Apostille beantragen

You need an apostille for presentation abroad.

German documents are often only recognised by the authorities or courts of another country if their authenticity or probative value has been established in a special procedure. A number of procedural rules have been agreed between the states for this purpose.

For states which have acceded to the Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, concluded October 5, 1961, the otherwise required legalisation is replaced by the "Hague Apostille". A document provided with such an apostille can be used directly abroad.

Responsibilities:

• The President of the District Court: Certificates of the Bremen courts and Bremen authorities belonging to the portfolio of the Senator for Justice and Constitution and of the Bremen notaries public.
• The Senator of the Interior: documents from the area of the rest of the Bremen administration, i.e. the authorities of the State of Bremen and the municipalities of Bremen and Bremerhaven.

The documents to be certified must be presented in the original and must be up-to-date, i.e. not older than 3 months.

The following documents, among others, can be certified at the Senator for the Interior:

• Civil status documents (e.g. marriage or birth certificates), which should be as up-to-date as possible.
• residence and registration certificates, which must not be older than 3 months
• Medical certificates that have been pre-authenticated by the public health department or the medical or dental association.
• School reports and diploma certificates that have been pre-authenticated by the Senator for Children and Education.
• School reports and diploma certificates pre-certified by the Senator for Science, Health and Consumer Protection
• Adoption documents, such as social reports, which have been pre-certified by the Senator for Social Affairs
• Export certificates, such as those pre-authenticated by the Chamber of Commerce.

Authenticated is the authenticity of the signature the capacity in which the signatory has acted and the authenticity of the seal with which the document is marked

Personal appearance:

Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Note: Immediate processing is not possible!

The processing time is two to seven days.
In exceptional cases, the processing time can be up to three weeks.

Cash may be paid in advance at the time of delivery of the certificates.

Written application:

Please tell us in your application for which country the document is needed and enclose a stamped envelope with your address with your application.

The processing time by written application is up to three weeks.

The invoice can only be paid by bank transfer. Payment of fees by crossed cheque is not possible.

Please send written applications to the following address:

Senator for the Interior
- Office -
Contrescarpe 22/24
28203 Bremen

For further information please contact:
Tel. (0421) 361 9011/9025