Russian to English translation

Latin letters are not English

A Russian licence repeats its entries in Latin letters, to the ICAO standard or, on request, as in the passport. A transliterated word is still not English: “GIBDD” tells a hire desk nothing. The translation explains each field and keeps the Latin spelling already on your card. Bulgarian has its own legal table for Latin letters: see Bulgarian to English translation.

Source: MVD Russia, rules for completing a driving licence, via ConsultantPlus (checked 19 September 2026)

Patronymics and surname forms

A Russian name carries a patronymic made from the father’s given name, Ivanovich or Ivanovna, and a woman’s surname usually takes its own form, Ivanova beside Ivanov. The translation labels the patronymic as a patronymic, not a middle name, and keeps each surname as printed. Spelled differently over the years? See which spelling goes on the translation.

Soviet-era and handwritten forms

Certificates from the Soviet period are often handwritten on printed forms, and some carry a second language beside the Russian. Every handwritten entry is translated; a stamp or signature is marked where it sits. A reissued certificate marked as a repeat copy is translated as one, just as the document says. A document wholly in Ukrainian? Choose Ukrainian on the order page. How Ukrainian names are spelled in Latin letters: see Ukrainian to English translation.

The whole licence

Front and back: name, date and place of birth, issue and expiry dates, the issuing traffic police unit, the licence number, each category and subcategory with its dates, and the special marks field, all explained in English.

Diplomas and their supplements

A Russian diploma comes with a supplement listing every subject, its hours and its grade. Both are translated together, table for table, so an assessor can read the course as well as the award.

Civil and court records

Birth, marriage, divorce and name-change certificates, police clearance certificates and court decisions. Seals and signatures are marked where they appear, and text that cannot be read in the photo is marked in square brackets.