Certified Translation of a French Power of Attorney — Property Abroad

Buying or selling property abroad without travelling

To buy, sell or mortgage a property abroad without attending the closing, the usual route is to sign a power of attorney before a notary in France. The lawyer, conveyancer, notary or bank in the country where the property is located will then ask for a certified English translation of that power of attorney — usually together with an apostille.

David Ameisen, a sworn court expert at the Douai Court of Appeal, translates these deeds from French into English — and, the other way round, powers of attorney drawn up abroad in English for use before a French notary. The translation mirrors the structure of the deed, the notary's statements and the apostille.

Documents covered

• Powers of attorney to purchase or to sell real estate
• Powers of attorney to borrow and grant a mortgage
• Banking powers and signing authorities
• English-language powers of attorney executed abroad for a deed in France
• Apostilles and certification statements on the deed
• Supporting documents requested by the notary: civil status records, proof of identity or address

US or UK English — your choice

A deed bound for the United Kingdom reads differently from one bound for the United States. Each translation follows the conventions of the country where it will be filed: spelling, legal terminology (attorney-in-fact or attorney, closing or completion, real estate or property…) and date formats. Just tell me where the document is going.

How it works

• Send the draft power of attorney (or the signed deed) through the quote form, with the destination country and the planned signing date.
• The translation is prepared from the draft, then updated on the signed and apostilled version, to keep to your timetable.
• You receive the certified translation as a signed and sealed PDF; the paper original can be posted, including directly to the notary or lawyer abroad.

Frequently asked questions

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