Documents from the Philippines
Do not assume a Philippine apostille is enough for Germany. The Hague Apostille Convention entered into force for the Philippines on 14 May 2019 (HCCH status table), but Germany objected to the accession (also AT, FI, GR; German Embassy Manila). Philippine apostilles without legalisation by the Embassy "continue to have no effect in German law".
How legalisation works
- First get the DFA Authentication Certificate (physical, not electronic) (DFA).
- Then the German Embassy legalises it. Applications go through VFS (since 15 October 2025). Fee: €36 per document plus the VFS fee. No translation is needed for the legalisation.
- E-apostilles and electronic documents cannot be legalised. CENOMAR/CEMAR must be no older than 6 months. PSA and NBI documents take about 1 week; others several weeks.
- Do not pay intermediaries to "legalise" papers: Avoiding scams.
Documents you will usually need
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Passport | Valid beyond the planned stay. |
| Diploma and Transcript of Records; PRC licence for nurses | Notarised copies; translation into German if the office asks. Same procedure question as above. |
| PSA birth and marriage certificates | Needed for family cases and some applications. Authentication route as above. |
| NBI clearance | Required by Triple Win; otherwise only if a German office asks. |
| Employment certificates, CV | Translations; private papers are usually not apostilled. |
Translations
- German translations by a sworn translator, as the Embassy leaflets ask.
- Recognition bodies can be stricter than the Embassy. Ask first, then pay.
- Bring originals plus copies in the order of the checklist.
A question this page does not answer? Contact us. Free orientation only, no legal advice for individual cases.