How Translation Is Priced

Most translation offices in Egypt price by the page (typically 250 words) or by the word. Legal and specialised documents command higher rates because they require domain-expert translators and a two-stage review.

2026 Market Rate Ranges (EGP)

Document Type	Price per Page (EGP)	Notes
Legal (contracts, judgments)	250 – 400	Higher for complex multi-party agreements
Official documents (certificates)	200 – 300	Includes office stamp
Medical (reports, clinical)	280 – 400	Specialist required
Financial & commercial	220 – 350	—
Technical & engineering	250 – 380	—
General / correspondence	150 – 250	—
DTP & reformatting	150 – 350	Per page, depends on complexity
Subtitling	200 – 350 / min	Per minute of video

Factors That Affect Price

Red Flags When Comparing Quotes

• No review stage — a one-person operation with no proofreading step is a quality risk for legal documents.
• Machine translation with light editing — fine for internal documents, inadequate for court or consulate submissions.
• No office stamp — many authorities require a translation to carry an official stamp. Confirm this upfront.
• Unusually low rates — rates well below the ranges above usually indicate shortcuts in quality control.

What a Good Quote Includes

• Per-page or per-word rate clearly stated
• Delivery timeline confirmed in writing
• Mention of review/proofreading stage
• Office stamp and translator signature included in the price
• Revision policy (how many rounds of corrections are covered)

The General Rule

Schengen member states require that documents not in the official language of the consulate — or in English — be accompanied by a translation. Each country has slightly different requirements, but the categories below apply almost universally.

Documents That Typically Require Translation

Document	Usual Requirement	Notes
Bank statements (last 3-6 months)	Full translation	Must show all entries; totals alone are not sufficient
Salary certificate / payslips	Full translation	Employer letterhead and signature must be visible in original
Employment contract	Full translation	Confirms employment status and leave entitlement
Birth certificate	Full translation	Required when applying with minor children
Marriage certificate	Full translation	Required for spouse applications
Commercial register / business licence	Full translation	For self-employed applicants
Tax returns / financial statements	Full or summary	Depends on consulate
Property deeds	Full translation	As proof of ties to Egypt
University enrolment letter	Full translation	For student applicants

Country-Specific Notes

What Makes a Translation Acceptable

• The translation must be complete — no data fields or footnotes omitted.
• The translator’s name, signature, and office stamp should appear on the translation.
• The translation date should be close to the application date.
• The original document and its translation are submitted together.
• Some consulates require notarisation of the translation — confirm with the specific consulate or VFS centre.

Why Legalisation Matters

Most countries will not accept a foreign official document without authentication confirming it is genuine. Egypt operates two parallel tracks depending on the destination country.

Track 1 — Apostille (Hague Convention Countries)

Egypt acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention in 2024. For Hague member countries (most EU states, UK, USA, Australia, Canada), an Apostille stamp from Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is sufficient.

Step-by-Step: Apostille Track

1. Obtain the original document from the issuing authority (civil registry, university, court).
2. Translate the document into the language required by the destination country. The translation should be stamped by the translating office.
3. Notarise the translation at an Egyptian notary public, if required by the destination.
4. Submit to MOFA (Legalisation Department, Cairo). MOFA verifies the issuing authority’s signature and attaches the Apostille certificate.
5. Submit to the destination authority — consulate, university, or government body.

Track 2 — Standard Legalisation (Non-Hague Countries)

For countries not party to the Apostille Convention, a longer chain is required:

1. Translation + notarisation
2. MOFA legalisation of the translation
3. Attestation by the destination country’s embassy in Cairo
4. Further attestation in the destination country’s own foreign ministry

Commonly Apostilled Documents

Practical Tips

• Always confirm with the receiving authority which chain they require before starting.
• MOFA processing takes 3–7 business days for standard processing.
• The Apostille covers the signature on the document, not its content — the translation must still be accurate and complete.
• Some documents require internal ministerial attestation before MOFA (e.g., university degrees go through the Ministry of Higher Education first).