Translating an Iranian birth certificate (shenasnameh)

The shenasnameh is the Iranian birth certificate, issued as a small booklet. You may need a certified English translation of it for a UK application, such as a visa, citizenship or a university place. As a native Farsi speaker, I know its layout and wording well.

Which pages are translated

The main page holds your personal details, such as your name, your parents’ names and your date and place of birth. Later pages can record marriage, divorce, children and death, and there is a notes section. A complete translation covers every page with an entry, including stamps, signatures and handwritten notes. Blank pages can be marked as blank, so it is clear nothing was left out.

The national code

Newer booklets show your national code, the same 10-digit number that appears on the national ID card, the kart-e melli. Iranian documents usually write numbers in Persian numerals, so I convert them to Western digits and check every one.

Dates and name spellings

Iranian documents use the Solar Hijri calendar. The Iranian year begins in March, so each year spans two Gregorian years: 1370, for example, ran from March 1991 to March 1992. That is why I convert every date using the exact day and month, not just the year.

Persian names can be written in English in several ways, such as Mohammad, Mohammed or Muhammad. Tell me how names are spelled in your passport, and in your parents’ passports if you have them, and I will use the same spellings so the translation matches.