Apostille

In order documents be accepted and recognized as valid by one country that are issued in the other contry should be certified / "authenticated"/ by apostille or legalization.

There are two kind of certification: Apostille and Legalisation.

If you are going to use your document in a member country of the Hague convention you need an Apostille.

Here the member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention
The following countries issue and accept Apostilles for the international legalization of documents.

Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, China (Macau), China (Hong Kong), Colombia, Cook Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Republic of Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niue, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, FYR of Macedonia, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom (U.K.), United States of America, Venezuela.

 

If you are going to use your document in a non-member country of the Hague convention you need an Embassy Legalization.

Non-member countries of the Hague Convention
The following countries require an Embassy Legalization for the international use of documents.

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, People’s Republic of, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea - Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine * Palestine Mission (PLO), Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan , Tanzania , Thailand , Togo, Tunisia , Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

What is an apostille

Apostille - is a stamp or a page with certifying the official signed the document, his/her capacity and the stamp, stated on this document. An Apostille Certificate is an official certificate issued to documents so they will be recognised in member states without further Legalisation. Typically the Apostille Certificate is issued by the state from which the document originates although in some cases another state can issue the Apostille. Once a document has had an Apostille Certificate attached to it confirming the authenticity of signatures and seals it can be presented to any country which recognises the Apostille. The authority receiving the document should then accept the seals or signatures as true and valid without requesting further evidence or proof.

Such documents range from powers of attorney, affidavits, birth, death and marriages records, incorporation papers, deeds, patent applications, home studies and other legal papers. The number and type of authentication certificates you will need to obtain depend on the nature of the document.

The Apostille Certificate follows a prescribed format and must include the following information –

1. Country of issue

2. Who has signed the document

3. The capacity in which the person signed the document

4. Details of any seal on the document

5. Place of issue

6. Date of issue

7. Issuing authority

8. Apostille Certificate number

9. Stamp of issuing authority

10. Signature of representative of issuing authority

 

Apostille in USA

Apostille in Germany / Deutschland