Documents from Tunisia: legalisation, not apostille
Do not assume an apostille is enough for Germany. Tunisia acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention (in force 30 March 2018), but Germany objected to the accession on 1 December 2017 under Article 12 (2). The HCCH status table records no withdrawal of the German objection (HCCH; Belgium withdrew its objection in 2025, Germany did not; Austria and Greece also objected to Tunisia's accession, per the HCCH table). So between Germany and Tunisia the Convention does not apply: legalisation is needed.
How legalisation works at the Embassy Tunis
- Applications for legalisation or consular certification of Tunisian documents (and certified copies) are filed with the external provider TLScontact; the Embassy then performs the official act. Book on the TLScontact website. Separate provider fees apply (Embassy page, 1 July 2026).
- Signature attestations and other consular certificates are filed directly at the consular section, Monday to Friday 8:00 to 10:00, no appointment needed; you sign in front of the officer, with your passport.
- The Embassy fee for legalisation is set in the Besondere Gebührenverordnung des Auswärtigen Amts (item 7.1: €30 to €39 per document, depending on the zone level, AABGebV Annex 1). The exact amount for Tunis, processing time and whether a Tunisian pre-authentication step is required: not confirmed; see the Embassy's information sheets.
Document verification by a trusted lawyer (Vertrauensanwalt): the Embassy pages we read do not mention it for Tunis. In other missions the embassy orders such checks for an authority, which pays; private persons cannot request them. Whether this applies in Tunis: not confirmed.
- Do not pay intermediaries to "legalise" papers: Avoiding scams.
Documents you will usually need
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Passport | Valid beyond the planned stay. |
| Baccalauréat, diplomas, transcripts | For study and recognition; see Admission and Recognition. |
| Birth and marriage certificates | Needed for family cases; legalisation by the Embassy. |
| Police record (extrait du casier judiciaire) | Only if a German office asks; not checked. |
| Employment certificates, CV | Translations; private papers are usually not legalised. |
Translations
- Documents in Arabic or French: whether German offices accept French without translation is not confirmed; ask the office. German translations are normally by a sworn translator. uni-assist asks for the Arabic original of the Baccalauréat (Admission).
- Recognition bodies can be stricter than the Embassy. Ask first, then pay.
A question this page does not answer? Contact us. Free orientation only, no legal advice for individual cases.