Legalisation

When a Danish document has to be used abroad, it often has to be legalised.

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What is Legalisation?

Legalisation is a confirmation that the signature on a document is genuine. The actual legalisation process consists of a stamp (Apostille) and a signature. Legalisation does not have anything to do with the contents of a document.

The fee for 1 legalisation is DKK 185.-.

The Legalisation procedure

Since 01.01.2007, most documents only need to undergo one single legalisation process at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It is thus no longer necessary, for example, to have a civil marriage certificate legalised at the Ministry of the Interior or a diploma legalised at the Ministry of Education prior to legalisation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Certain documents require more legalisation processes

There are, however, exceptions to the new, simplified legalisation procedure, see information about private documents (e.g. powers of attorney), export documents, and countries outside the Apostille Convention.

Original signature

The document must bear an original signature of the authority that has issued it in order that it can be legalised. If the signature can be accepted, the document is legalised by means of a stamp and a signature. 

Maximum 3 months

In some cases documents may be a maximum of 3 months old at the time of legalisation.

This applies, for example, to birth and baptism certificates, church marriage certificates, printouts from the national register, and extracts from police records.
However, marriage certificates from civil weddings may well be older than 3 months at the time of the legalisation.

If you need a new certificate, please contact the authority that issued the old one.

Delivery of documents for legalisation

Personal callers

As a general rule you can expect to have your documents legalised while you wait. A larger number of documents must be left, and will normally be available for pick-up the following day. Legalised documents can also be sent to a desired address if a stamped, addressed envelope is provided.

The fee of DKK 185.- for each legalisation process can be paid in cash in Danish kroner, by cheque, or by Dankort. Foreign currencies and credit cards are not accepted.

Document by post

Documents that are to be legalised can also be sent by post to 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Legalisation Office
Asiatisk Plads 2
DK-1448 Copenhagen K

If the documents are to sent/returned to an address in Denmark, please enclose a stamped, addressed envelope as well as a receipt of a bank transfer, a bank giro, or a cheque (payable to Udenrigsministeriet) to cover the legalisation fee. Please also state your contact telephone number.

If the documents are to be sent/returned abroad, please enclose an unstamped, addressed envelope and pay an additional DKK 90.- to cover postage by registered mail or DKK 15.-  for postage by ordinary mail. Please indicate the desired way of posting.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalises and returns the documents within 5 working days. During the summer months July and August and around Christmas (the office will  be closed from December 23, 2013 o January 2, 201) , you should, however, expect a handling time of about 10 working days.

We do not return documents by courier service.

Please make your transfer to:

Bank:

Danske Bank
Girostroeget 1
0800 Hoeje Taastrup
Registration No. 0216
Account No. 4069066364
IBAN: DK2402164069066364
SWIFT/BIC: DABADKKK

Language

The Apostille stamp is bilingual Danish/English. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may only have one version of the Apostille, we are no longer able to offer endorsement of a document in, for example, French or Spanish.

Address

Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Legalisation Office
Asiatisk Plads 2
DK-1448 Copenhagen K

Tel.: +45 33 92 12 33
Fax: +45 33 92 01 38
E-mail: legalisering@um.dk