Documents from Bavarian courts or notaries for use abroad; application for an apostille

If you want to use a document from a Bavarian court or notary abroad, you may have to have the document notarized. The authenticity of the document can be certified by issuing an apostille.

Description

Apostille is a simplified form of certificate of authenticity. It certifies the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the signatory has acted and, if applicable, the authenticity of the seal or stamp with which the document is marked. It takes the place of legalization only in the countries that are parties to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Documents.

There are international agreements according to which certain documents are exempt from apostille.

The local courts or district courts certify by issuing an apostille, for example, German judgments, decisions, court documents, notarial deeds and translations.

Documents that have been

  • by the Bavarian State Ministry of Justice
  • the Bavarian Constitutional Court
  • the Bavarian Supreme Court and
  • the former Public Prosecutor's Office at the Bavarian Supreme State Court

are apostilled by the Bavarian State Ministry of Justice .

Prerequisites

You want to use a court or notarial document abroad (e.g. if you want to work, get married or adopt a child abroad) and you need an apostille.

Procedure

You can apply for an apostille for a judgment, order or decision of a German court, a document issued by a court or a notary public, or for a translation informally by sending a short letter to the local or regional court in whose business district the document was created.

Apostilles for documents issued by the Bavarian State Ministry of Justice, the Bavarian Constitutional Court, the Bavarian Supreme State Court and the former Public Prosecutor's Office at the Bavarian Supreme State Court must be applied for at the Bavarian State Ministry of Justice.

When sending the document by mail, it is essential to indicate the country for which the document is required. In general, the original documents must be enclosed. The documents can also be delivered in person.

Special notes

If you need an apostille for a document issued by a Bavarian state authority or municipality, the government in whose district the document was issued is responsible (see under "Related Topics").

Deadlines

none

Processing time

A processing time of 2-3 business days must be expected for the completion of the certificate.

Required documents

  • Document from the court or notary in the original

Fees

  • Framework fees are provided for the issuance of the apostille.

    A fee of approximately EUR 25.00 is to be expected for each document.

Legal bases

Links to more information

Related issues

Status:18.07.2023

Responsible for editing:Bayerisches Staatsministerium der Justiz

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  • Online transactions, Bavaria-wide
  • Online transactions, locally limited
  • Form, Bavaria-wide
  • Form, locally limited
  • Prefillable Form, Bavaria-wide
  • Legal bases, Bavaria-wide
  • Legal bases, locally limited
  • Fees, Bavaria-wide
  • Fees, locally limited
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