Apostille and certified translation for Germany
Sworn translators translate your document and its apostille in the certified form German offices ask for. Upload a photo of the document with its apostille for a free, no-obligation quote.
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Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (German time)
Certified to ISO 17100, 9001 and 27001
What you get
You get a certified translation of your document that includes the apostille. Certified means a sworn translator, authorized by a German court, signs and stamps it. We translate into German for offices here, from German into English or other languages for use abroad, and between two other languages. The apostille comes only from an authority in the issuing country.
What it confirms, and what it doesn't
An apostille is a certificate that a government authority adds to a public document, such as a birth certificate or a court ruling. It confirms that the signature and any seal are genuine and that the person who signed had the authority to do so. It says nothing about whether the content is correct.
It comes from the Hague Apostille Convention of October 5, 1961, and replaces the longer legalization process between member countries. You'll recognize it by its French heading, “Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)”, on the document or on an attached page.
- It isn't a translation. Your document stays in its original language.
- It doesn't certify a translation. That's the sworn translator's job, with a signature and stamp.
- It's only for use in another country. A German document for a German office never needs one.
When German offices ask for one
It depends on where your document comes from. If the country is part of the Apostille Convention, a German office such as the Standesamt (civil registry office) or the Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) can ask for one. Many civil records from other EU countries need none. Countries outside the convention use legalization instead.
| Your document comes from | What applies | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| A convention country, such as the US, the UK, Canada, Turkey or Ukraine | The German office can ask for an apostille. Only an authority in that country can add it | Country list from the German Foreign Office (in German) |
| Another EU country, for a record of birth, death, marriage, divorce, registered partnership, name, parenthood, adoption, residence, nationality or a clean criminal record | No apostille needed if an authority of that country issued it (EU Regulation 2016/1191) | Doesn't cover diplomas or documents issued outside the EU. A criminal record certificate only counts if your own EU country of citizenship issued it |
| India, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam and several other countries | They joined the convention, but Germany objected. An apostille from there doesn't count here, so the document usually needs legalization instead | Full list (in German) |
| A country outside the convention | Legalization: the German embassy or consulate there confirms the signature and seal instead | Some German embassies have paused this. Ask the German office what it accepts instead |
The right order: stamp first, then translation
Have the apostille added to the original document first, by an authority in the country that issued it. Then upload a photo of the document with the apostille, plus the attached page if there is one. The certified translation covers both, so the German office gets one matching set: original, apostille and translation.
German documents for use abroad
Sometimes it's the other way around: you need a German document in another country, say for a job, a wedding or a pension back home. If that country is in the convention, a German authority adds the apostille. Which one depends on the document and often on the Bundesland (federal state). The office that issued your document can tell you.
| Document | Who adds the apostille | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Standesamt records, such as birth and marriage certificates | A state authority, often the regional government office (Regierungspräsidium or Bezirksregierung) | Ask the Standesamt that issued it |
| Court and notary documents, such as a court ruling or a power of attorney | The president of the Landgericht (regional court) or Amtsgericht (local court), or the state justice ministry | Ask the court or notary |
| Federal documents, such as a Führungszeugnis (police clearance certificate) | Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten (Federal Office for Foreign Affairs) | The same office for everyone in Germany |
| Any document for a country outside the convention | Legalization by that country's embassy or consulate in Germany, usually after a German office certifies the document first | Ask the embassy which steps it needs |
Who issues apostilles in Germany, by document (German Foreign Office, in German)
A couple married in the US and moved to Germany for a new job. For the spouse's residence permit, the Ausländerbehörde wants the marriage certificate with an apostille and a certified German translation. They have the apostille added in the US state where they married. Once it's back, they upload a photo of the marriage certificate with the apostille, and the translation covers both.
More about this document: Certified translation of marriage certificates
How it works
Upload a photo of your document
A phone photo or a scan of your document is enough. You keep the original.
A quote from a real person
Someone on our team looks at your document and sends you a quote with your price, within a few hours, often sooner.
Your order
You confirm the quote. It shows your delivery time, usually 3 to 6 business days.
Delivery, then invoice
Your translation ships free of charge. You pay afterward by bank transfer.
Common languages and countries
We translate documents in over 70 languages, including rare ones: into German, from German and between two other languages. The tiles below link to a few languages from countries in the Apostille Convention. If your language isn't listed, upload a photo of your document anyway and tell us which language it's in.
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Questions about apostilles
Is an apostille the same as a certified translation?
No. The apostille is a stamp on your original document that confirms its signature and seal are genuine. A certified translation puts the document into another language and is signed and stamped by a sworn translator. Some German offices want both: the apostille on the original, then a translation that includes it.
I already live in Germany. Can I get the apostille here?
Not for a document from another country. The apostille comes only from an authority in the country that issued the document. A German office or a translation agency can't add it. Ask the issuing office whether you can apply from abroad, for example by mail or through someone you trust.
My certificate is from another EU country. Does it need an apostille?
Usually not, if an authority of that country issued it and it records something like a birth, marriage or residence (EU Regulation 2016/1191). For many of these records, you can also ask the issuing office for a multilingual standard form. If the German office finds that form sufficient, it won't ask for a translation.
Does a German office always want an apostille?
No. It depends on the office, the type of document and the country it comes from. Ask the office before you apply for the apostille or order the translation. That way you take each step once, and in the right order.
General questions about cost, timing and payment: Pricing
Your personal quote
Once the apostille is on, upload a photo of your document with it; the original stays with you. You'll get your quote within a few hours, often sooner.
0800 55 133 07
Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (German time)
Last updated Embassy Translations editorial team