We offer you the following service:
1. Notarial certification – We make appointments and take care of all the tasks that arise, such as dealing with authorities, for you
2. Legal certification – We carry it out ourselves
3. Legalization – For all companies and all documents
4. IHK confirmation – For all companies
5. Federal Office of Administration
1. Notarial certification
Notary confirms the authenticity of a signature certification of a copy
Notary confirms, that the content of the copy corresponds to the original
The certification must contain: certification note , signature of the certifying party, imprint of the official seal
2. Court certification
If you would like to carry out a legalization, a court will verify the notary’s signature on your document.
3. Legalization
Required to confirm the authenticity of a document, in order to be able to use it abroad or to be able to use a foreign document in Germany.
Content and signature will be checked.
The consulate or diplomatic representation, of the country where you need the document, is responsible for the legalization. Example: If you have a German director’s resolution of your company and you want to use it in India, an Indian consular officer must legalize the document. List of deeds to be legalized (all public deeds must be legalized, ask if in doubt) :
-Letters of intent, deeds of assignment, adoption papers, certificates of analysis, employment contracts, proof of export, director’s resolutions, certificates of good conduct
-Birth certificates, business contracts, shareholder resolutions, articles of incorporation, deeds of incorporation
-Marriage certificates, certificates of origin, university certificates, vaccination certificates, civil partnership certificates
-Medical documents, registration certificates
-Patents, invoices, school reports, foundation deeds, veterinary certificates, powers of attorney, declaration of residence certificates
3rd Hague Apostille
The apostille is an official document, that confirms the authenticity of your document.
The Hague Convention exempts member states, from legalizing the documents, fees must be paid. You can apply for an apostille from us in just one day and we will pick up the documents for you.
For example: You would like an Australian birth certificate, for your Australian child, to use in Germany. Then it is not necessary for you to go to a German consular officer, since you can go to a specific apostille issuing authority and get an apostille, after presenting the original birth certificate.
It is a substitute for legalization in the countries that are members of the agreement:
Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Australia Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador , El Salvador, Estonia Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Grenada, Greece Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Cape Verde, Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan, Colombia, Korea (South), Croatia, Lesotho, Latvia, Liberia , Liechtenstein, Lithuania Macau, Macedonia, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Niue, Norway, Oman, Austria Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, St. Kitts and St. Nevis, St. Lucia St. Vincente and Grenadines, South Africa, Suriname, Swaziland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Czech Republic Turkey, Ukraine, Hungary, Uruguay, USA , Uzbekistan, Vanatu, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Cyprus
4. IHK confirmation
Certification and authentication of commercial papers or accompanying documents, f.ex. certificate of origin, letter of credit. Many countries require official certificates or business papers, that have been confirmed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, when importing goods. For import and export, legalization is required for use abroad.
5. Federal Office of Administration (BVA) / Foreign Office
The BVA finalizes signatures on German documents and issues the apostille for federal documents. In addition to that, certificates of
good conduct must be apostilled at the BVA.
Summary/questions and answers:
What is the difference between legalization and certification? Legalization confirms the authenticity of your document for use abroad, or the authenticity of your foreign document for use in Germany.
A certification, on the other hand, is the verification, that a copy of your document is authentic for use in Germany or the verification of the signature by the notary. The district court carries out a further certification when it verifies the signature of the notary.
What is the difference between the Hague Apostille and legalization?
Legalization is for those countries that are not in the Hague Apostille Convention. As soon as both countries concerned are parties to the agreement, you must go to the responsible authority and have the apostille made there. You must bring your original certificate with you. The apostille only replaces the legalization, if you also need a preliminary and/or final certification.