Documents to bring to Germany - South Africans in Germany

What Documents Should You Bring to Germany?

The documents you’ll need in Germany depend on your visa type, family situation, employer, and whether you’re enrolling in a school or university. We’ve gathered a comprehensive list of what we think you’ll likely need, because when it comes to paperwork, it’s always better to be over-prepared than caught short.

As a golden rule: for any document you might need in an official capacity, get the unabridged version and have it apostilled before you leave South Africa.

Tip: Scan and store digital copies of all important documents in a secure cloud location. For extra protection, consider using encryption software.

⚠️ Note: This is not legal or immigration advice, but a helpful guide based on experience. You’re responsible for double-checking requirements. No liability accepted.

Identification

Your South African Identity document/card and certified copies that you can keep in a safe place
Apostilled unabridged birth certificate. You will definitely need one to get married in Germany, to register the birth of a child in Germany and when applying for German citizenship.
Passport – make sure it is valid for at least 2 -3 years after you arrive in Germany. When applying for a new passport in Germany you can wait up to 6 months and sometimes longer to receive your new passport.

Marital status

Apostilled unabridged marriage certificate, you also need it when registering the birth of a child at the South African Embassy/ Consulate
Marriage contract
Apostilled Divorce decree
Death Certificate of your partner if applicable

Children

Apostilled unabridged birth certificates
School records
Vaccination records. Vaccination against measles is compulsory in Germany

Parents info

If you’re planning to apply for a German passport, gather as much information as possible about your parents—such as their full names, dates of birth, and places of birth.

Educational

All your educational certificates and degrees. Have it apostilled if you need it for your work contract or future studies. To apply for a copy of your matric certificate online, visit the South African e-Services website and click on the Education option.
If you plan on studying in Germany, you will most likely need to apply for “Anerkennung”, so bring along your academic transcripts, matric certificate and other qualification certificates

Employment

You may be asked to provide translated employment certificates or reference letters to verify how long you worked at a company. In Germany, it’s standard practice to receive an ‘Arbeitszeugnis’ from your employer—a formal job reference that is typically included with every job application. If possible, request such a letter from each of your previous employers before leaving South Africa.

Police Clearance Certificate

Police clearance certificate

In most situations, a South African police clearance certificate is not required, and it should not be confused with the German Führungszeugnis (certificate of good conduct).

That said, you can apply for one in advance if you’d like to cover your bases. According to the official SAPS website, processing takes around 15 working days, and the certificate is only valid for 6 months from the date of issue.

If you’ve already left South Africa, don’t worry—it’s still possible to apply for a police clearance certificate from abroad.

The German equivalent, the Führungszeugnis, can be requested once you’ve registered your address (Anmeldung) in Germany.

Drivers licence

If you stay in Germany for longer than 6 months you will need to convert your driver’s licence to a German one.
You will need your South African licence card to convert it. Make sure your licence card is valid for at least another year.
Some cities are now requiring proof of “Confirmation of South African Driving licence” when you apply for a German driver’s licence. An example of this is in Böbblingen. Rather be as prepared as you can be, and bring this document with you. This Confirmation can be requested from the RTMC, see more info from DIRCO. You can also use companies to assist you, see our marketplace for more information.
You can send an email to dlconfirmations@rtmc.co.za.
Your request must include your contact numbers (including email address), a copy of your ID or a copy of your driving licence. Find more information on our Driving and Drive’s licence page

If you do not have a valid driver’s licence, you can do your licence in Germany. You will need to do a first aid course and take theoretical lessons and pass the a theoretical exam. After that you must take practical driving lessons and pass the practical exam. Getting your licence can cost anything from 1500 Euros and up. The average cost is around 3000 Euros per person.

Estate

Consider setting up a new will/testament in Germany if you intend on staying here for a long period.
If you still have assets in South Africa, think about notifying the executor of your estate that you are not in the country. Make sure your South African will is in a safe place and people will know where to find it

Additional information:

Apostille

Apostille certificates are a result of the Hague Convention, a treaty between over 100 countries that allows documents issued in one country to be accepted in another.
An Apostille is a certificate that is attached to the original document to verify it is legitimate and authentic so that it will be accepted in other countries. The following companies are listed on our website

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

Translation services in on our Website

The German mission in South Africa has a list of certified translators. The list can be found here

Chris Grosch – accredited interpreter – sworn translator – VO artist

Chris Grosch – accredited interpreter – sworn translator – VO artist Professional linguist in English, German and French having lived in Germany, Japan, the US, France and now South Africa. Accredited simultaneous interpreter in all

Birgit Böttner – Sworn Translator

Based in Johannesburg South Africa. I’m a qualified sworn translator for English & German, registered with the German Consulate in Pretoria Trained in Germany in German and English and sworn in by the High Court

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

Helge Mayer translations services

Based in Germany. Helge Mayer (MA) – accredited/sworn translations German to English and English to German Masters Degree in Translations from the University of Heidelberg (Germany)

South Africans in Germany