Last checked against the official source: 29 August 2026
A birth certificate, a marriage certificate, a degree, a power of attorney — any official document issued in one country and used in another needs proof that it is genuine. There are three different routes, and the one that applies to you is decided by the country that issued the document, not the country where you will use it.
The three routes
- Apostille
- A standardised stamp issued by a designated authority inside the issuing state. No consulate is involved at all.
- Consular legalisation
- Carried out by the consular officer of the state where the document will be used. A longer route passing through several bodies.
- Document verification
- An alternative route for some countries, carried out through mutual legal assistance instead of legalisation.
- What the procedure proves
- The authenticity of the signature and the capacity of the person who issued the document — not the truth of its contents.
- What decides the route
- Whether the issuing state is a party to the Hague Convention of 1961.
Apostille or consular legalisation?
Both serve the same purpose: confirming that the signature on the document is genuine and that the issuer was authorised to issue it. The difference is who performs the act:
- The apostille is issued by an authority within the issuing state itself, in the standardised form laid down by the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents of 5 October 1961. One stamp is enough, and no consulate is needed.
- Consular legalisation is carried out by the consular officer of the state where the document will be used. It applies when the issuing state is not a party to the Hague Convention.
The third route: document verification
For some countries the conditions for consular legalisation are not available. In those cases document verification (Urkundenüberprüfung) takes the place of legalisation, carried out within the framework of mutual legal assistance. This route is usually longer and can take months, because the document has to be verified with the body that issued it in the country of origin.
The German Federal Foreign Office publishes an official list of the countries for which legalisation conditions are not available. That list changes with conditions in each country, so check it yourself rather than relying on a figure published in an article.
What to do, step by step
- Identify the issuing countryThat is your starting point — not the country where you will use the document.
- Check which route applies to that countryApostille, consular legalisation, or document verification. Consult the German Federal Foreign Office page dedicated to this.
- Arrange the sworn translationNon-German documents normally need a translation by a sworn, accredited translator. Ask the body you will submit to about its translation requirements before you pay.
- Budget the time realisticallyAn apostille can be done in days, while document verification can run for months. Never tie an official appointment in Germany to a document whose procedure has not yet started.
The most common mistake: people go to the German embassy, or to their own country’s embassy in Berlin, and discover they are in the wrong place. The required route is decided by the country that issued the document. An Egyptian, Syrian or Moroccan document to be used in Germany begins its route in the country of issue, not in Germany. Check the route before you book an appointment or pay a fee.
Official sources
International circulation of documents · Which foreign documents need an apostille and which need legalisation · List of countries where legalisation conditions are unavailable
Please note: this page is general guidance, not legal advice. Fees, timescales and competent bodies differ between countries and change — check with the embassy or consulate concerned and with the German Federal Foreign Office before each step.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an apostille and consular legalisation?
Both confirm that the signature on the document is genuine and that its issuer was authorised. The difference is who performs it: the apostille is issued by an authority inside the issuing state in a standardised form, while consular legalisation is carried out by the consular officer of the state where the document will be used.
Where do I start the legalisation process?
In the country that issued the document, not the country where you will use it. An Egyptian, Syrian or Moroccan document to be used in Germany begins in the country of issue — this is the most common mistake, with people going to embassies in Berlin only to find they are in the wrong place.
What decides which route applies?
Whether the issuing state is a party to the Hague Convention of 1961. If it is, the route is the apostille and one stamp suffices with no consulate involved; if it is not, the route is consular legalisation.
What if legalisation is not available for my country?
For some countries the conditions for consular legalisation are unavailable, and document verification takes its place through mutual legal assistance. The German Federal Foreign Office publishes an official list of these countries — check it yourself, because it changes.
Does legalisation prove the contents of the document are true?
No. The procedure proves only the authenticity of the signature and the capacity of the person who issued the document — not the accuracy of the information it contains.
How long does it take?
An apostille can be completed in days; document verification can take months because the issuing body in the country of origin has to be contacted. Never tie an official appointment in Germany to a document whose procedure has not yet begun.