The German Federal Foreign Office has announced an adjustment to the fees for apostille certification of documents. The official statement was published on the ministry’s website.
How much will apostille certification in Germany cost?
Starting from July 1, 2025, the fee for apostille certification of a document in Germany will be €22 (currently €25). Fees for consular legalization will also be adjusted accordingly.
Additionally, from the same date, the fee will be charged for all submitted documents, even if legalization is not possible due to an error or omission by the applicant. In such cases, the full fee—equivalent to a completed apostille or consular legalization—must still be paid.
The German Foreign Ministry therefore urges applicants to carefully read the legalization conditions and check the documents themselves before submitting them for certification. If in doubt or questionsarise , the Ministry recommends that applicants “feel free” to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the contact form on its website.
Which authorities are responsible for apostilizing documents in Germany
The Federal Government of Germany had approved a draft regulation prepared by the Federal Ministry of Justice to transfer the authority to issue apostilles for certain documents to the Federal Foreign Office. The corresponding decision was adopted without discussion during a meeting of the Federal Cabinet on 30 November 2022.
The text of the regulation amending the ordinance on the issuance of apostilles in accordance with Article 3 of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 (Verordnung zur Änderung der Verordnung über die Ausstellung der Apostille nach Artikel 3 des Haager Übereinkommens vom 5. Oktober 1961) was published on the website of the Federal Ministry of Justice on 20 October 2022. According to this document, the authority for apostilling federal documents, previously held by the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt, BVA), is now transferred to the Federal Foreign Office.
At the same time, federal documents relating to intellectual property will continue to be apostilled by the President of the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA).
The system of legalization of documents by apostille in Germany is quite complex. The authority in this area is divided between authorized local and federal agencies depending on the origin of the document.
What is an apostille?
What is an apostille? Why do I need an apostille? How do I get an apostille? - Our video will explain everything you need to know about the apostille. If you have a document that needs to be certified with an apostille for use abroad, Schmidt and Schmidt will assist you! We provide apostille services in more than 100 countries worldwide.
