If you live in Germany, documents for use in India should be attested at the Indian Embassy in Berlin or the Consulate General in Frankfurt, Munich or Hamburg. Although both countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention, Germany lodged an objection to India's accession, so the Convention does not operate between them. The consulate-attested power of attorney is stamped in India and used by our advocates on your behalf.
- Document route
- Indian Embassy or Consulate attestation
- Time difference
- 3.5 to 4.5 hours behind IST
- German judgments
- Enforced in India by fresh suit
- Apostille between the two
- Not applicable
What clients in Germany need
Most are in their twenties to forties, on work or study permits or newly naturalised, with parents in India. Their matters are forward-looking: buying a first flat in India or deciding whether to; helping parents with a will and nominations; responding to an income tax notice triggered by a property purchase or large deposit; and, increasingly since Germany began allowing multiple citizenship in 2024, understanding what taking a German passport means for rights in India. India still does not permit dual citizenship, so naturalisation ends Indian citizenship and OCI becomes the route to continued rights.
Signing documents in Germany for use in India
When India joined the Apostille Convention, Germany objected under Article 12, with the effect that the Convention is not in force between the two states. A German apostille therefore cannot be relied on for India, and Indian documents are not accepted in Germany with an Indian apostille. The dependable route is to sign the power of attorney or affidavit before the consular officer at the Indian mission for your federal state, applying through its service portal with passport, residence permit and registration certificate.
German citizens of Indian origin are typically asked to have the document certified by a German notary first, and then attested by the mission. Confirm the current practice of your consulate before the appointment. The original is then stamped in India within three months. See the attestation guide.
Services most requested from Germany
Documents, planning for parents and tax compliance.
Apostille & Document Attestation
Getting German-signed documents accepted in India despite the apostille bar.
Power of Attorney for India
Consulate-attested powers of attorney for property and banking.
Income Tax Notices & Appeals
Replies to Indian tax notices and status questions.
Will Drafting & Probate
Indian wills for parents and for your own assets.
OCI Card Legal Issues
OCI questions after German naturalisation.
Buying & Selling Property
Purchases and sales handled through an attorney holder.
Tax between Germany and India
German residents are taxed on worldwide income. Under the treaty, income from immovable property in India may be taxed in India, and Germany relieves the resulting double taxation in the manner the treaty prescribes. Gains on private property held for more than ten years are outside German income tax under domestic law. Germany levies inheritance and gift tax on worldwide assets where the deceased or the heir is resident, which can bring a house in India into German tax when a parent dies; allowances between parents and children are substantial but not unlimited. Take German advice early.
On the Indian side, see TDS and capital gains and repatriation.
Court orders, family cases and working hours
Germany is not a reciprocating territory, so German judgments are enforced in India by suit. German divorce decrees, granted on breakdown after separation, are recognised in India where both spouses participated; contested or one-sided decrees should be reviewed before remarriage in India. Germany is a Hague Abduction Convention state; India is not.
Our afternoon is your morning; calls before 2 pm German time work best.
All services for NRIs in Germany
Every service below is available to clients living in Germany and is handled in India on your authority. Open any one for the law, documents and process.
Property & Real Estate
- NRI Property Dispute Resolution
- Property Partition Suit
- Title Verification & Due Diligence
- Power of Attorney for India
- Illegal Possession & Encroachment
- Builder Fraud & RERA Complaints
- Buying & Selling Property
- Property Transfer & Mutation
- Landlord-Tenant & Eviction
- Adverse Possession Defence
Inheritance, Wills & Documents
Family, Marriage & OCI
- NRI Divorce
- Child Custody & Guardianship
- Maintenance & Alimony
- Domestic Violence Cases
- Adoption from India
- Marriage Registration
- OCI Card Legal Issues
- Parents & Senior Citizen Rights
Tax, Banking & FEMA
- Income Tax Notices & Appeals
- TDS & Capital Gains on Property Sale
- Repatriation of Funds
- Shares Transmission & IEPF Recovery
- FEMA Compliance & RBI Notices
Business & Corporate
Criminal Defence & Recovery
- FIR Quashing & Bail
- Cheque Bounce & Money Recovery
- Fraud & Cybercrime Recovery
- Look Out Circular & Extradition
Claims & Compensation
Indian missions in Germany
Jurisdiction is by federal state. Check your consulate's website for appointment and document rules.
- Embassy of India, Berlin
- Consulate General, Frankfurt
- Consulate General, Munich
- Consulate General, Hamburg
Frequently asked questions
Is a German apostille valid in India?
No. Because Germany objected to India's accession, the Apostille Convention does not apply between the two countries. Have the document attested at the Indian Embassy or Consulate.
I became a German citizen. Do I lose my property in India?
No. Property you own remains yours. You cease to be an Indian citizen, should surrender your Indian passport and can apply for OCI, which preserves rights to hold and inherit property other than buying agricultural land.
Does Germany tax property I inherit in India?
German inheritance tax can apply to worldwide assets if you or the deceased are resident in Germany, subject to allowances. India levies no inheritance tax. Consult a German tax adviser.
How do I give a power of attorney from Germany?
Sign it before the consular officer at the Indian mission for your state, after notarisation if required, and courier the original to India for stamping within three months.
Will a German divorce be recognised in India?
Usually where both spouses took part in the proceedings. A decree obtained without the other spouse's participation may be open to challenge in India.
Does a German notarial deed work for selling property in India?
No. Sale of Indian property needs a deed registered in India; you authorise it through a power of attorney attested at the Indian mission.
Do I need certified translations?
Yes, if any part of the document or notarial certificate is in German. Indian offices work in English or the state language.