Apostille from Germany to Qatar

No apostille: legalisation instead

Can a document from Germany be used in Qatar?

Key facts for documents from Germany used in Qatar
ResultApostille does not apply between these countries.
GermanyUses apostilles member since 1
QatarNo apostille not in the Apostille Convention1
Apostille issued by

Federal Office for Foreign Affairs (Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, BfAA)2

Fee in Germany

€22 (per Endbeglaubigung (final certification) issued, from 1 July 2025)2

€22 (per document in an application that contains documents that cannot be certified, from 1 July 2025)2

Processing time in GermanyNot published by the office2
Who to ask in Qatar

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Department of Consular Affairs, Attestation Department5

Last checked

How to get a document from Germany ready for Qatar

  1. Ask the office in Qatar that will receive the document exactly what it needs.
  2. Documents issued abroad are attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the host country and then by the Qatari mission there, and since December 2024 an online service on the Qatari ministry's website sends them to the mission for this attestation to be completed.5
  3. Give the document, with its apostille or legalisation, to the office in Qatar that asked for it.

When the answer changes

  • Private documents.A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public, and the apostille then goes on the notary’s certificate. A copy of a public document from another country is first certified by a notary public, then apostilled.
  • The other direction. For a document from Qatar used in Germany, the apostille or legalisation starts in Qatar. Check Qatar to Germany
  • Joining later. .

Note: What the apostille confirms

An apostille only confirms the signature, the role of the person who signed and any seal or stamp on the document. It does not confirm what the document says. The office that receives the document decides what it accepts.

Questions about documents from Germany for Qatar

Is an apostille from Germany accepted in Qatar?

No. Qatar is not a member of the Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not enough for documents between Germany and Qatar. A different process, usually called legalisation, applies. Check the steps with the authorities of Qatar before you send anything. Last checked 18 October 2026 against the HCCH status table.

Who issues the apostille for a document from Germany?

Federal Office for Foreign Affairs (Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, BfAA). The apostille is always issued in the country the document comes from, not in Qatar.

How much does the apostille cost in Germany?

The published fee in Germany is €22. Fees can change, so check the office's own page before you apply.

Do I need to notarise a private document first?

Yes. A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public in Germany. The apostille then goes on the notary's certificate.

Does Qatar also need a translation?

The office in Qatar that receives the document decides. Ask it before you start whether it needs a translation, and whether the translation needs its own certification.

Sources

  1. HCCH status table: Apostille Convention (1961)Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) · HCCH · retrieved
  2. Beantragung einer ApostilleFederal Office for Foreign Affairs (Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten) · Competent authority · retrieved
  3. BfJ - Häufig gestellte FragenFederal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz) · Government · retrieved
  4. BfJ - Anerkennung von Urkunden ohne ApostilleFederal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz) · Government · retrieved
  5. Complete Attestation Outside QatarMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar · Government · retrieved
Status
Last verified: (18 October 2026)
How it was checked
Checked by our team against the sources above
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