# Legalization of a criminal record certificate for a foreign citizen
Source: https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/document-legalization/legalization-of-a-criminal-record-certificate-for-a-foreign-citizen/
Translation and legalization of a foreign citizen’s criminal record certificate
La Fit Trans prepares Bulgarian and foreign criminal record certificates concerning a foreign citizen. Translation and any required authentication are matched to the issuing country, the person’s citizenship or residence and the exact requirements of the receiving authority.
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For a foreign citizen, the first question is which country must issue the criminal record certificate. Depending on purpose, the required document may be a Bulgarian certificate covering records connected with Bulgaria or a certificate from the country of citizenship or habitual residence. Translation and legalization follow the actual issuer rather than the person’s nationality alone.
## When does this service concern a foreign citizen?
The service covers documents for a person who is not a Bulgarian citizen, whether issued in Bulgaria or abroad. The recipient may be a Bulgarian authority, employer, professional body, court, bank or foreign institution. The stated purpose matters because it determines which country and authority must certify the person’s criminal record status.
## What certificate is required for the intended purpose?
A Bulgarian criminal record certificate and a foreign certificate or equivalent document are not interchangeable. One reflects the information that the competent Bulgarian authority can certify, while the other comes from the relevant foreign state. Some procedures request the country of citizenship, others the country of permanent or habitual residence, and some require more than one certificate.
## What details are checked before translation?
Review covers names exactly as shown in the passport or residence document, date and place of birth, citizenship, personal or foreigner identification number, parents’ details, purpose of issue, issuing authority, reference, date, validity and authentication marks. An electronic signature, verification code or verification link is also represented when it forms part of the source.
## How can a Bulgarian authority issue a certificate for a foreign national?
Bulgarian rules provide for a criminal record certificate to be issued to a foreign national under the applicable conditions and form. Where the person has no Bulgarian identity or residence document, the procedure may require a national identity document translated into Bulgarian and confirmation of whether a Bulgarian foreigner number exists. The competent authority assesses the application and evidence for the individual case.
## How is a foreign certificate prepared for use in Bulgaria?
For a document issued abroad, the country, issuing authority and applicable international arrangement are checked. Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 may remove legalization for certain criminal record certificates circulating between EU Member States; translation and the accepted language form still depend on the recipient. Other cases may involve an apostille, consular legalization, a bilateral treaty or exemption from further authentication.
## How is a Bulgarian certificate prepared for another country?
The Bulgarian certificate is reviewed for signatures, seals or electronic authentication data and for its stated purpose. The destination country and receiving body determine whether a certified translation is sufficient or an apostille or another procedure is required. For an electronic certificate, the recipient’s acceptance of the electronic format or need for a paper copy is clarified in advance.
## What do translation and legalization include?
The translation covers the document title, competent authority, person’s identity, stated purpose, certified result and every signature, seal, code and note. Names are aligned with the supplied passport and related documents. The applicable authentication confirms the origin of the document or signature under the relevant procedure without altering the certificate’s substantive content.
## How does La Fit Trans organise the service?
La Fit Trans reviews the document, issuing country, the person’s citizenship or residence and the recipient’s requirement as one defined case. The quotation separates translation, editorial review, authentication, number of copies and delivery. This keeps Bulgarian and foreign certificates distinct and includes only the steps relevant to the actual use.
## How are price and completion time determined?
Price and timing are calculated after review of the complete document and its authentication features. Language, volume, legibility, issuing country, type of certification, number of copies and delivery method all matter. Charges and processing times of outside authorities are separated from translation, so the proposal applies to the particular certificate rather than a fixed universal tariff.
## Question topics
- [Document Legalization 139](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/document-legalization/)
- [Online translation and legalisation of documents 12](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/online-translation-and-legalisation-of-documents/)
- [Offices for translation and legalization 5](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/offices-for-translation-and-legalization/)
- [Translation and legalization orders 5](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/translation-and-legalization-orders/)
- [Translation of documents 20](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/translation-of-documents/)
- [Specialized translations 2](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/specialized-translations/)
- [Quality process management 5](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/quality-process-management/)
- [Interpreting 10](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/interpreting/)
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## Support for your particular case
The La Fit Trans team relates the general information to the specific document, language and receiving institution. The quotation then covers the necessary translation and certification, with a clear understanding of the agreed result.
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