Let us start with something bureaus rarely say: in most cases you do not need to come to the office at all. The translation, agreeing the price, delivery and payment are all done remotely. So before you plan a trip across the city, first check whether you are in the minority who really need it.
If you are, everything that makes the visit a single, short one is written below. The most common reason people come twice is that they did not have something with them the first time.
When a visit is worth it and when it is not
A visit is necessary
- Notarization - the notary needs the original
- Certifying that a copy matches the original
- When you sign yourself - a power of attorney, a consent
- Handing in a document for an apostille
- When the document is in a state where a photo will not do
A visit is unnecessary
- A translation without certification
- A translation with the bureau's stamp
- A certified form for a foreign office
- Finding out price and deadline
- Understanding the content of a foreign document
The in-between option
- Send the original by courier
- Receive the certified paper by courier
- Have a family member hand it in for you
- The Kutaisi and Batumi offices, if they are closer
The most common misunderstanding: "I have to be at the notary". No - the notary certifies the translator's signature, not yours. Your presence is needed only when you are the signatory of the document yourself, for example with a power of attorney or a consent.
What to bring
If a visit is needed after all, this list rules out coming twice.
The original, not a copy. The notary does not accept a photocopy. If the original is lost, first get a new extract from the issuing office. Your ID card or passport. Needed both for identification and - more importantly - to check the Latin spelling of your name. The passport form is used in every translation. The recipient's requirement, if you have it. A consulate printout, a university's instructions, an employer's letter. This text settles in minutes what would otherwise take days. An old translation, if you have one. If you have had something translated before - even elsewhere - bring it. The spelling of your name must be the same in every document, and the old version helps us ensure that. Every page and annex. A diploma without its supplement or a contract without its annexes are the most common incomplete packages.What happens in the office
The visit itself is usually short - typically ten to twenty minutes. Here is what gets done in that time.
First: looking over the document. We check it is complete - every page, the backs, stamps, signatures, the apostille stamp if there is one. This is where things show up that you would not have seen on a photo. Second: a few questions. Who the document is for, which country it is going to, what date you have. These three questions decide the form, deadline and sequence. Third: fixing your name. We record how your name is written in Latin letters in the passport. This record stays on file and is used in the same form for all future orders - even years later. Fourth: price, deadline and delivery. All three components - translation, notary, apostille - if all three are needed. Once agreed, the price is fixed.The original stays with us only as long as notarization or the apostille requires. If you need the original urgently, tell us - it is often possible to arrange the process so it stays with you.
Getting here
118 Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave is in the historic part of Tbilisi, in Chughureti. It is a central location that you can reach by metro or by bus.
By metro the most convenient station is Marjanishvili, a short walk away. If you come by car: Aghmashenebeli Avenue is often busy during the day, so if you have a specific time planned, leave a small margin.
The practical advantage of the location is that it is in the city centre - equally easy to reach by metro from Isani, Gldani, Vake, Saburtalo, Didube or Varketili. If you are going to an office or embassy in the centre anyway, it is easy to fit the visit into the same day.
If you are not in Tbilisi: the Kutaisi office is at 18 Nikea St and the Batumi office at 18 Pirosmani St. For other cities, online ordering and courier delivery work - the full list: cities and branches.
What is done the same day and what is not
This is the question heard most often during a visit, and the answer depends not on us but on how many outside offices your case passes through.
Entirely up to us: the translation itself and certification with the bureau's stamp. A standard one-page certificate that comes in in the morning is usually ready the same day. A multi-page or specialist text - the next day, because we do not skip the editing stage. Depends on the notary's schedule: notarization. It usually adds half a day, but the exact time depends on how busy the notary is. That is why we suggest coming in the morning - an order that arrives in the evening almost always moves to the next day. Depends on the state's schedule: the apostille. It is not done the same day and we cannot speed it up. If you already have a consulate appointment, the apostille is the first stage, not the last.So when you ask "will it be ready today?", we first ask which form you need. Only then is the answer honest - and an honest answer is better than a promise that is not kept.
How to make it a single visit
Write to us first, then come
Send a photo via WhatsApp or email and ask whether you need to come in. The answer will often be "no" - and that one message saves you a trip.
Bring everything together
The original, passport, the recipient's requirement, old translations, every annex. One missing sheet means a second visit.
Come in the morning if a notary is needed
Notarization follows the notary's schedule. An order that arrives in the morning fits into the same day far better than one brought in the evening.
Agree how you will receive it
You do not have to come back to collect the finished document - a courier can bring it. Agree this during the visit.
Not sure whether a visit is worth it? Send us a photo of the document and tell us who it is for - we will tell you whether you need to come in person.
Call: 501 113 200Frequently asked questions about visiting
Do I need an appointment?
Not for an ordinary order - just come during working hours. An appointment is advisable in two cases: when you need an interpreter at a specific time, and when you want a consultation with a rare-language specialist. In both cases call us in advance.
The original has to stay with me. Is that possible?
Often yes. If notarization is needed, the notary has to see the original, but that is usually a matter of one meeting, not several days of keeping it. Tell us from the start that you need the original and we will plan accordingly. Alternatively, a notarized copy can be made and used from then on.
Will it be ready the same day?
A standard one-page certificate - often yes, if you came in the morning. But two things cannot be rushed: the notary's schedule and the apostille timeline. So if you have a specific time, just tell us - we will give you the real deadline, not the one you wish for.
Can someone else hand it in for me?
Yes, anyone can hand in a document and collect the finished translation. The exception is when you must sign in front of the notary yourself - a power of attorney, for example. Then your personal presence is required.
Is there parking?
Aghmashenebeli Avenue is a central street and busy during the day. If you come by car, leave a small margin. Many clients prefer the metro - Marjanishvili station is a short walk away and far more predictable.
I have documents for several people. Can I do it in one visit?
Yes, and that is preferable. A family package - say two parents' and two children's documents - should be brought together. The reason is not to save time: when every document is in front of us at once, one translator does it all and any mismatch in names and surnames shows up immediately. Brought separately, it often only comes to light at the receiving office.
I have a document but no idea what I actually need.
That is a completely normal situation, and it is exactly what the free consultation is for. Bring the document and, if you have it, the recipient's requirement - a consulate printout, a university's instructions, an employer's letter. We will tell you which form it needs, in what order and by when. You are under no obligation to order.
I am in the regions and getting here is difficult.
In most cases you will not need to come at all. Send a photo of the document and you will receive the translation by email. If notarization is needed and the original has to reach us, a courier brings it and you get the certified package back the same way. Or, if they are closer, the Kutaisi and Batumi offices are open.