Apostille or consular legalisation? A guide for documents from non-EU countries to Germany
When submitting documents issued outside the European Union to German authorities – for example to immigration offices, registry offices or citizenship authorities – it is usually necessary to have these documents authenticated/legalised to confirm their authenticity and legal validity. There are two main forms of such authentication: apostille and consular legalisation (legalisation).
What is an apostille?
An apostille is an international form of certification issued under the Hague Convention of 1961.
It confirms the authenticity of a public document (such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, university diploma, etc.) issued in a state that is party to the Hague Convention.
Between the contracting states, an apostille is generally sufficient to authenticate the document, without any additional legalisation by an embassy being necessary.
What is consular legalisation?
Consular legalisation is a procedure in which the German embassy or consulate in the issuing country certifies the authenticity of a document.
It is used when the issuing state is not party to the Hague Convention, or when certain documents require additional checks.
The procedure typically involves several steps, for example:
prior authentication by the competent ministry in the issuing country (often the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and
subsequent legalisation by the German embassy or consulate.
When is an apostille used?
For documents issued in a state that has acceded to the Hague Convention.
For documents that only require one single form of certification in order to be recognised in Germany.
To simplify and speed up the authentication process between participating states.
When is consular legalisation used?
For documents issued in countries that are not party to the Hague Convention.
For special or procedurally sensitive documents that are not covered by the apostille system.
When the German authorities explicitly request additional legalisation in order to be satisfied as to the authenticity of the document.
Steps to authenticate documents from non-EU countries
Identify the type of document
Determine whether the document is an official/public document (e.g. from a civil registry or court), an educational document, or a private document that has been notarised.
Check whether the issuing country is a party to the Hague Convention
You can consult the list of contracting states on the official website of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
Obtain an apostille or legalisation from the competent authorities
The apostille is usually issued by a designated authority in the issuing country (e.g. the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Consular legalisation usually requires prior authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and then legalisation by the competent German mission abroad (embassy/consulate).
Translation of the documents
Documents that are not in German must be accompanied by a certified German translation produced by a sworn/certified translator.
Submission to the German authorities
Submit:
the original documents,
the certified translations, and
the apostille or legalisation stamps
to the relevant German authority.
Important tips
Always clarify in advance with the relevant German authority which form of certification (apostille or legalisation) is required in your case.
Do not start the authentication process before you know the exact requirements, to avoid unnecessary time and expense.
Make sure that all translations are official, sworn translations so that they are fully recognised.
Conclusion
Apostille and consular legalisation are the two key procedures for authenticating foreign documents submitted in Germany. The appropriate method depends mainly on whether the issuing state is party to the Hague Convention or not. Knowing the difference and following the correct procedure helps ensure that your documents are accepted and that your applications are processed more quickly by the German authorities.
The editorial team of this website strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and multiple sources. Nevertheless, errors may occur or some information may not be fully verified. Therefore, please treat the information in these articles as an initial point of reference and always contact the competent authorities for final and legally binding information.
