Page 1 of 4
U.S. Consulate General
Gießener Strasse 30
60435 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
(March 2024)
DEPOSITIONS
General Information about Depositions in Frankfurt
All depositions in Germany must take place at the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt. Bilateral
agreements between Germany and the United States require that the German Ministry of Justice
pre-approves all requests for depositions. Depositions taken without the prior approval of the
German Ministry of Justice and/or without the involvement of the United States Mission to
Germany are unauthorized and may lead to criminal penalties against the participants. Under the
provisions of bilateral agreement(s), U.S. Consular Officers in Germany have the right to administer
depositions only in civil cases. Depositions related to criminal cases are accomplished via letters
rogatory.
(For instructions on the use of the letters rogatory to obtain testimony in criminal cases, please contact the Department of
State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. From the U.S. & Canada
1-888-407-4747 and from Overseas 1 202-501-4444).
Required information and documents
Please contact us via email or mail, regarding your proposed dates for the deposition and the
number of participants in order to check availability.
Eight weeks in advance
At least eight weeks before the deposition the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt needs
• A notice of deposition, including:
- Case name
- Docket number
- Location of the U.S. Court where the case will be adjudicated
- Full name of all witnesses, nationality, complete German home address(es) and private
phone number
- Function and relationship between the parties and the witnesses and the nature of their
testimony
- Brief description of the case with special focus on the appropriate standards of the U.S.
procedural and substantive laws
Page 2 of 4
• Payment for the scheduling fee in US dollars by international money order or certified bank
check payable to the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt. Personal or corporate checks are not
acceptable (see fees listed below).
Two weeks in advance
Please fill out the spreadsheet attached to this email, which should include:
• list of participants
- Full name and nationality
- Function (witness, lawyer, court reporter, translator)
Please note that according to paragraph§128a Abs. 3S. 1ZPO of the German code of civil
procedure, video and audio recordings of depositions are prohibited.
• Detailed list of electronic equipment for each attendee
• Changes in participants will not be permitted due to security reasons (including translators
and court reporters).
Day of the deposition
• A certified bank check or international money order in US dollars will be required on-site for
the final charges of the deposition (hourly and closing fees as listed below). Additionally, we
will send a preliminary invoice with the final balance prior to the day of the deposition.
Approval Procedure
After receiving all the required information and documents we will charge the scheduling fee and
process your deposition request. We will approach the German Ministry of Justice for their
approval. The eight weeks lead time is non-negotiable as the German Government requires that
time to process deposition requests. We will inform you as soon as we receive the approval.
Deposition Fees
• The scheduling fee of $1,283 per day must be paid upon receipt of the notice of deposition.
The fee is non-refundable in the event of a cancellation. If you reschedule, another deposit
(same amount) has to be collected.
• Consular fee of $309 per hour or part thereof will be assessed for every time of the
deposition during which the administration of the oath occurs. The fee is payable on the last
day of the deposition.
• Seal and certificate of deposition (closing certificate) fee of $415 per closing. The fee is
payable on the last day of the deposition.
Page 3 of 4
Contact information
U.S. Consulate General
Gießener Strasse 30
60435 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Email: GermanyACS@state.gov
Fax: (Germany) 069-7535-2252
(United States) 011-49-69-7535-2252
Logistical Information
• Building Access: Deposition participants have to enter at the Consulate employee entrance
on Wetzlarer Straße, not the main entrance at Gießener Straße 30. We will start escorting
30 minutes prior to the scheduled start date. Set up of the equipment is only possible 1
hour before the start of the deposition.
• Photo Identification: All participants must present a valid photo ID (passport or German
Ausweis) to enter the Consulate, submit to a bag search and pass through a metal detector.
Witness(es), Court reporters and Interpreters will require a second valid, government-
issued photo ID in order for the Consular Officer to administer the oath.
• Cellular Phones and Electronic Devices: Court reporting equipment must be approved two
weeks in advance and will be thoroughly screened. Additional equipment such as cellular
phones, PDAs and laptops also require approval from our security office. Please make sure
that all electronic devices are included on the list of electronics mentioned above.
• Hours of Operation: Depositions may take place Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to
3:30 pm, subject to availability and by prior arrangement only. The consulate is closed on
German and American holidays.
• Deposition Room: The deposition room is located on the consulate compound which can
only be accessed with an escort. For security reasons, a member of the consular staff must
be present in the deposition room during the entire deposition.
The deposition room is not equipped with an air conditioning system or fans.
• Amenities: The deposition room seats 15 people. Electrical power is available, with standard
German-style 220-volt outlets. If you require adapters or power transformers, you must
provide them yourself.
• Food and Beverages: You are allowed to bring in your own food and beverages. There are
no options available to purchase food or beverages on-site.
• Lunch: We provide a list of nearby restaurants outside of our compound.
Page 4 of 4
• Messages and Clerical Services: We are unable to take phone messages, make calls or
send/receive faxes for you. Likewise, there is no photocopier available for deposition use.
• Smoking: There is no smoking anywhere inside the Consulate.
Please read the information under “Entry and Exit Requirements” on our website for
current travel restrictions for Germany
