Your mom calls from Kyiv: “We need to sell the apartment urgently.” Or the bank needs a power of attorney to manage an account. Or a notary in Odesa is waiting for a document to process an inheritance. And you’re in Berlin with no way to fly back tomorrow. Sound familiar? Then you need a power of attorney (Vollmacht in German, довіреність in Ukrainian) - a document that lets someone else act on your behalf. Here’s how to get one from Germany so that Ukrainian authorities accept it without any issues.
Two options: consulate or German notary¶
If you’re in Germany and need a power of attorney for actions in Ukraine, you’ve got two paths:
- Through a Ukrainian consulate - you get the PoA at the consular office, and it’s immediately valid in Ukraine
- Through a German notary - the notary certifies your signature, then you add an apostille and get a translation
The consulate route is cheaper (46 EUR vs 75-165 EUR), but it’s harder to book an appointment. A German notary costs more, but you can usually get a slot within days. Let’s break down each option.
Option 1: Ukrainian consulate¶
This is the most common route, and for good reason. A power of attorney issued through the consulate is immediately valid in Ukraine. No apostille, no translation, no additional legalization needed.
What you need to do¶
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Prepare the text of the power of attorney in advance. This is the key point - the consulate does NOT draft the text for you. You come with a ready document, and the consul only certifies it. The text must be in Ukrainian, with the authorized person’s powers clearly specified. If you’re not sure how to draft it, consult a lawyer who specializes in Ukrainian law.
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Book an appointment at go.mfa.gov.ua, selecting “Notarial actions” (for property-related PoAs, select “Property power of attorney”).
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Show up in person with: - Your Ukrainian passport (international or domestic) - A copy of your passport - Your Ukrainian tax ID number (IPN) - A copy of the authorized person’s passport
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Pay the consular fee (card or cash).
Where to go: five consulates in Germany¶
There are five Ukrainian diplomatic offices in Germany. You can only use the one assigned to your area of residence:
| Office | Federal states |
|---|---|
| Embassy (Berlin) | Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen |
| Consulate (Munich) | Bayern, Baden-Württemberg |
| Consulate (Frankfurt) | Hessen, Saarland, Rheinland-Pfalz |
| Consulate (Hamburg) | Hamburg, Bremen, Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein |
| Consulate (Dusseldorf) | Nordrhein-Westfalen |
Cost¶
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Certification of power of attorney | 28 EUR |
| Registration in the Unified Register of Powers of Attorney | 18 EUR |
| Total | 46 EUR |
The Unified Register is an electronic database maintained by Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice. It records all notarized powers of attorney. Registration isn’t strictly mandatory, but without it, some Ukrainian institutions may refuse to accept your PoA - especially for real estate transactions. Don’t skip these 18 EUR.
Downsides¶
The main problem is availability. Booking an appointment at the consulate for notarial actions sometimes means waiting several weeks. The other thing - you prepare the text yourself or with a lawyer. The consul won’t write it, won’t review the content, and won’t suggest wording.
Option 2: German notary¶
If you can’t get a consulate appointment or need the PoA urgently, go to any German notary (Notar). The procedure is called Unterschriftsbeglaubigung - certification of signature.
Step-by-step process¶
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Draft the power of attorney in Ukrainian in the format required by Ukrainian authorities. Include all necessary details and powers. Don’t sign it yet.
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Book an appointment with any German notary and request a signature certification (Beglaubigung der Unterschrift). The notary doesn’t need to understand the Ukrainian text - they’re certifying your signature, not the document’s content.
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Sign the PoA in the notary’s presence. They check your passport, you sign, and the notary adds their certification stamp in German.
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Get an apostille on the document. The apostille is issued by the Landgericht (regional court) where the notary is registered. Cost: 25 EUR. Timeline: a few days to 2 weeks depending on the federal state.
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Order a certified translation of the notary’s certification and apostille into Ukrainian. The translation must be done by a sworn translator (vereidigter Übersetzer) or be notarially certified.
After these steps, you can send the PoA to Ukraine and use it.
Cost¶
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Unterschriftsbeglaubigung (notary) | 20-80 EUR |
| Apostille (Landgericht) | 25 EUR |
| Certified translation of stamp + apostille | 30-60 EUR |
| Total | 75-165 EUR |
The notary fee depends on the type of PoA. A simple signature certification starts at around 20 EUR. If the PoA involves significant property and the notary performs a full Beurkundung (notarial authentication), the price can go up to 80-280 EUR depending on the property value.
Pros and cons¶
Pro: getting a notary appointment is usually much easier than the consulate - often you can find a slot within the same week.
Con: more expensive and slower. On top of the notary fee, you need an apostille (up to 2 weeks) and a translation.
Types of power of attorney: which one do you need?¶
Before you book anything, figure out which type of PoA you need. This determines the text and scope of authority.
| Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One-time | One specific action | Collecting an apostille on a birth certificate |
| Special | Multiple similar actions over time | Court representation in an inheritance case |
| General | Broad range of actions on your behalf | Full property management - selling, renting, banking |
| Property | Disposing of real estate or vehicles | Selling an apartment, executing a deed of gift |
Don’t get a general power of attorney if you only need one specific action. A general PoA gives very broad authority - if the person you’re authorizing abuses it, reversing the damage is extremely difficult. For most situations (collecting documents, filing applications, picking up certificates) a one-time or special PoA is enough.
Ukrainian PoA for use in Germany¶
Sometimes it works the other way: someone in Ukraine issues a power of attorney that needs to be used in Germany. For example, your mom in Kyiv wants you to open a bank account or sign a lease on her behalf.
For this you need:
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An apostille on the PoA - issued in Ukraine through the Ministry of Justice or the online apostille system. Cost: from 430 UAH (about 10 EUR).
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A certified translation into German - by a sworn translator (vereidigter Übersetzer) registered in Germany. Translations done in Ukraine are typically not accepted by German authorities - you need a sworn translator registered in Germany specifically.
Without an apostille and translation, a Ukrainian PoA won’t be accepted in Germany. More about the difference between apostille and legalization in a separate article.
You can find a sworn translator at justiz-dolmetscher.de or order a certified translation online from ChatsControl.
Comparing the two options¶
| Criteria | Consulate | German notary |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ~46 EUR | 75-165 EUR |
| Appointment wait | Several weeks | A few days |
| Apostille needed? | No | Yes (25 EUR, up to 2 weeks) |
| Translation needed? | No | Yes (30-60 EUR) |
| Unified Register entry | Done on the spot | Separately, in Ukraine |
| Where available | Your assigned consulate only | Any notary in Germany |
| Valid in Ukraine | Immediately | After apostille and translation |
If you have time to wait for a consulate appointment - it’s clearly cheaper and simpler. If you need it urgently and the consulate is booked for weeks - go with a notary.
Common mistakes¶
On a forum for Ukrainians in Germany, one user shared their experience: “Went to the notary with my power of attorney, he certified the signature. Flew to Ukraine - and they told me they won’t accept it without an apostille. Had to wait weeks for friends in Germany to get the apostille and mail it.” To avoid ending up in a similar situation:
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Forgetting the apostille. A PoA from a German notary is invalid in Ukraine without an apostille. This step is mandatory.
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Vague wording of authority. If the PoA says “property management” but you actually need to sell an apartment - the Ukrainian notary will refuse. The word “sale” must be stated explicitly, along with the specific property address and cadastral number.
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Skipping the Unified Register. For real estate transactions, registration is practically required - without it, a notary in Ukraine may refuse to process the deal.
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Expired validity. If no expiry date is specified, the PoA is valid for 3 years under Ukrainian law. But if a specific end date is written in - after that date, the document is worthless.
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One document for everything. If you need to perform actions in different cities or institutions, it’s better to get separate powers of attorney. Some offices keep the original, and you’ll be left with nothing.
FAQ¶
How much does it cost to get a power of attorney in Germany for Ukraine?¶
Through the consulate - 46 EUR (28 for certification + 18 for Unified Register entry). Through a German notary - 75 to 165 EUR (notary 20-80 EUR + apostille 25 EUR + certified translation 30-60 EUR). The notary fee depends on the type of PoA and the value of the property involved.
Do I need a translation if I get the PoA at the consulate?¶
No. A power of attorney issued by a Ukrainian consulate is in Ukrainian and doesn’t require any translation, apostille, or additional legalization. It’s immediately valid in Ukraine.
Can I get a power of attorney remotely, without showing up in person?¶
No. Both at the consulate and the notary, your personal presence is required - you must sign the document in front of an official. Remote issuance of powers of attorney is not available.
How do I revoke a power of attorney from abroad?¶
If the PoA was issued at a consulate - submit a revocation request at the same or another Ukrainian consulate. If it was done through a notary - the revocation can be processed by any notary, with the information entered into the Unified Register of Powers of Attorney. Make sure to also notify the authorized person and all institutions where the PoA was used.
How do I translate a Ukrainian power of attorney for Germany?¶
You need a certified translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung) by a sworn translator in Germany. Translations done in Ukraine are generally not accepted. The PoA itself must have an apostille - without it, the document is invalid in Germany.
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