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Applying for an apostille

Standesamt certificates abroad · The interior administration of the federal state is responsible, not the Standesamt

In person or in writingHague Convention

The apostille is a simplified form of certification for using German certificates abroad. It is based on the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 and, under Article 3 of the Convention, confirms the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the signatory acted and, where applicable, the authenticity of the seal or stamp. It does not, however, say anything about the truth of the content of the certificate. The Convention currently has 130 contracting states (as of July 2026); Algeria (in force since 9 July 2026) and Vietnam (in force from 11 September 2026) have most recently joined.

The most common misunderstanding with this procedure concerns competence: the Standesamt (registry office) issues your certificate but does not itself issue an apostille — and for civil status documents, the Landgericht is not responsible in any federal state either. Apostilles are issued exclusively by the bodies designated by the Federation and the federal states under Article 6 of the Convention: for birth, marriage and death certificates, the interior administration of the federal state (Bezirksregierung, Regierungspräsidium, Regierung or Landesamt); for court and notarial documents, the president of the relevant court; and for documents from federal authorities, the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs (Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, BfAA). The full overview can be found in the section Competent authority.

Before you even submit an application, it is worth doing a preliminary check: for civil status documents that you use within the European Union, neither a legalisation nor an apostille has been required since 16 February 2019 under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191. Read the section Do you need an apostille at all? first — in case of doubt, it will save you €19 to €40 in fees and several weeks of waiting.

Last updated25 August 2026
Legal basisArt. 3 and 6 Hague Convention 1961 · § 55 PStG · Regulation (EU) 2016/1191
VerificationChecked by AmtsDeutschland.de
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information website: we are not the Standesamt, not an authority and not a paid advisory service — we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in simple terms; the competent body is always binding. All information is provided without guarantee. Fees and processing times are governed by state law and may change at short notice. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document official procedures and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.
Costs€19.00–40.00State law, no uniform nationwide fee: Berlin €19.00 · Bavaria approx. €20.00 · Baden-Württemberg €25.00 · Hamburg €34.00 · NRW €25.00–40.00
Processing timeImmediate to approx. 10 weeksBerlin in person immediate, by post approx. 2 weeks · Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf 8–10 weeks · Regierungspräsidien Baden-Württemberg approx. 10 weeks
JurisdictionInterior administration of the federal stateBezirksregierung, Regierungspräsidium, Regierung or Landesamt — not the Standesamt, and for civil status documents not the Landgericht either
Preliminary check

Do You Need an Apostille at All?

Since 16 February 2019, Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 has applied, promoting the free movement of citizens by simplifying the requirements for presenting public documents. It exempts public documents from an EU member state, within its scope, from both legalisation and the apostille. Anyone presenting a German birth or marriage certificate in France, Spain, Poland, Italy or another member state has not needed an apostille for this for over seven years — yet often pays for one anyway, because the local authority or a translation service asks for it.

Covered are, in particular, certificates concerning birth, death, marriage and registered life partnership, including capacity to marry and marital status, descent and adoption, name, place of residence and nationality, as well as the certificate of good conduct (Führungszeugnis). Instead of a sworn translation, you can request a multilingual form as a translation aid from the issuing Standesamt; the authority in the destination state must accept this form and may then generally not demand an additional translation.

Destination country in the EU: generally no apostille required

For the civil status and status documents mentioned, every form of authentication is dispensed with. Request the certificate from the Standesamt together with the multilingual form under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 and present both together. If the foreign authority still demands an apostille, refer explicitly to the Regulation.

Multilingual certificate under CIEC Convention No. 16

Regardless of EU law, the Standesamt issues civil status documents on request as a multilingual certificate under CIEC Convention No. 16 of 8 September 1976. This form is recognised in the contracting states of the Convention without further formality and makes the apostille unnecessary in many cases. Ask specifically for it when ordering the certificate.

Destination country outside the EU, but a contracting state: apostille required

If the destination state is one of the currently 130 contracting states of the Hague Convention — for example Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the USA, Turkey, Brazil, Japan, India, China or, since 2026, Algeria and Vietnam — the apostille is the correct and sufficient route. Additional confirmation by the embassy is then generally not required.

Destination country not a contracting state: legalisation or document verification

If the destination state has not acceded to the Convention, an apostille will not help you; in that case, legalisation by the destination country's mission in Germany is required instead. For a number of states, Germany has conversely suspended the legalisation procedure and replaced it with a document verification procedure through the competent German mission abroad. Clarify the route in advance with the embassy or consulate of the destination country.

Competent authority

Who Issues the Apostille — and Who Does Not

Article 6 of the Hague Convention requires each contracting state to designate for itself the authorities empowered to issue the apostille. Germany has distributed this competence across three levels — according to the type of document, not your place of residence. What always matters is which body issued the certificate.

Type of documentResponsible for the apostille
Civil status documents from the Standesamt (birth, marriage, life partnership and death certificates, certificate of capacity to marry)Interior administration of the federal state: Bezirksregierung (North Rhine-Westphalia), Regierungspräsidium (Baden-Württemberg), Regierung of the district (Bavaria), Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (Berlin), Behörde für Inneres und Sport, Amt für Migration (Hamburg)
Registration certificates (Meldebescheinigungen) and other municipal certificatesAlso the interior administration of the federal state; in Bavaria, for municipalities belonging to a district, after pre-certification by the Landratsamt
Court documents, notarial documents, Handelsregister (commercial register) and association register extractsThe president of the regional court (Landgericht) or local court (Amtsgericht) at which the document was executed or issued
Documents from federal authorities: federal ministries, Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz) (certificate of good conduct, extract from the central trade and industry register), federal courtsFederal Office for Foreign Affairs (Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, BfAA), Brandenburg an der Havel
School and university certificatesDepends on the competent authority of the federal state; generally the school or education administration, followed by an apostille from the interior administration
German embassies and consulatesDo not themselves issue an apostille; they can only carry out certifications or a document verification procedure

The practical consequence: anyone who takes a birth certificate to the Landgericht will be turned away there — the president of the court is responsible exclusively for court and notarial documents. Nor does going back to the Standesamt help: it issues the certificate but is not an apostille authority. For a current certificate, the competent Land authority is always the one in whose district the issuing Standesamt is located — not the one at your current place of residence.

Required documents

What You Need to Submit or Bring

Original certificate or certified copy

What is submitted is the certificate to be apostilled — the birth, marriage or death certificate issued by the Standesamt in original form, with signature and seal. Officially or notarially certified copies and certified translations can also be apostilled, since the apostille then relates to the certification note. An uncertified, simple photocopy cannot be apostilled; it is returned without any substantive review.

Current certificate from the Standesamt

Obtain the certificate from the Standesamt of the place of birth, marriage or death; only that office holds the relevant civil status register. Civil status documents are legally valid indefinitely, but many destination countries require that the certificate be no older than three or six months when presented. Order a fresh copy deliberately, rather than submitting an old one from the family folder.

Pre-certification, where required by the federal state

In Bavaria, certificates from municipalities belonging to a district must first be pre-certified by the competent Landratsamt before the apostille is issued; the Regierung then collects the fee for this together with its own. In Hamburg, pre-certification and apostille are provided as a single service. A missing pre-certification is one of the most common reasons applications are returned unprocessed.

Application stating the destination country

The application is informal in most federal states; some authorities provide their own form or an online data form — the BfAA requires its online data form for federal documents. State the destination country and the purpose in it, because this determines whether an apostille is sufficient or a legalisation is needed. Without stating the destination country, the authority cannot check whether the procedure is even the right one.

Valid identity card or passport

When applying in person, you identify yourself with a valid identity card or passport; for written applications, a clearly legible copy is generally sufficient. Make sure the document has not expired, as the authority otherwise cannot establish your identity. For non-German nationals, a residence title or passport with photograph is equally valid.

Stamped return envelope or delivery address

For applications by post, enclose a sufficiently stamped return envelope; for dispatch abroad, North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, charges an additional €10.00 for international postage. Provide an address at which you can be reached over several weeks, as some authorities send documents without prior notice. Valuable original certificates should be sent as a registered letter (Einschreiben).

Fee under state law

The fee for private purposes is, depending on the federal state, between €19.00 (Berlin) and €40.00 (North Rhine-Westphalia) per certificate and is payable immediately for applications in person, otherwise on invoice or by bank transfer. Each certificate incurs its own fee — three certificates therefore mean three times the fee. For documents from federal authorities, the BfAA has charged €22.00 per final certification since 1 July 2025.

Power of attorney if someone represents you

You do not have to submit the application in person; anyone presenting the certificate can apply for the apostille. If someone acts expressly on your behalf and the certificate is to be handed over to them, enclose a written power of attorney together with a copy of the authorising person's identity document. Without a power of attorney, many authorities issue the certificate only to the address stated in the application.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Checking Whether an Apostille Is Needed at All

    First establish where the certificate is going. If the destination state is in the European Union, the apostille for civil status and status documents is dispensed with entirely under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191; you save the fee and the waiting time and need only the certificate, ideally with the multilingual form. Outside the EU, check the Hague Conference's status list to see whether the state is one of the currently 130 contracting states. If it is not, the route is not the apostille but legalisation by the destination country's diplomatic mission. If in doubt, this one phone call to the embassy can save you ten weeks of processing time.

  2. 2

    Obtaining a Current Certificate from the Standesamt

    Apply for the certificate at the Standesamt of the place of birth, marriage or death, in person, in writing or via the local authority's online portal. Order as many copies at once as you need abroad, since any later reorder means going through the entire procedure a second time. Check the certificate immediately on receipt for spelling errors in names, date of birth and place of birth: an error that only comes to light abroad makes the apostille worthless. Allow a few days to around two weeks for this step, depending on the local authority.

  3. 3

    Determining the Competent Apostille Authority

    What matters is the office that issued the certificate, not your place of residence. For Standesamt certificates, contact the interior administration of the federal state in which the Standesamt is located: in North Rhine-Westphalia the Bezirksregierung (for example Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf, Dezernat 21), in Baden-Württemberg one of the four Regierungspräsidien Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Freiburg or Tübingen, in Bavaria the Regierung of the relevant district, in Berlin the Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten, and in Hamburg the Behörde für Inneres und Sport, Amt für Migration. Court and notarial documents go to the president of the regional or local court, documents from federal authorities to the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs in Brandenburg an der Havel.

  4. 4

    Obtaining Pre-certification If Your Federal State Requires It

    Not every signature is known to the apostille authority. For this reason, several federal states require a preceding confirmation: in Bavaria, certificates from municipalities belonging to a district must first be pre-certified by the competent Landratsamt, with the Regierung collecting the fee for this afterwards. Hamburg combines pre-certification and apostille into one service. Ask the apostille authority before sending whether your certificate needs pre-certification — this step is the one most often overlooked and leads to the document being returned unprocessed.

  5. 5

    Submitting the Application — in Person or by Post

    When applying in person, bring the original certificate, identification and the destination country; in Berlin you receive the apostille directly at the counter. For a written application, send the original certificate together with a short covering letter stating the destination country, the purpose, your telephone number and the desired return address, plus a stamped return envelope. The Federal Office for Foreign Affairs additionally requires its online data form. Send original certificates only by registered letter and keep a copy for your own records.

  6. 6

    Pay the fee

    The fee follows state law and, for private purposes, is €19.00 in Berlin, around €20.00 in Bavaria, €25.00 in Baden-Württemberg, €25.00 to €40.00 in North Rhine-Westphalia and €34.00 in Hamburg. For applications in person you pay immediately, for postal applications usually on invoice or payment request. For certificates of economic significance, North Rhine-Westphalia charges €60.00 to €75.00, and Baden-Württemberg €50.00 for company documents. As long as the fee has not been received, the certificate is generally not released.

  7. 7

    Receiving the Apostilled Certificate and Arranging a Translation

    The apostille is affixed to the certificate itself or to a sheet permanently attached to it; never separate this connection, or the apostille loses its effect. Processing times vary considerably: in Berlin, immediate in person and around two weeks by post; at the Regierung von Oberbayern, around two weeks by post including dispatch; at the Regierungspräsidien in Baden-Württemberg, currently around ten weeks without express processing; and at the Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf, eight to ten weeks without acknowledgement of receipt or status enquiries. If the destination country requires a translation, only now commission a sworn translator, so that the apostille is included in the translation.

Fee information

Costs, Payment and Processing Time by Federal State

There is no uniform nationwide apostille fee. Costs are set by the fee ordinances of the federal states and, for private purposes, in practice range between €19.00 and €40.00 per certificate. If the certificate is used for economic purposes — for example, commercial register extracts or company documents — the rates rise significantly. Processing times vary just as much: they range from immediate issue at the counter to around ten weeks.

Federal state / levelCompetent bodyFee (private purposes)Processing time
BerlinLandesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO)€19.00 per certificateIn person immediate (15–30 minutes' wait), by post approx. 2 weeks
BavariaRegierung of the district (e.g. Regierung von Oberbayern); for municipalities belonging to a district, pre-certification by the Landratsamt is required beforehandapprox. €20.00 per certificateBy post approx. 2 weeks including dispatch
Baden-WürttembergRegierungspräsidien Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Freiburg, Tübingen€25.00 (company documents €50.00)Currently approx. 10 weeks from receipt, no express processing
North Rhine-WestphaliaBezirksregierung (e.g. Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf, Dezernat 21)€25.00–40.00; €60.00–75.00 for documents of economic significance, plus €10.00 international postageCurrently 8–10 weeks, no acknowledgement of receipt, no status enquiries
HamburgBehörde für Inneres und Sport, Amt für Migration€34.00 per pre-certification or apostille (as of 1 January 2026)Depends on the competent authority
Federal documents (nationwide)Federal Office for Foreign Affairs (Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, BfAA), Brandenburg an der Havel€22.00 per final certification (chargeable since 1 July 2025)Depends on the competent authority
Other federal statesMinistry of the Interior, Regierungspräsidium or Landesverwaltungsamt of the federal stateDepends on the competent authorityDepends on the competent authority

Fees at a Glance

Amount€19.00–40.00 per certificate for private purposes; no uniform nationwide fee, the fee ordinance of the federal state applies
Other costsEach certificate incurs its own fee. In addition, there is the Standesamt's fee for the certificate itself, in Bavaria the pre-certification by the Landratsamt, in North Rhine-Westphalia €10.00 international postage, and the cost of a sworn translation, which is set by the translator.
Place of paymentAt the competent Land authority — Bezirksregierung, Regierungspräsidium, Regierung, Landesamt or Behörde für Inneres; for documents from federal authorities, at the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs. Not at the Standesamt, and for civil status documents not at the Landgericht either.
Means of paymentFor submission in person, EC card or cash depending on the body; for written submission of the application, bank transfer on invoice or payment request. Only pay once requested, and state the file reference in the payment reference.
Good to know

Important notes and special cases

EU destination state: apostille unnecessary. Under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, birth, marriage, life partnership and death certificates, as well as certificates concerning name, place of residence, nationality, descent and adoption and the certificate of good conduct, have been exempt from legalisation and the apostille within the EU since 16 February 2019. Request the multilingual form as a translation aid from the Standesamt instead.

Certified copies can be apostilled. If you need to keep the original, have an officially or notarially certified copy made and apostille that instead — the apostille then relates to the certification note. Hamburg expressly offers the apostille on a copy or translation as its own service. Only a simple, uncertified photocopy is excluded.

Do not forget the pre-certification. In Bavaria, certificates from municipalities belonging to a district must first be pre-certified by the Landratsamt before the Regierung issues the apostille; the fee is collected together. Other federal states proceed similarly or combine both steps. A short call to the apostille authority before sending saves you a returned application and several weeks' delay.

Certificate of good conduct: apply for the apostille at the same time. The certificate of good conduct (Führungszeugnis) is issued by the Federal Office of Justice; the apostille is issued by the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs and must already be requested via its online data form when applying for the certificate of good conduct itself. Anyone who misses this generally has to apply for the certificate of good conduct again. Within the EU, the apostille for it is unnecessary anyway.

The apostille does not expire, but the certificate does. The Hague Convention does not provide for a time limit, so an apostille remains valid indefinitely. Many destination countries, however, require that the underlying certificate be no older than three or six months when presented. Clarify this deadline with the destination country's mission before having an old certificate apostilled.

Embassies do not issue apostilles. German missions abroad cannot apostille German certificates; they can only certify signatures or carry out a document verification procedure. For a number of states, Germany has also suspended the legalisation procedure and replaced it with such a verification procedure. If you live abroad, instruct a trusted person in Germany or clarify the route in advance with the competent mission.

Plan processing times realistically. Anyone with a visa appointment, a marriage abroad or a study application in mind should expect eight to ten weeks in North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg and submit the application correspondingly early. Neither authority offers express processing or status enquiries, so follow-up calls speed nothing up. In Berlin and Bavaria, it goes considerably faster, sometimes even immediately at the counter.

Translation only after the apostille. If the destination country requires a sworn translation, have it prepared only once the apostille is already on the certificate — otherwise it is missing from the translated text and the translation has to be supplemented. Some countries additionally require an apostille on the translation itself; that is also possible, since the apostille then relates to the certification by the translator.

Do not separate the connection. The apostille is affixed to the certificate itself or to a sheet permanently attached to it, often with an eyelet, seal or embossing. If this connection is separated, for example to scan or file it, the apostille loses its effect and must be issued again. Make copies without opening the connection.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes and their consequences

Apostille requested despite exemption under EU law. For civil status documents used in an EU member state, the apostille has been unnecessary since 16 February 2019. Result: you pay €19.00 to €40.00 and wait up to ten weeks, depending on the federal state, for a confirmation that no one is allowed to demand from you.

Birth certificate submitted to the Landgericht. For civil status documents, the president of the regional court is not responsible in any federal state; that office handles exclusively court and notarial documents. Result: the application is returned unprocessed, the original certificate is in transit for weeks, and the procedure starts over from the beginning.

Apostille requested at the Standesamt. The Standesamt issues the certificate but is not an apostille authority and may not issue the apostille. Result: you waste an appointment and then have to submit the application again at the Bezirksregierung, Regierungspräsidium, Regierung or Landesamt.

Simple photocopy submitted. Original certificates and officially or notarially certified copies can be apostilled, but not uncertified photocopies. Result: the copy is returned without processing; anyone unwilling to hand over the original must first have a certified copy made and then apply again.

Pre-certification skipped. In Bavaria, certificates from municipalities belonging to a district must first be pre-certified by the Landratsamt. Result: the Regierung returns the application unprocessed, an additional postal journey is required, and the processing time effectively doubles.

Processing time calculated as 'one to two weeks'. In North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg, the apostille currently takes eight to ten weeks, with no express procedure and no status enquiries. Result: visa appointments, weddings abroad and application deadlines are missed because the certificate is not available in time.

Certificate of good conduct applied for without an apostille. The apostille for the certificate of good conduct must already be requested via the online data form of the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs when applying for it. Result: a certificate of good conduct that has already been delivered cannot be apostilled retrospectively by this route; you have to apply for it again and pay the fee a second time.

Destination state is not a contracting state. If the state has not acceded to the Hague Convention, the apostille will not be recognised there. Result: the certificate is rejected, the fee and waiting time are lost, and you additionally have to go through the legalisation or document verification procedure.

Translation forgotten or commissioned too early. Many states require a sworn translation in addition to the apostille, which must also cover the apostille itself. Result: a translation prepared before the apostille is incomplete and must be supplemented at a cost; in the worst case, the foreign authority rejects the documents.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

What is an apostille and who issues it?

The apostille is a simplified form of certification under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. It confirms the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the signatory acted, and the authenticity of the seal, and is currently recognised by 130 contracting states. It is not issued by the Standesamt but by the body designated under Article 6 of the Convention: for civil status documents, the interior administration of the federal state; for court and notarial documents, the president of the regional or local court; and for documents from federal authorities, the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs.

Do I even need an apostille for an EU country?

Generally not. Under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, which has applied since 16 February 2019, German birth, marriage, life partnership and death certificates, as well as certificates concerning name, place of residence, nationality, descent and adoption and the certificate of good conduct, are exempt from legalisation and the apostille within the European Union. Instead of a translation, you can request a multilingual form as a translation aid from the Standesamt.

What does an apostille cost?

There is no uniform nationwide fee, because costs follow state law. For private purposes, the actual range is between €19.00 in Berlin, around €20.00 in Bavaria, €25.00 in Baden-Württemberg (€50.00 for companies), €25.00 to €40.00 in North Rhine-Westphalia and €34.00 in Hamburg. For documents from federal authorities, the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs has charged €22.00 per final certification since 1 July 2025.

How long does it take to get the apostille?

The differences between the federal states are considerable. In Berlin, you receive the apostille immediately for applications in person, with a wait of around 15 to 30 minutes; by post it takes around two weeks. The Regierung von Oberbayern also processes postal applications in around two weeks including dispatch. The Regierungspräsidien in Baden-Württemberg, by contrast, currently cite around ten weeks from receipt and offer no express processing, and the Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf cites eight to ten weeks with no acknowledgement of receipt and no status enquiries.

Is the Landgericht responsible for a birth certificate?

No. For civil status documents, the Landgericht is not responsible in any federal state; the president of the court apostilles exclusively court and notarial documents. For your birth, marriage or death certificate, contact the Bezirksregierung (North Rhine-Westphalia), the Regierungspräsidium (Baden-Württemberg), the Regierung (Bavaria), the Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (Berlin) or the Behörde für Inneres und Sport (Hamburg).

Can a copy also be apostilled?

A simple, uncertified photocopy cannot be apostilled. Officially or notarially certified copies and certified translations, however, can be apostilled, because the apostille then relates to the certification note, i.e. to the signature and seal of the certifying body. Hamburg expressly offers the apostille on a copy or translation as its own service.

How long is an apostille valid?

The Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 does not provide for a time limit, so the apostille itself does not expire. Its usability is limited solely by the law of the destination country, which often requires that the underlying certificate be no older than three or six months when presented. Enquire with the destination country's mission before applying for the apostille.

What is the difference between an apostille and a legalisation?

The apostille is the single-step procedure between the contracting states of the Hague Convention: one authority, one stamp. Legalisation is a multi-step procedure in which, at the end, the destination country's mission confirms authenticity, and it applies to states that are not party to the Convention. German missions abroad cannot themselves issue an apostille; for a number of states, Germany has also suspended the legalisation procedure and replaced it with a document verification procedure through the competent mission abroad.

How do I get an apostille for my certificate of good conduct?

The certificate of good conduct is a document from the Federal Office of Justice and therefore a federal authority; the apostille is accordingly issued by the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs in Brandenburg an der Havel. You must request the apostille via the BfAA's online data form already when applying for the certificate of good conduct — it cannot be added later by this route. For use within the European Union, the apostille is unnecessary anyway under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191.

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