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Apostille from India to Germany

Check this pair with the HCCH

At a glance

Can a document from India be used in Germany?

ResultCheck HCCH for this specific country pair.
IndiaUses apostilles member since (joined with an acceptance procedure)1
GermanyUses apostilles member since 1
Apostille issued by

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Consular, Passport and Visa Division2

Fee in India

₹50 (per apostille sticker, MEA fee)2

₹84 (per document, service fee of the outsourced agency for collection and delivery)2

₹3 (per page, scanning fee of the outsourced agency)2

Processing time in IndiaNot published by the office2
Last checked

Step by step

How to get a document from India ready for Germany

  1. The Ministry does not accept documents directly from individuals, so you submit them to one of the designated outsourced agencies.2
  2. Approach the Branch Secretariat or Regional Passport Office in your area; the services are decentralised to 15 cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, New Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Panaji, Raipur and Thiruvananthapuram.3
  3. Pay the MEA fee of Rs 50 for each apostille, plus the outsourced agency's service fee and scanning fee.2
  4. Collect the apostilled document from the same agency.2
  5. Give the document, with its apostille or legalisation, to the office in Germany 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 Germany used in India, the apostille or legalisation starts in Germany. Check Germany to India
  • Objections. India joined with an acceptance procedure. If either country objected, the Convention does not apply between them; the HCCH status table shows the objections.

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 India for Germany

Is an apostille from India accepted in Germany?

Usually, but check this pair. Both are members of the Apostille Convention, but India joined with an acceptance procedure, so the Convention does not apply where another member objected. The HCCH status table lists the objections. Where it applies, the apostille is issued in India by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Consular, Passport and Visa Division. The published fee in India is ₹50. Last checked 18 October 2026 against the HCCH status table.

Who issues the apostille for a document from India?

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Consular, Passport and Visa Division. The apostille is always issued in the country the document comes from, not in Germany.

How much does the apostille cost in India?

The published fee in India is ₹50. 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 India. The apostille then goes on the notary's certificate.

Does Germany also need a translation?

The office in Germany 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

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