Official Certifications

Document Certifications

The Citizens Advice Bureau is responsible for official certifications of documents issued by a German authority or required as copy for presentation at a German authority, provided the original document is written in German.

For a certification, the original document has to be submitted. Please note that it is only possible to have the entire document (no excerpts) certified. The certified copies are issued by the Citizens Advice Bureau.

It is not possible to have the following documents certified:

• Private documents,
• public certifications,
• civil status certificates,
• unique documents like e.g. vehicle registration certificates or driver's licenses.

Certifications of signatures and initials

The Citizens Advice Bureau is responsible for the official certification of signatures in case the document bearing the relevant signature is meant to be presented at a German authority or another authority requiring the document due to legal norms.

Signatures and initials (logograms of literate persons, composed of letters or other symbols) may only be certified when written in the presence of and approved by the certifying person. The personal identity card or passport is required as evidence for the identity of the applicant.

Signatures requiring official certification cannot be certified by the Citizens Advice Bureau officers. This particularly includes certifications of signatures on contracts or declarations regarding family and inheritance law, association and commercial register matters as well as land register matters.

In these cases we recommend a certification of signature by a notary. Certifications of signatures meant for submittal at a foreign authority can only be performed by notaries. Generally it is not possible to obtain certifications of signatures without corresponding text (i.e. blank signatures).

Certifications of signatures on Declarations of Commitment for visits of foreign citizens can only be performed by the Aliens Registration Office of the Administrative District Office of Erlangen-Höchstadt.

Administrative fee

Certifications are fee-based official services. The amount of the administrative fee is based on the relevant law of costs and the cost schedule. Generally, the fee for each certification is 5.00 EUR (and 2.50 EUR for every additional certification of the same document).

Documents requiring certification for submittal at a social insurance office are free of charge.