Montpellier is our base. It is where we are established, and the only city where we work without travel time — which matters when a hearing is scheduled at short notice or a notary brings a signature forward.

This page sets out the courts and administrations involved, and what is required depending on the procedure.

Courts and administrations in Montpellier

Montpellier is a full judicial centre, which is not the case for every city:

  • Cour d'appel de Montpellier — its jurisdiction covers the Hérault, Aude, Aveyron and Pyrénées-Orientales départements. It maintains the list of judicial expert translators and interpreters for the area.
  • Tribunal judiciaire de Montpellier — civil and criminal matters.
  • Tribunal administratif de Montpellier — immigration litigation, appeals against residence permit refusals, claims against the administration.
  • Préfecture de l'Hérault — residence permits, naturalisation, family reunification.
  • Chambre des notaires de l'Hérault and the notarial offices of the city centre.

Having a court of appeal on site has a practical consequence: appeal proceedings, judicial expert assessments and letters rogatory are handled directly, without travel to another jurisdiction.

No travel time

This is the concrete difference from our assignments on the French Riviera.

In Montpellier and the surrounding area, we attend on site without the several hours of travel a Riviera assignment involves. Subject to availability, an assignment can be arranged at very short notice — useful for a hearing brought forward, a rescheduled signature or police custody.

This applies across the metropolitan area and nearby communes: Pérols, Lattes, Castelnau-le-Lez, Baillargues, Fabrègues, Mauguio, Sète and Béziers.

The most common situations

Court hearings and proceedings. Before the tribunal judiciaire or the cour d'appel, a party who does not understand French has a right to an interpreter. It is mandatory in criminal matters. The interpreter attends the hearing, and sometimes earlier meetings with the lawyer.

Préfecture de l'Hérault. Residence permit and naturalisation applications require sworn translation of foreign civil status documents: birth certificate, marriage certificate, criminal record extract from the country of origin. This is the most frequent ground for rejection when the translation is not sworn.

Marriage or civil partnership (PACS) at the town hall. If one of the parties does not speak French, the registrar must be satisfied that consent is free and informed. A sworn interpreter is required for the preliminary interview and for the ceremony.

Notarial deeds. Sale, gift, inheritance, marriage contract: the notary is personally liable for each party's genuine understanding of the deed, and therefore requires a sworn interpreter whenever a party does not speak French.

Businesses and firms. Company articles, commercial contracts, powers of attorney, contractual correspondence — for local companies with foreign partners or employees.

Our languages

We work in Arabic, Russian, English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

  • Arabic — all dialects: the strongest demand in the Hérault, mainly for civil status, residence and naturalisation procedures.
  • Russian: civil status files, notarial deeds, administrative procedures.
  • English: contracts, academic matters, international companies.

Documents most often translated

  • Birth, marriage and death certificates
  • Criminal record extract from the country of origin
  • Certificate of celibacy, certificate of custom
  • Divorce decrees, deeds of notoriety
  • Diplomas and academic transcripts — for recognition of qualifications or university enrolment
  • Driving licences, identity documents
  • Company articles, contracts, powers of attorney

On the distinction between "certified" and "sworn" translation, see our dedicated article. For birth certificates, the full procedure is set out here. For residence permit applications, see sworn translation and the CESEDA.

Montpellier and the French Riviera

Being based in Montpellier is not exclusive: we work regularly on the French Riviera — Nice, Monaco, Cannes — where travel is arranged with a few days' notice.

We are registered with the Cour d'appel de Montpellier — the very court whose jurisdiction covers this area. For local proceedings, that is the most direct affiliation.

A point that comes up often: a sworn translator's authority to certify applies throughout French territory, regardless of the court of appeal of registration. A translation produced here is admissible in Paris, Nice or Lille. No legal provision restricts validity to a geographical area.

Your request

Let us know the language, the nature of the procedure — court, préfecture, town hall, notary — and the date if one has been set. We will confirm what is required and within what timeframe.

Request a quote, or read about our interpreting and sworn translation services.