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Legalising Documents

Living, working, or studying in Germany often requires the submission of official documents that must be recognised as legally valid by German authorities.
Depending on the context, this may involve notarisation, legalisation, or the presentation of certified copies.

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Document Authentication

South Africa and Germany are both members of the Hague Apostille Convention, which greatly simplifies the process of legalising documents for use between the two countries. If you need to authenticate a South African document for official use in Germany, it typically needs to be apostilled — a special certificate that confirms the authenticity of the document’s signature, seal, or stamp.

You can view the full list of countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention here.

It’s important to understand that an apostille is not the same as a notarisation. While both involve certifying a document, they serve very different legal purposes. Notarisation confirms the identity of the signer and the voluntary nature of a signature, while an apostille makes a public document internationally valid in other member states of the Hague Convention.

Below is a summary of the differences between Notarised, Apostilled, and Legalised documents:

English Term German Term Description
Notarisation die Beglaubigung
(specifically: notarielle Beglaubigung)
Notarisation is the process by which a notary public (Notar) certifies the authenticity of a signature or document. The notary verifies the identities of all signatories and observes the signing. The document is then stamped or sealed.
Apostille Apostille An Apostille is a certificate issued under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. It authenticates the origin of a public document (e.g. birth certificate, court ruling, or notarised deed) for use in another member country. It verifies the authenticity of the signature, seal, or stamp—but not the content itself.
Legalisation die Legalisierung Legalisation is used when the target country is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. The document must first be authenticated (e.g., by a notary) and then approved through additional steps at an embassy or consulate.
Legal Validity die Rechtskraft The German term for “legal validity” is Rechtskraft. It refers to a legally binding status, especially in the context of court rulings.
Affidavit die eidesstattliche Erklärung or
Versicherung an Eides statt
An affidavit is a written, sworn statement of fact made voluntarily under oath. In German, this is typically called an eidesstattliche Erklärung or Versicherung an Eides statt. It is typically signed in the presence of a notary or court official.

Authenticating South African Documents in Germany

Apostille

An Apostille confirms the authenticity of a document (such as a birth certificate) and allows it to be accepted by authorities in another country.
More information on Apostilles and legalisation can be found here.

According to the South African Embassy in Germany, there are two options to have a South African unabridged birth, marriage, or death certificate authenticated with an apostille in terms of the 1961 Hague Convention:

  1. An application for a new unabridged birth, marriage, or death certificate shall be lodged together with a request for the document to be certified with an apostille (see suedafrika.org/en/visa-sa-documents/south-african-citizen-services.html).

OR

  1. The original unabridged certificate* currently in your possession shall be submitted in person to the Embassy in Berlin or Consulate-General in Munich together with:
  • a written request (in English) for the unabridged certificate to be authenticated with an apostille;
  • original passport/identity document and a photocopy (the photocopy would be certified and the original document returned to the applicant); and
  • a self-addressed A4-size envelope with postage paid (per Einschreiben), to return the original unabridged certificate after the apostille has been affixed.

* According to the advice provided by the Legalisation Section of the Department of International Relations & Cooperation (DIRCO), the document should preferably be no older than one (1) year (see https://dirco.gov.za/consular-services/).

 Please note that in both the above cases, the application/documentation would have to be forwarded to the relevant departments in Pretoria, where they are finalised/issued and returned to our office in the diplomatic freight bag.

An application for a new unabridged birth, marriage or death certificate (with the apostille) may take up to 6 months to be finalised, while an apostille affixed to an original unabridged certificate provided by the applicant may take 2 to 3 months to be finalised.
Such applications/documentation are sent to the relevant departments in Pretoria by diplomatic freight bag monthly from our office.
Applicants who wish to expedite the delivery of application/documentation to Pretoria may elect to organise and pay for a courier – this should be confirmed when submitting the application/documentation to our office, which must be done in person. 

Documents must be submitted in person and an appointment must made for this purpose

To schedule an appointment at the Embassy in Berlin, please send an email with the information below to berlin.consular@dirco.gov.za; to schedule an appointment at the Consulate-General in Munich, please send an email with the information below to munich.civicapp@dirco.gov.za:

  1. Subject line of email: Appointment request
  2. Applicant’s first name and surname
  3. Applicant’s date and place of birth
  4. Applicant’s South African identity number
  5. Application type e.g. passport
  6. Contact details (Address + mobile phone number)

 (After requesting an appointment, applicants shall also regularly check their email spam folder, as the email reply from the mission confirming the appointment may land up there)

Difference between DIRCO and High Court apostille

Apostil has a great page which explains the difference between a DIRCO and a High Court apostille. 

–  you need to use DIRCO to apostille official Home affairs documentation

Notarisation

When a person’s identity needs to be verified for official documentation, the document must be signed in the presence of a Notary or a Commissioner of Oaths, depending on the legal requirements of the receiving country.

Certification and signing before a South African Commissioner of Oaths 
South African documents that require certification or need to be signed before a Commissioner of Oaths can be processed at:

  • The Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in Berlin
  • The Consulate General in Munich

These services include witnessing signatures, certifying copies, or verifying identity for official purposes. An appointment must be made in advance. Bring the relevant documents and valid photo identification (such as a passport or ID book).

To make an appointment:
Embassy in Berlin: Tel. 030 22073 0 | Email: berlin.admin@dirco.gov.za
Consulate in Munich: Tel. 089 231 1630 | Email: munich.admin@dirco.gov.za

Note: For certain legal matters, such as the sale of property in South Africa, documents must be signed on South African soil. This means they must be signed either in South Africa or at a South African diplomatic mission abroad, which is considered South African jurisdiction. However, for other documents (e.g. powers of attorney, affidavits), a German Notar may be used. In such cases, an Apostille is often required to validate the notarised document for use in South Africa, depending on the specific requirements of the receiving authority.

Contact details SA Embassy/Consulate

SA Consular and Embassy services

Embassy Berlin Reach them through Tiergartenstraße. 18, 10785 Berlin +4930220730 +493022073190 berlin.consular@dirco.gov.za Social Networks SAEmbassyBerlin @SAEmbassyBerlin Website Consulate Munich Reach them through Sendlinger-Tor-Platz 5, 80336 Munich +49892311630 49 89 231 163 53 munich.consular@dirco.gov.za Social Networks Consulate in Munich Website Honorary Consuls The Honorary Consuls are tasked with the promotion of

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Certified Copies of documentation

You can obtain certified copies of your original documents at your local Bürgeramt (citizens’ office), Town Hall, or from a Notary (Notar).
In German, a certified copy is called eine beglaubigte Kopie.
You will need to present the original document for verification.

To find your nearest Bürgeramt or Town Hall, you can use the Ortsdienst website. Click on your Bundesland (federal state) and zoom in to your town or city.

Affadavit

In South Africa, if you need to make an affidavit (beëdigte verklaring), you typically go to your local police station to make a sworn statement. 
In Germany, an affidavit — known as an eidesstattliche Versicherung — is a written statement made under oath or affirmation. You can write the statement yourself and then have it notarised by a Notar.

If the affidavit is intended for use in South Africa, it must be written in English or officially translated into English by a certified translator.

Translations

Certified Translators in South Africa

The German mission in South Africa has a list of certified translators. The list can be found their website  
We also have a page with information about the type of translations you might need

Translating documents

Translating Documents When seeking translation services in Germany, it’s crucial to understand the different types of translators, each specialising in various fields, to ensure your documents meet specific requirements with precision and clarity. Before getting your documents translated, always check with the relevant institution to understand their specific requirements. Types of Translators in Germany Sworn Translators Sworn translators are authorized by a court to provide translations that are legally binding. They often translate official documents

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Translation services in on our Website

Linguistika

A Multifaceted Language Service founded by Stephanie Schaffrath TAILORED ONLINE LANGUAGE TUITION: With over 12 years of experience teaching languages, Linguistika is committed to providing high-quality language instruction to individuals of all ages and levels

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Info on the web

Jesse Green from Apostil.co.za created an informative document to explain what an apostille certificate is and when you need it

Information from DIRCO Consular Notarial Services (Legalisation of Official (Public) Documents)

Companies that can assist with documentation

Docs4U

Our services for you: All Unabridged Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates and also the Vault Birth Document Foreign Birth Registration in SA Foreign Death, Marriage and Divorce registrations Unabridged Birth and Marriage  certificates from Zimbabwe

RSA DOCUMENTS

We are a document procumbent company assisting South Africans with the admin if dealing with Government Entities Divorce orders Foreign death registration Foreign divorce registration Foreign marriage registration Marital status amendments Police Clearance Certificat Retention

Apostil.co.za

Get official South African documents sorted quickly, securely, and stress-free – no queues, no fuss. Apostil.co.za has helped over 20,000 clients (individuals, law firms, travel agents, and businesses) get what they need to move forward

Doc Assist

Embark on a hassle-free journey with our comprehensive document services. Whether you’re planning to travel, work abroad, or need vital documents, Doc Assist is here for you! Explore our services: 📜 Unabridged Documentation: Birth Certificates

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