Legalisation information

TLScontact can take in documents to apply for the following:

1. Legalization - as a rule, documents which have been certified by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs must be legalized by the Embassy of Germany in Cairo in order to be accepted as genuine by authorities in Germany. The legalization confirms the authenticity of the signature and the seal of the person who has issued the document. Please follow these steps in order to submit your documents for legalization. For detailed information on which documents can be legalized and the requirements please go to: Legalizations (in German) or Legalization (in Arabic).
2. Authentications of copies - for the requirements please go to: Requirements for authentication of copies (in German) or Requirements for authentication of copies (in Arabic).
3. Translator certification - This is a certification on an Arabic translation of German document For the List of certified translators, please click here.

Note: The German document can be original, certified copy or copy.

TLScontact cannot take in applications for:

1. Consular statements (eg. Certificate of being alive, certificate of nonimpediment for a marriage etc.). Information on this and how to apply: Consular statements (in German) or Consular statements (in Arabic).
2. Authentications of signatures. For more info see: Authentications of signatures (in German) or Authentications of signatures (in Arabic).
3. Authentications of documents issued in Germany. For more info see: Authentications of documents issued in Germany (in German) or Authentications of documents issued in Germany (in Arabic).

Important notes:

• The original civil status certificates (e.g. birth certificates / marriage certificate) which are issued in English or German is not acceptable, therefore you have to issue it in Arabic then translate it into German from the certified translators, however if the document issued half Arabic and half other language, it is acceptable but you still need to translate the Arabic Part from the certified translators.
• Original certificates which are issued in English can be legalized without translation (e.g. university certificates). However Arabic certificates that were translated into English cannot be legalized, in this case they need to be translated into German from the certified translators.
• The German certificates which are need the Translator certification service, it must be translated into Arabic from the certified translators in Egypt only so the certificates which are translated to Arabic in Germany is not acceptable.

Important – new rule for employment visa starting from the 5th of June 2023:

• You don’t need to legalize your university degree(s) if you apply for an employment visa;
• We only need the original university degree plus a copy with a certified translation;
• The new rule only for highly skilled workers with university degree, Blue Card EU, scientists with hosting agreement).

In general only public documents or documents with public credence (for example university certificates) that have been issued by Egyptian authorities can be legalized by the Embassy of Germany in Cairo.

Before the document can be legalized by the Embassy of Germany in Cairo, firstly, it needs to be authenticated by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at one of their legalization offices in or outside Cairo. For the addresses of the offices please click here (Arabic only). For more information please contact the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The authentication by the Egyptian Ministry must not be older than one year. It must be provided in a readable format and contain all necessary information (registration number, date, signature, name and seal of the person who has issued the document).

The signature of the authentication of the Egyptian Ministry has to be known to the German Embassy. In case an authentication should be signed by an official, whose signature has not (yet) been notified to the German Embassy, the document cannot be legalized and applicants need to return to the Ministry to repeat the process. 

All documents in Arabic language must be translated into German by a translator who is recognized by the Embassy of Germany in Cairo. A list of approved translators can be found on the website of the German Embassy. Translations done by certified translators in Germany (“Vereidigte Übersetzer”) can be accepted as well. Documents issued in English by the competent Egyptian authorities will not be accepted, as they must be issued in Arabic by the competent Egyptian authorities and translated by certified translators.

Universities certificate and the transcript only are accepted in English if they are not translated inside the universities and issued originally in English.

For authentication of copies please make sure to bring the original and that documents fulfill the requirements as mentioned on the website of the German Embassy.

The system will ask you to enter Email and password in order to correctly process your documents.

The service fee payment will be online during the appointment booking process.

The visa fee has to be paid in EGP in cash at TLScontact centre.

The system will prompt you to enter some personal details in order to correctly process your documents. 

Note:

• You must enter the personal data of the person whose documents are to be submitted, even if that person is a minor, Applications with wrong data will not be granted access to the center and will have to book a new appointment;
• If you don't have a passport, you can use your ID number in the filed of "Travel document number".

Choose a date and time of your convenience to submit your documents at our centre. Do not forget to print out your notification as it will be required at our welcome area.

TLScontact opens appointments in agreement with the Embassy and we therefore ask you to keep checking our website regularly.

We are aware that slots fill up fast when they are opened but this is due to the high demand.

Please note that TLScontact cannot give appointments other than those opened and we cannot make exceptions.

• Black appointments slots = Fully booked appointments or not available appointments.
• Green appointments slots = Available appointments.

  Note

• The service fee payment will be "online" during the appointment booking process.
• The visa fee has to be paid in EGP in cash at TLScontact centre.
• You can amend your appointment only once maximum 48 hours prior to the appointment date.

Once you have checked in with our welcome desk, you will be directed to a counter where a TLScontact agent will verify the presence and compliance of all of your required documentation. You will be given a follow-up form indicating which documents have been submitted and which are missing, if any. If your file is complete, it will be sent to the Embassy of Germany in Cairo for legalization.

You can also submit your documents by an authorized representative to submit the documents on your behalf. He/she has to provide a signed letter of authorization as well as the original and copy of his/her ID card. The representative cannot be a minor.

Please arrive on time for your scheduled appointment with the notification receipt. If you are late or you fail to attend your appointment, you will be required to make a new appointment (maximum lateness is 29 minutes).

Note: Children under 12 years old are not allowed to enter the centre.

After the German Embassy in Cairo completes the legalization procedures, your documents will be returned to you by our courier service. You will be notified via SMS and email once the documents arrives.