Notarization of documents and signatures

Notarization of documents - what does the Citizen Service certify?

Notarization if the original was issued by an authority or the copy is required for an authority

The Citizens' Service is generally authorized to certify copies if the original was issued by a public authority or if the copy is required for submission to a public authority (e.g. certificates).

Only partial legalization of foreign certificates and documents as well as German certificates and documents for use abroad

Foreign certificates and documents as well as German certificates and documents for use abroad may require other types of legalization for recognition. Please contact the office to be submitted for more information.

Certification of certificates/documents in languages other than German and non-Latin scripts - only with an officially recognized translation

Certificates and documents written in languages other than German will only be certified if an officially recognized translation is submitted. This serves to check the prohibition of legalization.

In the case of certificates and documents in non-Latin script, the photocopies are made by the Citizens' Service in order to rule out any discrepancies between the original and the photocopy.

Notarization of documents - what does the Citizens' Service not notarize?

No copies of documents from the registry office or the citizenship and naturalization authorities

By special legal regulation, the issuing of certified copies from official registers and archives of other authorities may be reserved exclusively (e.g. documents from the registry office and the citizenship and naturalization authorities). These may then not be certified by the Citizen Service. This applies to certificates and documents from German authorities as well as international certificates and documents.

No legalization of documents under private law

Notarizations of documents under private law that are not to be submitted to a public authority may not be carried out by the Citizens' Service (no official notarization). These documents may only be certified by a notary (notarial certification).

No legalization for changes to content

Furthermore, copies may not be certified if circumstances justify the assumption that the original content of the document whose copy is to be certified has been changed. In particular, if this document contains gaps, crossings out, insertions, changes, illegible words, numbers or symbols, traces of the removal of words, numbers and symbols or if the context of a document consisting of several sheets has been removed. In cases of doubt, certification will be refused.

Notarization of signatures

The Citizens' Service is authorized to certify signatures if the signed document is required for submission to an authority or other public body to which the signed document must be submitted under a legal provision.

This does not apply to

1. signatures without accompanying text,
2. signatures that require public certification(Section 129 of the German Civil Code) or notarization(Section 128 of the German Civil Code). This is particularly the case for private law matters such as probate court, commercial register, land register and similar.

Notarization of documents

• Up to 10 pages will be notarized within your appointment.
• For more than 10 pages, the notarizations can only be collected at a later date. Please discuss this with the Citizen Service employee during your appointment. The corresponding fee must be paid at the time of application.

Notarization of signatures

• The signature must be made in the presence of the Citizens' Service employee on the document to be submitted to the authority (not beforehand, the relevant document/form must be brought along).

• Identity card or passport
• Original documents and certificates
• In the case of documents and certificates written in Latin script, copies can be made in advance and brought along. Please note that this will lead to a longer processing time, as each copy must be compared with the original.
• Form/document for signature notarization (do not sign in advance!)

• §§ Sections 33, 34 of the Thuringian Administrative Procedure Act (ThürVwVfG)
• Thuringian General Administrative Cost Regulations (ThürAllgVwKostO)