Prerequisites
- You need confirmation of authenticity for original documents from the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (FHH), for example the registry office, Hamburg Service on site (formerly the customer center), tax office or a state-recognized school in Hamburg.
- Your document was not issued for a specific purpose, such as a birth certificate for applying for parental allowance (printed on the certificate).
- Your document has been signed by an authorized person of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
- If you need confirmation of authenticity for a notarial document: The certification took place in a Hamburg notary's office.
- The signatory is known to the competent authority.
- You have clarified your issue in advance with the responsible department, for example by email.
Documents required
Appointment cancellation due to unavailability
Should you be unable to keep your appointment, please cancel it in a timely manner (see link below in the "Cancellation" section). This allows us to offer the freed-up appointments to other customers at short notice. This improves appointment utilization and often enables faster appointment scheduling for those with an immediate need.
Preliminary review of documents is mandatory
Please send an email to m2511@amtfuermigration.hamburg.de immediately after booking your appointment for a preliminary check.
The following information is required:
- Name
- Telephone number
- Date and time of the appointment
- Destination country of the documents (e.g. Spain)
- Documents as scans or photos attached
If a review is not possible by the scheduled date, the documents can only be accepted. A collection date will be arranged by the responsible clerk once the review is complete.
Special notes
Certified copies:
Please submit the original document along with the certified copy.
Translations:
Translations can only be recognized if the translator has been sworn in in Hamburg. Suitable translators can be found at www.justiz-dolmetscher.de.
Please bring the following to your appointment:
- Original document(s) previously submitted for pre-screening
- Appointment booking confirmation
- Valid identification document
- Girocard (EC card) or credit card
Note: Apostilles and pre-authentications are issued for specific documents. Therefore, applications can also be submitted by another person without a power of attorney.
Alternatively: Application by mail
If you would prefer to apply for the certification by post instead, please inform us by email at m2511@amtfuermigration.hamburg.de so that your appointment can be cancelled.
Address:
Department of the Interior and Sport
Office for Migration – M251
Hammer Street 30–34
22041 Hamburg
For the postal procedure we need:
- Original document(s)
- Country of destination of the document
- Address
- E-mail address
- Telephone number
To speed up processing, we also recommend a preliminary check via email with a scan or photo of the documents for postal submissions.
Fees
Fees apply. The amount depends on the type and number of documents to be certified.
Fees from 01.01.2026 – Appointment required:
- €16.00 per apostille
- €11.00 per pre-authentication
- €5.00 per translator stamp
- €6.00 Copy/official certification (1st page)
- €1.00 per additional page
- €0.70 for copies (pages 1-10)
- €0.40 for copies (from page 11 onwards)
Different fees apply to postal services:
- €39.00 per apostille
- €34.00 per pre-authentication
Payment by invoice or fee notice is only possible if the application is submitted by mail.
Please note
The subsequent legalization is carried out by a consular officer at the foreign representation of the state in which the document or certificate is required.
The pre-certification or apostille is done for the document and is not personal. A non-affected person can also apply for the pre-certification or apostille without a power of attorney.
For confirmation of authenticity of federal certificates (such as certificates of good conduct) or federal documents, please contact the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs.
Final certifications of pre-certified documents from the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg can be obtained from the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs.
Final certifications by the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs are only carried out for pre-certified copies/duplicates from the issuing authority. For example, for documents from the University of Hamburg, only copies/duplicates from the University of Hamburg are accepted.
The federal state in which the swearing-in took place is responsible for confirming the authenticity of translations by interpreters who have not been sworn in Hamburg.
For confirmation of authenticity of certificates or documents issued in other federal states or nations, please contact the issuing country or federal state.
Deadlines
Apply for the certificate of authenticity early.
To ensure the validity of the confirmation of authenticity (apostille/legalization), find out from the submitting authority abroad (embassy, authority abroad) how old it may be.
The competent authority is not aware of the sovereign provisions of the respective country in this regard.
