Business Registration Translation
Certified translation of foreign company register extracts, articles, licences and tax registrations for US banks, USCIS, state filings and partners.
The short answer
A foreign company proves it exists, who runs it and who owns it with an extract from its national register, such as Germany's Handelsregister or the Dutch KvK. US banks need it to verify beneficial owners (31 CFR 1010.230), and USCIS uses it for L-1 and E-2 petitions (8 CFR 214.2(l)). Each needs a certified English translation, and often an apostille.
Every country has its own way of recording companies, and its own document that proves a company exists. US banks, immigration officers, state agencies and business partners do not read those registers directly; they read a translation. A good translation of a register extract makes the company's identity, managers and owners obvious at a glance.
Rules that apply
Each rule links to its source. Checked 4 November 2026. Confirm with the office that will receive your documents.
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| Banks must identify and verify the beneficial owners of legal-entity customers at account opening. | 31 CFR 1010.230 |
| An L-1 petition must show the qualifying relationship between the US and foreign companies. | 8 CFR 214.2(l) |
| Foreign-language documents filed with USCIS need certified English translations. | 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) |
| German companies are recorded in the commercial register (Handelsregister), searchable online. | Gemeinsames Registerportal der Länder |
| Dutch companies are registered with the Chamber of Commerce (KvK), which issues register extracts. | Kamer van Koophandel (KvK) |
| A register extract can be authenticated with an apostille in Convention countries. | Hague Apostille Convention (1961) |
Typical length and price
Typical length: about 250–1,000 words per register extract (about 1–4 pages of 250 words).
Estimated price into English at that length: $39.00–$126.00 per file, certificate of accuracy included.
These figures are our estimates for a typical document of this type, not averages of past orders. Upload yours for an exact word count and price.
The documents, by country
| Country | Register or document | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Handelsregister extract (HRA/HRB) | Name, seat, share capital, managing directors, powers of representation |
| Netherlands | KvK extract (uittreksel) | Name, address, directors, authority to sign |
| Brazil | CNPJ card and Junta Comercial records | Tax registration, activities, partners and administrators |
| Mexico | Acta constitutiva and RFC registration | Incorporation deed, shareholders, legal representatives |
| Turkey | Trade Registry Gazette (Ticaret Sicil Gazetesi) | Incorporation and changes, managers, capital |
| China | Business licence (营业执照) | Unified social credit code, legal representative, scope, capital |
The names and fields differ, but what US readers look for is the same: the registered name and number, the legal form, the registered address, who may sign for the company, and who owns it.
How we translate them
- Registered names stay as registered. We do not translate the company name; the legal form is explained in brackets ("GmbH, a German limited liability company").
- Numbers and codes (register number, tax ID, social credit code) are copied exactly.
- Powers of representation ("sole power of representation", "jointly with another managing director") are translated precisely, because a bank uses them to decide who may sign.
- Stamps and registry certifications are translated, with the date of the extract, since banks often want extracts issued within the last few months.
Who asks for them
Banks opening accounts for a US subsidiary or the foreign parent. USCIS for L-1 transfers, E-1 and E-2 treaty visas and EB-1C petitions. State agencies when a foreign company registers to do business or holds a licence. Partners and landlords checking who they are contracting with.
Apostille and freshness
Many banks and some states want the extract apostilled in its home country and recent (often within three or six months). Order a fresh extract, get the apostille abroad, then send us the apostilled document so the translation covers both.
Articles, statutes and shareholder registers
Banks and USCIS sometimes ask for more than the register extract: the articles of association or statutes, the shareholder register or share certificates, and minutes appointing the current directors. Articles are long, and only some clauses matter to a US reader (purpose, capital, management and representation, transfer of shares). Ask whether a full translation is needed; for USCIS, everything you file must be translated in full, so file only what is needed.
Licences and permits
Regulated businesses also hold sector licences: a financial-services authorisation, an import licence, a health permit, a construction licence. These are translated with the licence number, scope and validity dates exact, and the issuing authority named in the original with an English description.
Changes over time
Register extracts show the current state; historical extracts show changes in directors, address or capital. If the US recipient needs to see who managed the company at a particular date, request a historical or chronological extract from the register.
Where a recipient also asks for the document in its original language, file the original and the translation together, original first.
What we need from you
- A recent extract, with any apostille already attached.
- Who will receive it: a bank, USCIS, a state agency or a partner.
- Articles or statutes, if the recipient asks for them too.
How it works
- Upload the document. The quote tool counts the words and prices the job before you commit to anything.
- Translation. The whole document - every page, stamp, seal and annotation - with the layout kept close enough to the original that a reviewer can read the two side by side.
- Certification. A State Court Certified Translator signs the certificate of accuracy.
- Delivery. A print-ready PDF by email, typically within 24 hours. Notarization, an apostille or mailed hard copies are added here if you need them.
Turnaround
Standard turnaround is 24 hours. Expedited service is +50% for 6-8 hours and +100% for 1-3 hours. Tell us your deadline when you order.
Pricing Information
$39 for the first 250 words into English ($49 into any other language), then $0.116 per word. Each file is priced on its own, and the signed certificate of accuracy is included. Notarization, if a body asks for it, is $19.
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