Each country has its own regulatory framework, procedures for registration and issuance of official documents, which are valid only on the territory of their country. Therefore, for the recognition of a foreign document in the state, special international procedures were introduced: consular legalization (main form) and apostille (simplified form).

 

Today we will tell you about the simplified Apostille form. This is an international standardized form for filling out information on the legality of a document for presentation on the territory of countries that recognize this form of legalization.

The apostille is valid not all over the world, but only in those countries that have signed the Hague Convention of 1961. The Hague Convention is an international agreement that abolishes the requirements of consular legalization of foreign official documents for the member states of the Convention. This greatly simplifies the bureaucratic processes of legalizing documents for a foreigner.

 

The stamp is placed on the original documents issued in the country of origin. That is, in Spain only Spanish documents are apostilled, in Russia - Russian documents, and so on.

 

You will need an apostille when applying for a residence permit, entering a university or a private school, getting married, getting a job, obtaining citizenship and other special cases.

What documents is it needed on?

- originals of educational documents (diplomas, certificates);

- originals of documents of the registry office (birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates). But there are countries in which this is not required, since they have entered into an appropriate agreement;

- court decisions with a mark of entry into legal force;

- certificate of good conduct;

- documents of legal entities certified by the state registration authority (statutes, certificates of registration, tax registration, etc.);

- notarized documents (powers of attorney, statements);

- notarized translation of documents and so on.

 

 Apostille is placed directly on the document itself or on the attached form. It states:

- Name of the issuing state

- Surname and position of the certifying person

- Institution name

- Country and city in which the apostille was affixed

- Date of affixing

- Name of the authority that affixed the apostille

- Apostille number

- Seal / stamp of the institution and signature of the official who affixed the apostille

!!! Attention: Apostille is affixed only in the language of the country of origin of the document.

 

The stamp does not have a validity period. But the document itself can have it. Therefore, the validity period of the stamp is equal to the validity period of the document.

 

Are you among the lucky ones whose country has the right to a simplified form of legalization?