the page count and how much text needs to be translated. Send us a scan and we will confirm the exact price before you order.
Which Russian authorities accept this translation?
This is the format accepted by Russian courts handling recognition or enforcement cases, notaries opening inheritance files, and ZAGS offices registering a foreign divorce or other change in civil status.
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Handling an Inheritance Case in Russia?
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Not sure this is the right service?
Answer four questions and check the route for your document and country in under a minute.
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Need a Russian Court Decision for Use Abroad Instead?
That is the reverse service — apostille and certified translation of a Russian document, handled remotely.
Ready when you are
Send a scan now — you will have a fixed price and an honest deadline answer within 2 hours during working hours, and you pay nothing until you approve.
We are not a law firm and do not file recognition or enforcement requests in court; we provide certified translation and notarization of the court decision itself. An apostille on a foreign court decision is placed in the country where it was issued, not by us; we accept a decision that already carries one, or an original from a country that does not require one under a legal-assistance treaty with Russia, such as the CIS countries, Serbia, or the Czech Republic. Foreign sworn or certified translations are not accepted by Russian authorities; a Russian notary must certify the signature of a registered translator under Article 81 of the Fundamentals of Legislation on Notaries, which is what we provide. Consult a lawyer for advice on recognition or enforcement of your specific judgment.
