Please note that neither the Australian Government nor the Australian Embassy Berlin/Australian Consulate-General Frankfurt guarantees the legal effectiveness of the notarised document or the accuracy of its content. Fees paid for notarial services are non-refundable.
Notarial services are offered in person and by appointment only at the Australian Embassy Berlin and the Consulate-General in Frankfurt. Please visit smartraveller before booking an appointment to learn about the different types of notarial services we offer and requirements before we can perform them. Please bring your valid passport or ID card and the original documents to the appointment.
Please also check under the "local suppliers" section of this page to find information on German notaries public and the notarial services they may be able to perform for you.
A-Z Directory
Book an appointment in Berlin or Frankfurt
Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage
Outreach appointments
Proof of Life
Statutory declarations
Witnessing of Signatures - South Australia
Australian Driver's Licence Renewals
The Australian Embassy Berlin and Consulate-General Frankfurt can witness signatures and endorse photos for driver's licence renewal forms. We cannot renew the licences. Please contact the relevant road authority in Australia to obtain the necessary form for renewing your licence while residing overseas. For information on registration and licences, please visit the website of the respective road authority.
FAQs
Do you provide notarial services from anywhere else in Germany?
No - unfortunately these services are only available from the Australian Embassy Berlin and the Consulate-General in Frankfurt.
The form says I can use a JP or police officer but I can't find one who is willing to do this in Germany. What can I do?
Generally the guidance about who can witness or legalise a document is provided with the assumption you are in Australia, where police and JP's are commonly used for these services. This is not the case in Germany or once you are overseas.
I've been told I need to get this done by the Embassy or Consulate, is there someone else I can use?
Some organisations - such as your bank or a Government agency - will stipulate that you must use an Australian Embassy or High Commission if you are overseas. We would recommend you contact the authority you get your documents legalised and ask who they will or won't accept. Some agencies may accept a local solicitor or notary public to perform these services. For a list of notaries public, please see local suppliers.
I've been asked to get you to verify my ID, what documents do I need to bring into you?
We cannot advise you on what documents you may need to provide. If you have questions about what is required you need to seek clarification from the agency who is requesting that you have this done.
Why does this cost money when I can get it for free in Australia?
The charges for the overseas provision of these services is set by the Consular Fees Act 1955.
Local suppliers
Often it is not necessary for a consular officer to perform the notarial service requested. We would recommend that you contact the organisation or authority requesting the document and ask for a list of suppliers who may perform the service. Australia and Germany are party to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents and often a certified copy of a document or a signature witnessed by a German notary public (with an English stamp) and an apostille affixed to the document by the German authorities is sufficient.
You can find notaries public in Germany here: http://www.notar.de/. The search engine allows you to search for notaries public in your area. You can filter your search by location and language. We recommend contacting the notary public in advance to ensure that they have an English stamp for the certification/authentication.
Contact your local registry office or town hall to enquire about an appointment for an apostille.
If you are unsure of the legislative requirements relating to witnessing signatures on a particular document, you should seek independent legal advice. The Australian Embassy Berlin and the Consulate-General Frankurt cannot provide legal advice.
The Statutory Declarations Regulations 2018 (the Regulations) commenced on 18 September 2018. The Regulations now specify that a notary public (however described) appointed overseas, exercising his or her functions at that place, is able to witness a Commonwealth statutory declaration. This is in addition to the ability of notary publics appointed in Australia to witness Commonwealth statutory declarations.
Notarial Fees
The Consular Fees Act 1955 (Cth) and the Consular Fees Regulations 2018 (Cth) set out the fees charged for notarial services.
A fee is required to be charged per service performed. For example, a seperate fee will be charged for each document requiring certification. If you require the witnessing of the signatures of two seperate clients on one single document, two fees will required to be charged. You can find a list of fees here.
Proof of Life
If you are a required to provide a proof of life certificate to Centrelink, you can have the certificate verified by one of the people listed below. Please note that consular officer can assist with the verification, is however, required to charge a witnessing fee in accordance with the Consular Fees Act 1955 (Cth). We therefore recommend that you request this service from another person eligible to assist who can perform this service free of charge.
You are required to have this certificate verified (see page 4) by one of the people listed below:
– Official of a local or regional government authority or pension agency
– Lawyer/ Solicitor/ Barrister of a law court
– Police Officer
– Australian Embassy/ Consulate/ High Commission
– Judge/ Magistrate of a law court
– Registrar of a law court
– Justice of the peace or equivalent
– Notary public or equivalent
– Medical Doctor who is registered/licenced to practice by the country’s relevant competent authority.
Wenn Sie Centrelink eine Lebensbescheinigung vorlegen müssen, können Sie die Bescheinigung von einer der unten aufgeführten Personen überprüfen lassen. Bitte beachten Sie, dass Konsularbeamte bei der Überprüfung behilflich sein können, jedoch gemäß dem Consular Fees Act 1955 (Cth) eine Gebühr für die Beglaubigung erheben müssen. Wir empfehlen Ihnen daher, sich an eine andere Person zu wenden, die dazu berechtigt ist und die diese Dienstleistung kostenfrei erbringen kann.
Sie müssen diese Bescheinigung von einer der im Folgenden beschriebenen Personen/Stellen bestätigen lassen:
– Beamter/-tin einer lokalen oder regionalen Regierungsbehörde oder eines Rentenversicherungsträgers
– Rechtsanwalt/Anwalt/Prozessbevollmächtigter Anwalt
– Polizeibeamter
– Australische(s) Botschaft/Konsulat/Hochkommission
– Richter/Amtsgerichtsrichter
– Gerichtsbeamter/Justizangestellter
– Friedensrichter oder vergleichbarer Beruf
– Öffentlicher Notar oder vergleichbarer Beruf
– Ein von der zuständigen Behörde des Landes approbierter/zugelassener Arzt.
Statutory declarations
STATUTORY DECLARATIONS - Please complete the statutory declaration (do not sign) and have it ready for an officer to witness your signature at the Australian Embassy. For a copy of a blank Commonwealth statutory declaration form, please click here.
If you have a myGov account, statutory declarations can now also be created digitally using your digital identity instead of a witness. For more information, please click here or here.
Consular officers cannot witness SA Statutory Declarations in accordance with SA leglisation. We recommend you contact the requesting authority and request a list of authorised witnesses overseas.
Translations
Australian Embassy Berlin and the Consulate-General Frankfurt do not provide translation services. Please visit www.bdue.de (Bund deutscher Übersetzer) or www.naati.com.au (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) for a list of certified translators and interpreters.
Witnessing of Signatures - South Australia
Consular officers cannot witness SA Statutory Declarations in accordance with SA leglisation. We recommend you contact the requesting authority and request a list of authorised witnesses overseas.
Appointments for passport interviews and notarial services - outreach
There are currently no other outreach events scheduled. If you have a general interest in upcoming appointments for passport or notarial services in Munich, please email: [email protected] to be placed on our mailing list. Please advise of your full name, date of birth, passport number, the service you require. As soon as an event is scheduled, you will be sent an email and it will be advertised on this website. Emails requesting information on potential upcoming dates cannot be answered.