What is transcription of a civil-status record?
Transcription is the registration in Romanian civil-status registers of a record — birth, marriage, or death — issued by the authorities of another country. Only after transcription does the foreign document have legal effect in Romania.
When a death occurs abroad, the certificate issued there does not automatically produce legal effects in Romania. For probate, the survivor's pension, or other formalities, transcription is required.
Transcription is mandatory
Civil-status records of Romanian citizens drawn up abroad must be transcribed into Romanian registers within 6 months of the person's return to Romania or of receipt of the foreign document.
Without transcription, the foreign document cannot be used in Romania. This is why transcription of the death certificate is a necessary step before probate can begin.
Transcription of foreign civil-status certificates — official MAI service portalWhere is transcription carried out?
Transcription is carried out with the approval of the mayor of the administrative-territorial unit at the applicant's domicile, with prior authorisation from the county population-records service (serviciul județean de evidență a persoanelor).
For Romanian citizens domiciled abroad, transcription can also be done through Romanian diplomatic missions. We direct you to the correct institution for your situation.
| Step | Where and who handles it | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| StepApostille or legalisation | Where and who handles itIn the country that issued the certificate | Key pointCountries outside the Hague Convention need full legalisation (supralegalizare) instead |
| StepCertified translation | Where and who handles itCoordinated by us, together with the apostille | Key pointGoes into the file with the original foreign certificate, a photocopy and the applicant's identity documents |
| StepFiling the application | Where and who handles itAt the Civil Registry at the applicant's domicile; from abroad, through Romanian diplomatic missions | Key pointMandatory deadline: 6 months from returning to Romania or from receiving the document |
| StepApproval | Where and who handles itAt the mayor's office: the mayor approves, with authorisation from the county population-records service | Key pointUsually takes several weeks, depending on the institution and the authorisation |
| StepRomanian certificate | Where and who handles itAt the same Civil Registry; with a power of attorney, we collect it for the family | Key pointNeeded for probate at the notary and the survivor's-pension application |
Even if the 6-month deadline has passed, transcription can still be done later.
What documents are needed for transcription?
To transcribe a foreign death certificate, the Civil Registry (Starea Civilă) requires the following:
- Application for transcription
- Foreign death certificate, in original
- Photocopy of the foreign certificate
- Certified translation of the certificate
- Identity documents of the applicant
Does the foreign certificate need an apostille?
The foreign death certificate often needs an apostille — affixed in the country of issue — before it will be recognised in Romania. For countries outside the Hague Convention, full legalisation (supralegalizare) is required instead.
We also coordinate the certified translation so the transcription file is complete from the very first submission.
How long does transcription take?
Transcription typically takes several weeks, depending on the institution and the time required for the county service's authorisation. At diplomatic missions, the timeline may differ.
We start as early as possible, because transcription often blocks the next steps — probate, the survivor's pension. We keep you informed at every stage.
What we handle and how we help
We prepare the transcription file — certified translation, apostille, application — and, with a power of attorney, submit it and collect the transcribed certificate on your behalf. The family does not have to move between institutions.
We coordinate the transcription with the repatriation and the probate so the steps follow naturally, without any loss of time.
What comes after transcription?
With the transcribed death certificate in hand, the following steps in Romania become available:
- Opening probate at the notary
- Applying for the survivor's pension
- Claiming the death benefit from the pension authority
- Closing the deceased's accounts and subscriptions
We take care of everything
Tell us where the death occurred and what documents you have, and we handle the translation, the apostille, and the transcription — all the way to the Romanian certificate.
We are available day and night. For a no-obligation conversation, call us or see our full administrative page.