Whether you're going through the Ordre des Infirmiers, the Ordre des Sages-Femmes, or DREETS, one requirement is common to every recognition file: any non-French document must be translated by a sworn translator ("traducteur assermenté"). A homemade translation, even a perfect one done by a bilingual friend, will be rejected. Here's how to handle it without losing time.
Why is a sworn translation required?
French administrations and professional Orders don't accept just any translation. As Service-Public.fr puts it, "un traducteur agréé est un expert judiciaire inscrit sur les listes établies par les cours d'appel" (an approved translator is a judicial expert registered on the lists established by the courts of appeal). This registration carries legal accountability: their translation, stamped and signed, has legal standing before a French administration — something an uncertified translation simply doesn't have.
This requirement comes up across all 5 profession fiches in our full profession-by-profession guide (nurse, physiotherapist, healthcare assistant, midwife, occupational therapist): diploma, study programme transcript, criminal record extract or equivalent must all be translated by an approved professional if the original isn't in French.
Which documents need a sworn translation?
| Document | Applies to |
|---|---|
| Diploma (or title allowing practice in the home country) | All professions |
| Study programme transcript (hours per subject, internship duration) | Physiotherapists, healthcare assistants, occupational therapists (general system) |
| Certificate of conformity / good standing from the home authority | All professions |
| Criminal record extract or equivalent | All professions, particularly midwives |
| Record of actually performed clinical acts ("3+2" pathways) | Midwives from a combined nursing + midwifery track |
In practice, plan to translate every non-French document in your file, not just the diploma — this is the most common mistake, and the main cause of files sent back for missing pieces. The exact list varies by profession: see our nurse guide or our healthcare assistant guide for the precise list that applies to you.
How to find a sworn translator
Two official routes:
- The "Trouver un expert agréé ou un traducteur agréé" search tool run by the Cour de cassation, which lists translators registered with each court of appeal in France.
- The lists published directly by each regional court of appeal.
You don't have to pick a translator registered with the court of appeal near where you'll live: a sworn translator registered anywhere in France is valid for your file, regardless of which DREETS or Order will receive it.
How much does a sworn translation cost?
There is no official fee scale. Unlike some other regulated acts, sworn translators set their own fees, which vary based on the language pair, document length and technicality, and requested turnaround. This is a cost candidates often underestimate when budgeting for their move.
The one reliable approach: request a written quote from several translators on the official list before committing, comparing both price and delivery time.
Not sure how to plan your translations within your recognition file? Suxens helps you structure every step — join the waitlist →
When should you get your documents translated?
Translations must be ready before you submit your file — whether to the relevant Order or to DREETS. Since translation turnaround adds to the time needed to gather your original documents (diploma, home-country certificates), it's best to start the translation process in parallel with collecting your paperwork, as soon as originals are available, rather than waiting until the whole file is assembled.