Apostillen für das Ausland

• Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents
• § 33 (1) Hamburg Administrative Procedures Act (HmbVwVfG)
• List of States to the Hague Convention

If a domestic (German) public document is required for use abroad, the foreign state in which the domestic document is to be used may require a separate certification (Hague Apostille or legalization requirement/pre-certification) of authenticity.

The Office for Migration of the Ministry of the Interior and Sport is authorized to affix an apostille or pre-authentication to public documents issued by an authority of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (FHH).

Other responsibilities outside the Office for Migration (see links) :

• Hamburg District Court for documents from Hamburg courts (e.g. decision/judgment - divorce from the District Court in Wandsbek)
• Hamburg Regional Court for private law documents - e.g. power of attorney (please contact a notary based in Hamburg for notarial certification). Then go to the Hamburg Regional Court.
• Federal Office for Foreign Affairs for federal documents or final certification - e.g. certificates of good conduct
• For translations by interpreters who have not been sworn in in Hamburg, the responsibility lies with the federal state in which the swearing-in took place.
• Certificates from other federal states and nations - Please contact the issuing country or federal state.

In the appointment procedure:

• Appointment Booking Proof
• identification document
• Your original document without earmarking, which you have sent to us by e-mail for a preliminary check.
• EC card or cash

In the procedure by post:

Adress to:

Necessary information in the cover letter of the postal procedure:

• Destination country of the document (e.g. Russia)
• Your Address
• email and phone number
• We also need the originals of the documents to be certified.

• In order to shorten the processing time, send an e-mail with the attached document(s) as a scan or photo to the local authority for a preliminary check of your documents. Please indicate in your e-mail that you do not want an appointment and that your document is in the mail.

More information:

• If you are resident in Germany, the fee will be charged by means of a fee notice.
• If the fee is more than 100 € or if you live abroad, an advance payment will be required after completion. You will be sent a notification of fees for this. After the value date, your documents will be sent back to you.

If a domestic (German) public document is required for use abroad, the foreign state in which the domestic document is to be used can request a separate authentication (Hague Apostille or legalization requirement/pre-authentication) of authenticity.

The Office for Migration of the Ministry of the Interior and Sport is authorized to affix the apostille or pre-authentication to public documents that were issued by an authority of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (FHH).

Necessary information of your document:

• Your original document must bear a signature and an official seal/stamp of an official at the FHH.

• Your document must not have a specific purpose - eg "Only for the application for parental allowance".

• For the purpose of checking responsibility and other requirements, we offer a preliminary check by e-mail. Please send these documents as a pdf or jpeg attachment to our email address.

This includes documents from the FHH, such as:

• civil documents
• Tax authority certificates
• Registration certificate, acknowledgment of paternity, school certificates
• Certificates of naturalization (e.g. assurance of naturalization)
• Certified transcripts/copies from an issuing authority in Hamburg
• Hamburg leaving certificate from schools with state recognition in the FHH (e.g. bachelor’s certificate, high school diploma)
• Copies of German identity documents (e.g. identity card, passport, residence permit) Only in connection with a foreign certification

• Translations by an interpreter sworn in Hamburg

• 13,50 € per apostille
• 9 € per pre-certification
• 5 € translator stamp
• 6 € Copy certification/official certification - per 1st page of the document
• 1 € Copy certification/official certification - from the 2nd page of each document
• 0.60 € copies - from the 1st page to the 10th page
• 0.30 € copies - from the 11th page
• 15 € per Iran stamp
• 5 € per signature confirmation

Different fees for postal services

• 34 € per apostille
• 29,50 € per pre-certification
• If you reside in Germany, the fee will be charged by means of a fee notice.
• If the fee is €100 or more or if you live abroad, an advance payment will be required after completion. You will be sent a fee notice for this. Your documents will be sent back to you after the value date.

Personal consultation only possible with an appointment:

• Please book online!
• Preliminary check necessary!
• Send an e-mail with the e-mail of the document(s) as a scan or photo as a pre-check immediately after booking your appointment. In addition, enter your name, telephone number, date and time of your appointment and the country of destination of the documents (e.g. Spain).
• m2511@amtfuermigration.hamburg.de
• Bring the original documents with you to the appointment.

• EC card or cash payment possible

In writing by post to:

• Department of Interior and Sport
  Office for migration
  M251
  Hammer Street 30-34
  22041 Hamburg

Necessary information in the cover letter:

• Destination country of the document (e.g. Russia)
• Address
• email and phone number
• We also need the originals of the documents to be certified.
• In order to shorten the processing time, send an e-mail with the attached document(s) as a scan or photo to the local authority for a preliminary check of your documents. Please indicate in your e-mail that you do not want an appointment and that your document is in the mail.

• If you are resident in Germany, the fee will be charged in the form of a fee notice and sent back together with the certified document.
• If the fee is more than 100 € (only for private individuals) or if you live abroad, an advance payment will be required after completion. You will be sent a notification of fees for this. After the value date, your documents will be returned to you by registered mail.

• Before the holidays, this service is in high demand and hardly any appointments are available. Therefore, use the written procedure by post.
• In order to save time during delivery, you can also put your case in the post office column in the inner courtyard of the local authority. This is on the left-hand side at the side entrance to the tax office in Hamburg-Ost.
• Be sure to include your contact details (e-mail and telephone number) for the country of destination of the document, the reason for the urgency and when you need your document back.
• An agreement to collect your documents personally is possible after completion.
• Fees are charged for these procedures in writing.

• immediately - only possible if a preliminary check has taken place!

• Within Germany, it is usually returned about ten days after the post has been processed by the authorities.

• Local authorities are not aware of the sovereign provisions of the respective country in this regard. Please find out about the validity of the foreign authentication (apostille/legalisation) from the submitting body (embassy, authority abroad).
• Ask whether transcripts or certified copies (apostille/legalisation) are accepted. It often happens that only originals are accepted.

For translations by a sworn interpreter in Hamburg:

• The interpreter must have been sworn in in Hamburg. You can tell this by the oval seal with the Hammaburg, which states that the translator has been sworn in by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
• Please use the homepage to find a suitable translator for Hamburg!
  www.justiz-dolmetscher.de (Please enter the language and federal state here)
  In the results search you will find possible translators who can be confirmed by the Office for Migration with an apostille / legalization on the translation.

When authenticating current registers (e.g. birth certificates, marriage certificates, registration certificates):

• Your document must not be restricted to a specific purpose, such as a birth certificate (only for applying for parental allowance). The issuing authority only issues originals for these documents (e.g. the registry office for birth certificates). The Office for Migration can then issue an apostille/legalization on the original.

When certifying copies of German identification documents (identity card, passport) or the residence permit issued in Hamburg glued into the passport:

• You can have these copies certified at one of the Hamburg Service locations. If you would like to deal with your matter at the Migration Office, please bring the original with you.

When certifying copies of German school or university documents with state recognition from Hamburg:

• Only copies issued by the respective school (with original signature and school seal) or made from the original here at the Migration Office will be processed.
• During school holidays, it is advisable to have certified copies of certificates made directly by the Office for Migration, as school secretaries are often not available during the holidays. If necessary, the apostille/pre-certification can then only be issued after the holidays. An apostille/legalization can then be issued by the Office for Migration.

For pre-certification of documents or certificates from schools (except private schools that are not state-recognized in Hamburg):

• An apostille/legalization cannot be issued by the Office for Migration. Please contact a notary and then the Hamburg Regional Court.

For pre-certification of documents from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE):

• Please contact the UKE to have the responsible doctor's signature, name stamp and address stamp on your document. An apostille / legalization can then be issued by the Office for Migration.

For pre-certification of German-language medical certificates:

• Please contact the Hamburg Medical Association to confirm that you are a private doctor. An apostille/legalization can then be issued by the Office for Migration.

For pre-certification of certificates from a tax office in Hamburg:

• An apostille / legalization can be issued by the Office for Migration.

For pre-certification of certificates from state-recognized Catholic schools in Hamburg:

• An apostille / legalization can be issued by the Office for Migration.

For pre-certification of certificates and documents from chambers, for example the Medical Association, the Pharmaceutical Association, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), the Bar Association, and the Chamber of Architects:

• Please contact the relevant chamber in Hamburg. An apostille/legalization can then be issued by the Office for Migration.

• Signature certifications (information can be found in the link)
• Iran stamp (information can be found in the link)

• Hamburg District Court for documents from Hamburg courts (e.g. decision/judgment - divorce from the District Court in Wandsbek)
• Hamburg Regional Court for private law documents - e.g. power of attorney (please contact a notary based in Hamburg for notarial certification). Then go to the Hamburg Regional Court.
• Federal Office for Foreign Affairs for federal documents or final certification - e.g. certificates of good conduct
• For translations by interpreters who are not sworn in Hamburg, the federal state in which the swearing-in took place is responsible.
• Certificates from other federal states and nations - Please contact the issuing country or federal state.

The Office for Migration is authorized to affix an apostille or pre-authentication to public documents issued by an authority of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

This does not include:

• Hamburg District Court for documents from Hamburg courts (e.g. decision/judgment - divorce from the District Court in Wandsbek)
• Hamburg Regional Court for private law documents - e.g. power of attorney (please contact a notary based in Hamburg for notarial certification). Then go to the Hamburg Regional Court.
• Federal Office for Foreign Affairs for federal documents or final certification - e.g. certificates of good conduct
• For translations by interpreters who have not been sworn in in Hamburg, the responsibility lies with the federal state in which the swearing-in took place.

• Documents from other federal states and nations
  Please contact the country or federal state where the certificate was issued.