Authentication

Signatures

The certification of a signature is done by acknowledging or executing the signature before the consular officer. A name signature can only be authenticated if it is executed before the consular officer. In both cases, the personal appearance of the person whose signature, name signature or hand sign is to be certified is required.

Photocopies

Please note that for the certification of the conformity of photocopies or a certified copy, the original must be presented.

Copies of Ethiopian public documents can only be authenticated if the authenticity of the original can be determined without a doubt, i. e. documents with security features such as drivers’ licenses or passports.

Verification of Ethiopian documents for use in Germany

Ethiopian documents cannot be legalised. On request of German authorities, the Embassy can carry out a document verification. Whether a document verification is necessary is at the discretion of the German authority or court where the document is to be used as evidence. Private individuals cannot initiate a document verification.

More detailed information on this process is available on our German website.

Legalisation of German documents for use in Ethiopia

The Ethiopian authorities may require German documents to legalised. The legalisation is carried out by the Ethiopian Embassy in Berlin.

The German Embassy in Addis Ababa cannot legalise any German documents, including civil status documents such as birth or marriage certificates.