Pre-authentication of certificates or documents for the purpose of legalization or for an apostille

Please clarify in advance whether you need an apostille or legalization and which requirements must be met. To do this, you can contact the embassy or consulate of the country concerned.

Before the final document can be issued by the Senator for Home Affairs, you will need preliminary legalization.

If you live in the federal state of Bremen, please make an appointment to come in person and bring all the required original documents with you. You will also pay the fee in cash at this appointment.

If you live outside Bremen, you can also apply for the pre-certification of your document in writing. To do this, please send an informal application together with your contact details and the original certificate together with a copy by registered post. After processing, you will receive the original certificate back by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. Please note that in addition to the processing fee, there will be separate postage costs for this, which will be charged to you. Pre-certification can only take place once payment has been received.

Competent authorities:

• For certificates from private general education schools and for certificates for the first and second state examinations in accordance with the Bremisches Ausbildungsgesetz für Lehrämter, BremLAG:
  
  • Department 21 - Design tasks of general education schools and teacher training
• For certificates from private and public vocational schools:
  
  • Department 22 - Ministerial and school operational tasks, vocational schools
• For certificates of general public schools:
  
  • Department 24 - School Operations, School Development, Counseling and Supervision - General Education Schools
• For certificates from a university in Bremen:
  
  • University of Bremen | International Office

With the pre-certification you can obtain the final document from the Senator for the Interior and Sport.

More information

With the pre-legalization you can contact the Senator for the Interior and Sport to apply for an apostille or a pre-legalization for the purpose of legalization for the use of the document abroad. Further information can be found under the link "Information on the legalization procedure of the Federal Foreign Office" under "Further information".

Documents from authorities in other federal states must be pre-certified in the respective federal state.

• Documents for the Senator for Children and Education
  
  • Informal application with your address and contact details, preferably in advance by e-mail. In this application, please state the country for which you require pre-certification.
  • Original certificate and copy.
  • Valid identity card or passport
• Documents for the Senator for Environment, Climate and Science
  

  Informal application by e-mail stating your address and the country for which the pre-certification is required. The original or an officially certified copy will be sent directly by the issuing university.

Information on the costs can be found in the relevant cost regulations.

What deadlines must be paid attention to?

Not specified

How long does it take to process

3 days bis 6 weeks

• Kostenverordnung der Bildungsverwaltung (BiKostV)
• § 1 BremVwVfG in Verbindung mit § 34 VwVfG
• Kostenverordnung der Wissenschaftsverwaltung (WiKostV) vom 31. Januar 2017- Transparenzportal Bremen

• Apostille beantragen
• Hinweise zum Legalisationsverfahren des Auswärtigen Amtes