Consular services
For millions of German tourists and Germans resident abroad, the foreign missions are the most important link to Germany on all legal matters. You can find out more about the whole range of services on the following pages as well as on the websites of the German missions abroad.
Sometimes, even when abroad, Germans and foreigners may need to have documents certified or signatures or manual signs, transcripts or copies authenticated. Local notaries and authorities are not always able to be of assistance if the document in question is required in Germany.
Read more: Certification and Authentication of documents
Distances are diminishing as ever more networks span the globe. As globalization progresses, modern means of transport and communications technologies are bringing people closer together, a fact which is also reflected in the growing number of "international" marriages.
Read more: International marriages
The Foreign Office and the German missions abroad (embassies and consulates-general) are often asked for help when children are abducted across borders. The majority of such cases occur in the context of binational marriages or partnerships; when the relationship fails or after divorce the foreign father or mother takes one or more of their common children to his/her home country against the will of the German parent.
Read more: Abduction of children across borders
Documents are often only recognized by the authorities of another state if their authenticity and evidentiary value has been determined by a special procedure. But even formally authentic foreign documents have on occasion been discovered to contain inaccurate information. It must therefore be confirmed in the process of international recognition that documents that are to be used abroad were both issued from the responsible agency and are factually correct.
Read more: International Recognition / Legalization of Documents
