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A copy certified by a Public Notary, a City Clerk or a Municipal Clerk solely confirms that such copy corresponds to the document designated by the client as the original document. However, it does not confirm the authenticity of the original. The same applies if we affix a supplementary certification to a certified copy. We do not confirm the authenticity of the original document. This is why copies of such documents are not always accepted abroad even though they bear our supplementary certification.
The authenticity of a public document, or rather of the original public signature, can therefore only be certified on the original document.
Please ask the respective office or authority abroad to which you need to submit documents about the required certifications.
The signatures of the Zurich or Winterthur Chambers of Commerce are seen as public signatures on certificates of origin, Carnet ATA or on CITES documents only.
All other documents with stamp and signature of the Chambers of Commerce can't be certified by us.
The Chambers of Commerce are no public certification offices for private and company documents in the Canton of Zurich. Please see below for further information.
We only certify divorce judgements which have been declared final and legally binding by the court or which bear a seal/stamp proving validity. In case of any other court decision, we recommend that you contact the foreign authorities requiring the respective document. They will be able to tell you whether it is necessary to prove the legal validity of a document.
Our supplementary certification only confirms the authenticity of the court signature. However, it does not confirm the legal effect of the document.
Please note that we cannot always certify court decisions immediately. In some cases, further inquiries are necessary. Please plan well ahead.
Apprenticeship certificates as well as diplomas and school reports of the public schools or other recognized educational institutions of the Canton of Zurich cannot be directly certified by the Cantonal Chancellery. First, such documents must be reviewed and confirmed by the Cantonal Department of Education. Only then can we certify the respective documents.
The Swiss Federal Chancellery is in charge of documents issued by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zürich).
Meetings only upon arrangement in advance:
Vocational qualifications, Federal Vocational Education and Training Diploma (VET)
In-company vocational training
+41 43 259 77 00
Universities
Office of Universities / Secretariat
+41 43 259 23 48
Intermediate and Vocational Training Schools
Office of Intermediate and Vocational Training Schools / Secretariat
+41 43 259 78 36
Elementary Education
Office of Elementary Education / Secretariat
info@vsa.zh.ch
+41 43 259 53 55
Each canton only certifies public documents of its own canton. The Swiss Federal Chancellery certifies documents of federal authorities.
Foreign public documents must be furnished with a supplementary certification affixed by the issuing country. On the website of the Hague Apostille Convention, you will find a list of the respective offices in each country.
We do not certify signatures provided by consulates or embassies in Switzerland. Depending on the situation, the Swiss Federal Chancellery may be able to affix a supplementary certification to such signatures.
We only certify the signatures of the Cantonal Medical Service or the Veterinary Office. If you need medical certificates or veterinary documents for a foreign country, the aforementioned offices will first review and confirm the original signature of the respective medical doctor (excluding psychotherapists) or veterinarian of the Canton of Zurich. Subsequently, we can affix a supplementary certification to your documents.
Department of Health
Cantonal Medical Service
+41 43 259 24 05
Department of Health
Veterinary Office
+41 43 259 41 41
Notary Offices as well as City or Municipal Clerk’s Offices issue various types of certifications for private individuals and companies, confirming different contents. Please ask the respective office or authority abroad which requires documents from you to tell you more about the necessary type of certification required for your specific legal transaction.
Subsequently, we will certify the signatures of the respective Public Notary or City/Municipal Clerk of the Canton of Zurich.
Translations do not represent official documents in the Canton of Zurich.
The requirements with regard to translations may vary from country to country; they may even vary from office to office within a country, depending on the legal transaction, local laws and practice. Please inquire with the respective office to which you must submit documents about the respective requirements. In particular, please ask the respective office
- where/by whom you may have a document translated
- whether and how such translation must be certified
- and whether you are required to provide a supplementary certification to the original and the translation.
Please note that the contents of a translation will not be certified by the public certification offices of the Canton of Zurich (Notary Office, City/Municipal Clerk’s Office) nor by the Cantonal Chancellery.
In some cases, foreign offices or authorities may require the translator to vouch for the contents with his/her signature and to have his/her signature certified. If this is the case, the translator may have his/her signature certified at any of the public certification offices mentioned above.
Please note that other cantons or countries may have different rules and regulations.
