A German Certificate of Conduct may be required for immigration, residence, employment or other official procedures abroad. In Germany, this document is called a Führungszeugnis and is issued by the Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz). Processing times may vary depending on the type of certificate and the application procedure.
If you currently live in Germany, you can normally apply through the local registration authority responsible for your place of residence. You may also be able to apply online through the official portal of the Federal Office of Justice if you have a suitable electronic identification document with the online identification function activated.
The online application usually works well if you have a German identity card with the online identification function enabled. If this function has not yet been activated, you will normally need to arrange this in person with the responsible local authority in Germany.
If you have already left Germany, obtaining a Certificate of Conduct can be more complicated. In general, you can apply directly to the Federal Office of Justice either in writing or online.
The online procedure is convenient, but it is only available if you have a supported electronic identification document, such as a German identity card or an electronic residence permit (eAT) with an activated online identification function. A standard foreign passport, for example a US passport without the required electronic identification function, cannot normally be used for this procedure.
Even if you have a suitable electronic ID, there may also be restrictions on where the completed certificate can be sent. Depending on the type of application, the document may need to be delivered to an address in Germany or, where available, to a German diplomatic mission abroad.
A written application must also meet the formal German requirements. In particular, it must contain the required personal information and, where necessary, an officially certified confirmation of your identity and signature. The completed certificate can normally be sent only to an address in Germany or, where this service is available, to a German diplomatic mission abroad.
If the receiving authority also requires an apostille, the Certificate of Conduct must first be obtained in the appropriate form. The apostille must then be arranged separately through the competent German authority.
It is important to understand that obtaining the Certificate of Conduct and obtaining an apostille are two separate procedures. An apostilled certificate cannot normally be obtained simply by requesting the Certificate of Conduct from the Federal Office of Justice.
A simpler option may be to use a document assistance service in Germany. We can help prepare the application, coordinate the apostille procedure where required, receive completed documents in Germany where permitted, and arrange international delivery.
This can help you avoid unnecessary travel to Germany and reduce the need to deal with several German authorities yourself.
You can request assistance with obtaining a German Certificate of Conduct with an apostille, or with arranging an apostille for an existing certificate, here.