Getting married abroad, taking up a job in another country or need your birth certificate for a foreign authority? Then a translation alone is often not enough. Many countries require an apostille or legalisation. We explain what they are and the order in which to proceed.
What is an apostille?
The apostille is a simplified certificate of authenticity for public documents under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. It confirms that the signature and seal on a document are genuine. Between the contracting states of the Convention, the apostille replaces the more complex legalisation. In Germany, the competent office depends on the type of document – in North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, the district government (Bezirksregierung) for many administrative documents and usually the regional court (Landgericht) for court and notarial documents.
What is legalisation?
Legalisation is the traditional procedure for countries that have not acceded to the Hague Convention. The embassy or consulate of the destination country confirms the authenticity of the German document – often after a preliminary certification by a German authority. The procedure usually takes longer than an apostille.
Special rule within the EU
Since February 2019, EU Regulation 2016/1191 on public documents applies. For certain documents – such as birth, marriage or death certificates – the apostille is no longer required between EU member states. There are also multilingual EU standard forms that can make a translation unnecessary in some cases. Whether this applies to your document should be checked with the issuing and the receiving authority.
The right order
In practice, the following procedure has proven itself – but the requirements of the destination country always take precedence:
- Ask the foreign authority what it requires: apostille, legalisation or neither?
- Obtain the apostille or preliminary certification on the original document
- Have the document including the apostille translated and certified – so the apostille is translated too
- If required: have the certified translation apostilled or legalised as well
Typical documents for use abroad
- Birth, marriage and divorce certificates
- Certificates of good conduct and registration certificates
- School certificates, diplomas and transcripts
- Powers of attorney, notarial deeds and commercial register extracts
- Court judgments and certificates of inheritance
We are here to help
As a translation agency in Düsseldorf, we have produced certified translations for private clients and companies in more than 100 languages since 1990 – recognised by authorities, courts, embassies and consulates. Send us your documents via the enquiry form and we will gladly advise you on the right procedure. Read more about the certified translation itself in our certified translation guide.
Frequently asked questions
Should the apostille be obtained before or after the translation?
As a rule, first on the original document, so the apostille is translated as well. Some countries additionally require an apostille on the translation. The requirements of the foreign authority are always decisive.
Do you need an apostille within the EU?
For many civil status documents, no longer: EU Regulation 2016/1191 exempts certain public documents from the apostille. For other documents it may still be required.
Does the translation agency issue the apostille?
No, the apostille is issued by the competent authority. We take care of the certified translation of the document and the apostille and are happy to advise you on the order.
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