How long does a notarized translation take?

As long as the certified translation, plus notarization. For standard documents, the translation usually takes 1–2 business days; notarization is added according to the notary's schedule. You get the exact deadline together with the quote.

Can a translation be done the same day?

It depends on the volume and on the official steps required. For a short document, the translation can be ready quickly; notarization and the apostille, however, depend on the schedule of the notary and the institutions. We confirm in the quote what is possible.

How long does the apostille take?

At the chambers of public notaries, the regulation provides for the apostille to be issued within two working days of registration of the request. At the Prefect's Institution and the tribunal, it depends on the institution's schedule.

How is a large volume of documents planned?

We agree a delivery schedule from the start, in batches if needed, and assign a dedicated team with a project coordinator. That way you receive the most urgent documents first.

Guide · Turnaround

How long does a certified or notarized translation take and how to save time

Updated: 25 September 2026 · Kalimera, translation agency in Bucharest since 2005 · all guides

In short: the turnaround of an official translation has several parts. The first is the translation itself, which depends mainly on volume. Then comes each official step required by the recipient: notarization, the apostille, possibly legalization. The agency can speed up the translation; the official steps follow the institutions' schedules. That is why the first thing is to know exactly which form you need.

1. The translation

How long the translation takes depends on:

volume: the number of pages is the main factor;
language: for rare languages there are fewer authorized translators available;
type of document: a standard certificate is translated quickly, while a financial report or a long contract takes more time, including for review.

For standard documents, a certified translation usually takes 1–2 business days. Large volumes, such as annual reports, tender files or sets of contracts, are planned separately, with a delivery schedule.

2. Notarization

Notarization takes place once the translation is ready: the notary certifies the authorized translator's signature. How long it takes depends on the notary's office schedule. When the agency works regularly with a notary, this step is built into the delivery deadline.

3. The apostille

At the chambers of public notaries, for notarial deeds and notarized translations, the regulation provides for the apostille to be issued within two working days of registration of the request.
At the Prefect's Institution, for official administrative documents, the apostille can also be requested online, through the services platform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
At the tribunal, for Trade Register documents and court decisions, it depends on the court's schedule.

Which institution apostilles which document is explained in the guide certified, notarized or apostilled translation, and for company documents in the guide Romanian company documents for use abroad.

4. Legalization

For countries that are not party to the Hague Convention, the apostille is replaced by legalization. It takes the longest, because the document goes successively through the chamber of notaries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy or consulate of the destination country. If your document is going to such a country, start early.

5. How to save days

Send complete, legible documents from the start: a missing page or an unclear scan stops everything.
State the destination country and institution upfront, so we know which official steps are needed and can plan them in parallel.
Confirm the quote quickly: the deadline runs from confirmation.
For recurring documents, such as annual financial statements, send the translations from previous years or the company glossary: terminology stays consistent and the work goes faster.
For large volumes, we agree a schedule in batches, so the most urgent documents go out first.

How we work at Kalimera

we work very fast: for standard documents usually 1–2 business days, and a few days for larger volumes, depending on the volume;
you get the exact deadline together with the quote, within 30 minutes;
no surcharge for urgent work;
for large volumes we assign a dedicated team and also handle notarization and the apostille, so the deadline you receive is the final one.

Sources

the Regulation on the methodology for issuing the apostille or legalization by the chambers of public notaries (2013), art. 11;
the public information of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the apostille service provided by the prefects' institutions (consulted in September 2026).