The Criminal-Record Certificate Translation Guide for Italy

In some residence, work and visa procedures in Italy, an apostilled and sworn translation of the criminal-record certificate is wanted. In this post we explain how to prepare this document.

When is a criminal-record certificate needed?

The criminal-record certificate is an official document showing a person’s criminal status. In Italy, its apostilled and sworn-translated form is wanted especially in long-term residence, work permit, citizenship and some visa categories. Although it is not needed for every student procedure, it is often wanted when moving into work or a long-term status. The document gives Italian authorities assurance about a person’s criminal history. So preparing the document current, correct and complete is important for the relevant procedure to move smoothly.

Where should you get the document?

The criminal-record certificate can be obtained in Turkey through e-Devlet or the courthouses. But for Italy procedures a wet-signed/stamped and apostilled copy is usually needed; a plain printout may not be enough. So it is important to obtain the document in a form suitable for the apostille. Obtaining the document close to the procedure lets you meet the currency condition. For the translation of the document by type, see our document-type translations section.

The apostille and translation order

As the criminal record is a judicial document, its apostille is obtained from the commissions at courthouses with a heavy-penal court. The right order is usually: obtain the current document, have it apostilled, then have it sworn-translated. That way the apostille note is included in the translation too. Muddling the order requires preparing the document from scratch. For the apostille process, see our apostille guide, and you can leave the translation with us with apostille tracking included.

The importance of currency

Currency is especially critical for the criminal-record certificate; most Italy procedures want the document to have been obtained within the last few months. A document obtained long before may be considered invalid and require starting the process from scratch. So obtaining the document close to your procedure calendar is the safest way. Factoring in the apostille and translation times too, you must prepare the document at the right timing — neither too early nor too late.

Points to watch in the translation

In a criminal-record translation, the name, birth details and document numbers must be consistent with your passport and other documents. Also, the official expressions and any legal terms in the document must be translated correctly. A wrong or incomplete translation can lead to the Italian authorities questioning the document. So it is advisable to have judicial documents translated by an experienced sworn translator. For cases needing consular certification, see our translation for the consulate page.

Time and planning

Obtaining the document, the apostille and the translation together can take from a few working days to a few weeks. You must plan the process backwards, taking your procedure’s deadline into account. As obtaining the document too early can also be a problem due to the currency condition, it is important to get the timing right. For an exact time and price, share your document and take a free quote. An experienced office helps you plan the timing by your procedure.

In which procedures is it used?

The criminal-record certificate is used most in the work permit, long-term residence, citizenship and some special visa categories. Those moving from student to work status or planning to stay long-term in Italy encounter this document often. As each procedure’s requirement can differ, check the current requirement of the institution you will submit the document to. For the whole of the processes, see our guide library.

Keeping the document valid

The most critical feature of the criminal-record certificate is its short validity period; many procedures want the document to have been obtained within the last few months. So after obtaining the document, you must complete the apostille and translation steps without delay and submit the procedure on time. If you drag out the process, the document may lose its validity and you may have to obtain it again. The most efficient approach is to obtain the document close to your procedure calendar and run the apostille and translation quickly as a single process. An experienced office helps you plan this timing by your procedure and keeps the document valid.

Frequently asked questions