I need an apostille or legalisation on a document — where do I get it?
An apostille certifies a public document (birth certificate, diploma, court decision, notarised signature) for use in another country of the Hague convention; for the few non-Hague countries it is a legalisation via the foreign ministry and the embassy. In Germany the apostille comes from Landgericht / Regierungspräsidium (Apostillen) (auswaertiges-amt.de) — often a court, a regional authority or the foreign ministry, depending on the document type. A private document (a power of attorney, a contract) first needs a notary — Bundesnotarkammer — Notarsuche (notar.de) — and then the apostille. For documents from another country, or for use in a non-Hague country, Auswärtiges Amt — Bürgerservice / Krisenreaktionszentrum (030 5000 2000) explains the legalisation chain.
🗣️ What to say
"I need an apostille on [document, issued by … on …] for use in [country]. Which authority issues it for this document type, what does it cost, can I apply by post or online, and how long does it take?"
🪜 Step by step
- Which document, which countryPublic documents (civil status, court, diploma from a public body) go straight to the apostille authority. Private ones are notarised first.
- Get a recent originalMany countries require the document to be recent (months) and an original or certified copy — not a photocopy.
- Apply at Landgericht / Regierungspräsidium (Apostillen)By post in most countries, online in a few. Fee per document; a few days to weeks.
- TranslationUsually after the apostille, by a sworn translator, and sometimes the translation needs its own apostille. Ask the receiving country.
- Non-Hague countryLegalisation: the issuing authority → foreign ministry → the destination country's embassy. Auswärtiges Amt — Bürgerservice / Krisenreaktionszentrum lists the steps.
📇 All contacts
❓ Frequently asked
Do EU documents need an apostille inside the EU?
Not for most civil-status documents since 2019 — a multilingual standard form replaces it. Diplomas and court documents may still need one; ask the receiving authority.
Can I get an apostille abroad for a document from Germany?
No — apostilles are issued only by the country that issued the document. Ask a relative or a service to apply by post, or use the online route where it exists.
The receiving country wants "legalisation" for a Hague country
Then they are asking for the apostille; the words are used loosely. Confirm which convention applies.
📎 Sources
- Landgericht / Regierungspräsidium (Apostillen) →
- Bundesnotarkammer — Notarsuche →
- Auswärtiges Amt — Bürgerservice / Krisenreaktionszentrum →
- Bürgeramt / Einwohnermeldeamt →
🔎 Common searches
Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.
- “apostille Germany where”
- “apostille birth certificate how”
- “legalisation document embassy”
- “apostille diploma Germany”
- “sworn translation apostille”
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