Welcome
Legalization - Procedure
For the recognition of foreign public documents (e.g. civil status documents or documents drawn up by a foreign notary) in Germany, the receiving authority can require that the authenticity of a document be established either by an apostille or by legalization.
Legalizations can be processed at the Consulate Generals in Toronto and Vancouver. The competent Consulate General depends on the place where the document in question was issued. To determine the competent Consulate, please refer to the respective consular districts:
Consular Districts Consulate General Toronto:
Provinces of Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova-Scotia, Ontario, Prinz-Edward-Island, Quebec, Nunavut
Consular Districts Consulate General Vancouver:
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon
Authentication by Canadian government authority
- 1st step: Acquisition of the authentication at the competent Canadian authority
Which one is the competent Canadian authority?
List of the authorities including contact information.
Prior to legalization, the document has to be authenticated by the competent Canadian authority. The German Consulate can not obtain this prior authentication. If you are sending the documents from Germany, please include a letter for the Canadian authority, requesting the transfer of the authenticated document to the German Consulate General in either Toronto or Vancouver. Please check directly with the authority regarding fees and the mailing procedures.
Please advise the authentication office that the authentication is for the German Consulate General in Toronto resp. the German Consulate General in Vancouver and ask that the authentication includes a handwritten signature (no electronic signature). A certificate of authentication without a handwritten signature cannot be legalized.
Legalization by the German Consulate
- 2nd step: Legalization of the document by the German Consulate General Toronto or Vancouver
| a) In person |
After booking an appointment on our website (see bottom of this page), you or a representative can bring the original, authenticated document to the German Consulate General in either Toronto or Vancouver to have it legalized. The legalization is done on the spot and you will be able to take the legalized document with you after your appointment. The fee (see chart below) is payable in cash (Canadian Dollars). Up to 5 documents can be legalized in one appointment slot, for more documents please book more appointments accordingly.
| b) Mailing process |
Authenticated documents can also be sent to the German Consulate General in Toronto or Vancouver (the competent Consulate General depends on the place where the document was issued) by mail for legalization. We can forward the legalized document to a recipient in Canada or Germany.
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Required paperwork |
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1 |
The authenticated document |
Only originals can be legalized. |
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2 |
Cover letter |
Including your name, address, phone number and/or email address (in case that we have any further questions) For shipment to Germany also: declaration for payment of fees |
| 3 | Notice for use of mail services |
signed |
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4 |
Fee for the legalization: see Consular fees |
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4 |
Envelope for the return of the documents/for using a courier service |
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Please note: Documents that are sent in without authentication, cover letter, fees/proper money order or bank draft or return envelope cannot be processed.
Shipment to Germany
| Shipment to Germany |
Please do NOT send us any bank drafts or money orders in EUR!
If you reside in Germany, you can request to receive an invoice for the legalization and shipping fees. Please fill out the following form, sign it, and send it to us together with the other documents: Declaration for payment of fees
Please note! Invoices can only be made for the legalization fees only or legalization plus shipping fees.
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Options for shipment to Germany: |
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A |
Shipment via official mail |
10 EUR |
Please be aware that the official mail is sent to Germany every other week. |
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B |
Self-addressed prepaid envelope |
depends on mailing service provider |
To be provided by sender. In this case, you will only be billed for the legalization fee. |
Processing time for legalizations sent by mail is approx. 2 weeks plus mailing time. If the legalization request is incomplete (e.g. not or not correctly authenticated, no return envelope, etc), processing will take longer. There is no rush/express option available. We are unable to provide acknowledgement of receipt or status updates.
- If the currency exchange rate changes slightly between sending the documents and processing them, you will not be asked to pay the difference and will not receive any difference. This is to make the legalization process by mail possible.
- The German Consulate does not assume liability for documents lost in the mail.
Fees and contact
Fees for consular services
You always need an appointment for any type of service at a German foreign mission. Depeding on the mission, appointments can be booked online or by phone.
Please use this form to contact us in consular matters
