Two countries
Apostille from Germany to United States
At a glance
Can a document from Germany be used in the United States?
| Result | Apostille applies. |
|---|---|
| Germany | Uses apostilles member since 1 |
| United States | Uses apostilles member since 1 |
| 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 Germany | Not published by the office2 |
| Last checked |
Step by step
How to get a document from Germany ready for the United States
- Make sure the federal document has first been pre-certified (vorbeglaubigt) by the responsible federal authority.2
- Fill in the online data form (Online-Datenformular) with all the required details.2
- After sending the form, pay the expected fees on the payment page that opens.2
- Print the completed application form that is emailed to you and post it with the documents to BfAA, Referat Apostillen & Endbeglaubigungen, Kirchhofstraße 1-2, 14776 Brandenburg an der Havel.2
- Visiting in person is only possible in justified exceptional cases, such as transferring a deceased person, and only with an appointment made in advance.2
- When the documents have arrived and the fees are paid, the BfAA sends them by registered mail (Einwurf-Einschreiben) to you or a person you name, at an address in Germany.2
- Give the document, with its apostille or legalisation, to the office in the United States that asked for it.
Situations
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 the United States used in Germany, the apostille or legalisation starts in the United States. Apostille from United States to Germany
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
Questions about documents from Germany for the United States
Is an apostille from Germany accepted in the United States?
Yes. An apostille from Germany is enough for the United States: both are members of the Apostille Convention (Germany since 13 February 1966, the United States since 15 October 1981). The apostille is issued in Germany by Federal Office for Foreign Affairs. The published fee in Germany is €22. The office in the United States that receives the document decides what else it needs. 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 the United States.
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 the United States also need a translation?
The office in the United States that receives the document decides. Ask it before you start whether it needs a translation, and whether the translation needs its own certification.
Sources and verification
Sources
- HCCH status table: Apostille Convention (1961)
- Beantragung einer Apostille
- BfJ - Häufig gestellte Fragen
- BfJ - Anerkennung von Urkunden ohne Apostille
- United States of America - Competent Authority (Art. 6)
- Requesting Authentication Services
- Request for Authentications Service (DS-4194)
- Status
- Last verified: (18 October 2026)
- How it was checked
- Checked by our team against the sources above
- Next review
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