Germany
Europe
Germany has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 1966. There is no single apostille authority: federal documents are apostilled by the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs (Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, BfAA), while documents issued at Länder level go to the designated authority of the issuing Bundesland — the regional court (Landgericht) presidents, state ministries of justice, or other authorities depending on the document type.
Why people process documents for Germany
Non-EU nationals applying for German work permits or the EU Blue Card need apostilled academic credentials and background checks from their home country.
German universities require foreign degrees to be evaluated through anabin or uni-assist. This typically requires apostilled transcripts and certified translations (beglaubigte Übersetzung).
Most commonly processed documents
These are the document types most often processed for use in Germany — documents issued abroad that need an apostille or legalization. Documents issued in Germany are apostilled in Germany itself, by the authorities described above. Each guide link goes to a full guide; document types without a guide yet are listed for reference.
Official certificate proving a person has no (or has) criminal convictions. Required for immigration, employment, and residency applications.
Official civil registry document recording a person's birth. Foundational for immigration, citizenship, and family applications.
Academic credential awarded by a university upon completion of a degree program. Required for employment abroad, degree homologation, and graduate admissions.
Civil registry document recording a legal marriage. Required for spouse visas, family reunification, name changes, and inheritance.
Notarized document granting someone legal authority to act on another person's behalf. It may require an apostille when the receiving authority asks for authentication — and only then.
Requirements at a glance
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting a standard translation instead of a certified/sworn translation — German authorities require beglaubigte Übersetzung.
Relevant services
Frequently asked questions
What type of translation does Germany require?
Germany requires a certified translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung) performed by a court-sworn translator (vereidigter Übersetzer). Standard translations are not accepted for official purposes.
Reviewed by
Laura ChenLegal Document Expert
Specialist in documents for the English-speaking market with a focus on fast and secure processing.
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