The paperwork for an Ausbildung in Germany worries a lot of people, especially with talk of expensive sworn translations and impossible legalisations. Good news first: for the visa, the German Embassy in Yaoundé accepts documents in English and French without translation. GCE holders in Bamenda or Buea can submit their certificates as they are. The bad news: one badly prepared document can delay your file by months. Here is the official list, the traps document by document, and what you need to know about translation and legalisation.
Two files, two audiences
You will prepare two different files:
- The application file, for the German company: Lebenslauf (German CV), Anschreiben (cover letter), certificates, results slips, German certificate, internship or work references. Its purpose is to convince the company to invite you to an interview.
- The visa file, for the embassy: it proves you meet the legal conditions of the training visa (Section 16a).
Many documents serve both. For the application, read our articles on the German CV (Lebenslauf) and the Ausbildung cover letter. At ILC, we prepare these documents with you and send the applications to companies.
The embassy checklist for the Ausbildung visa
This is the list published by the German Embassy in Yaoundé for training. Since May 2026, you upload the documents to the Auslandsportal (digital.diplo.de) and bring the originals to your appointment.
| Document | What to know |
|---|---|
| Application form | generated automatically by the Auslandsportal |
| Biometric photo | recent, 35 x 45 mm |
| Passport | signed, valid for at least 12 more months, at least two blank pages; copies of the data page and relevant visas |
| National ID card | Cameroonian CNI (or Cameroonian residence permit) |
| Birth certificate | original; if issued by court judgment, with the judgment and the certificate of non-appeal |
| Marriage certificate, children’s birth certificates | if they apply to you |
| Training contract | signed by you and the company; for in-company training, with proof of Berufsschule registration |
| Declaration for the Bundesagentur für Arbeit | filled in by the company |
| School certificates | GCE O-Level and A-Level, or Probatoire and Bac; vocational or university certificates if you have them |
| German certificate | ALTE (Goethe, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF, ECL), all four modules |
| Lebenslauf | in German, one page maximum |
| Motivation letter | in German, one page maximum |
| References for internships, study or jobs | if you have them |
| Proof of funds | sufficient training pay, otherwise blocked account or Verpflichtungserklärung |
| Health insurance | “incoming” cover, German insurer, unlimited, starting one week before the contract |
For proof of funds, read our article on the blocked account and moving budget. For the steps that follow, see our guide to the Ausbildung visa from Cameroon.
The traps, document by document
Passport
At least twelve months of validity when you apply. If your passport expires while you wait for the appointment, renew it and bring both the old and the new one. Without the old one, you must register again with the new number.
Birth certificate
This is the document that causes the most trouble. If yours was issued through a declaratory judgment, the embassy asks for the judgment itself and the certificate of non-appeal. Check that your name, date and place of birth are spelled exactly the same on the birth certificate, passport, ID card and certificates. A single different letter can be enough to raise doubts.
German certificate
All four modules must be passed at the required level (usually B1). The oldest module should be no more than one year old. If you took the exam fourteen months ago, you need to retake it. For ECL, since 1 August 2026 you need at least 60 % in every module.
Lebenslauf and motivation letter
In German, one page each. They must match your real background and your certificates. A mismatch between the CV and your references (dates, schools) draws attention.
Documents sent “in advance”
Do not email anything to the embassy unless asked. Unsolicited documents are deleted and cannot be matched to a file.
Translation: what you really need to know
For the visa: no translation for English and French
The embassy says it in black and white: documents in German, English and French do not need translating. Only documents in another language need a German translation. For almost every Cameroonian, that means no translation at all for the visa file.
“Sworn translation” in Cameroon
Many applicants search for a sworn German translator in Cameroon. According to the embassy, there are no sworn translators (in the German sense) in Cameroon. The embassy itself neither produces nor certifies translations.
When an authority in Germany does require a translation (for example to recognise a certificate), it generally wants one by a translator authorised in Germany. The embassy points to a free public database of these translators, justiz-dolmetscher.de, searchable by language and state.
Some authorities also accept a translator officially appointed by an authority or notary in the foreign country. The certificate recognition office in Düsseldorf is one example. This is not a general rule, though: before paying for a translation in Cameroon, ask the authority that will receive the document whether it will accept it.
Rules change from one authority to another
Even for certificate recognition, rules differ. Baden-Württemberg usually requires no translation for English and French. Düsseldorf requires a translation for anything not in German or English, which is good news for GCE holders and less so for Bac holders. Details in our article on GCE and Bac recognition.
Legalisation no longer exists for Cameroonian documents
You may have heard that you must get your certificates “legalised” at the German Embassy. That is no longer possible: the embassy has stopped legalising Cameroonian documents.
Instead, there is a document verification (Urkundenüberprüfung). It can happen as part of a visa or passport application, or at the request of a German authority or court. A private person cannot request it. For visas that need one, the embassy states processing of up to 12 months.
In practice: if someone offers to “legalise your documents at the embassy” for a fee, it is false. See our guide to Ausbildung scam warning signs.
Certified copies
A certified copy (amtlich beglaubigte Kopie) carries an original stamp confirming that it matches the original. For the visa through the Auslandsportal, you upload scans and bring the originals, and the embassy says no extra copies are needed in that case. Certified copies matter mostly for other procedures, such as certificate recognition, where some states require them.
Organise your file like a professional
- Scan everything to PDF, legible, in colour, one document per file.
- Name files clearly: “Passport_SURNAME.pdf”, “A-Level_SURNAME.pdf”.
- Keep a checklist with the expiry date of every document (passport, German certificate, insurance).
- Keep the originals in one folder, ready for your appointment in Yaoundé.
- Check the spelling of your name everywhere before you submit.
You will also find a summary on our documents page, and the full visa process on the § 16a visa page.
Frequently asked questions
Which documents do I need for an Ausbildung in Germany?
For the visa: passport, national ID card, birth certificate, training contract, the declaration for the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, certificates, German certificate, Lebenslauf and motivation letter in German, proof of funds and health insurance. For the application: Lebenslauf, cover letter, certificates and German certificate.
Do I need to translate my GCE certificates into German for the visa?
No. The embassy accepts documents in English and French without translation.
Where can I find a sworn German translator in Cameroon?
According to the embassy, there are none in the German sense. If a German authority requires a translation, look for a translator authorised in Germany on justiz-dolmetscher.de, or ask that authority whether another translation is acceptable.
Do I need to legalise my documents at the embassy?
No, legalisation of Cameroonian documents has ended. A verification may be carried out as part of the visa process, at the embassy’s discretion.
Sources
- German Embassy Yaoundé: training visa, document list
- German Embassy Yaoundé: translations
- German Embassy Yaoundé: document verification
- German Embassy Yaoundé: appointment booking
- Database of translators authorised in Germany
- Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf: certificate recognition brochure
- Baden-Württemberg public service: recognition of foreign school certificates
- Auslandsportal
Last checked: 19 October 2026.