What is an apostille and how do you obtain it?

What is an apostille and why is it needed?

An apostille is a form of certification that confirms the authenticity of the signature and stamp on an official document so that it is recognised in other countries that are party to the Hague Apostille Convention.

Documents that commonly require an apostille

Birth certificates and civil registry extracts
Marriage certificates, certificates of no impediment and similar civil status documents
Diplomas, academic transcripts and other education documents
Court decisions and criminal record certificates
Notarised powers of attorney and declarations

When an official document is to be submitted to a foreign authority, it often needs both a sworn translation and an apostille in addition to any notarial certification.

Step by step apostille process

Obtain the original document from the competent authority such as the registry office, court, university or notary.
If the document will be used abroad, have a sworn translation prepared in the language required by the destination country.
Present the translation to a notary if notarisation is required.
Submit the notarised document to the governor or district governor office to receive the apostille certificate.

The offices authorised to issue apostilles are defined by national legislation, so the current list should always be checked before starting the process.

Frequent mistakes and practical tips

Assuming that documents without an apostille will always be accepted abroad
Skipping compulsory steps such as translation or notarisation requested by the receiving authority
Booking travel or appointment dates too close to the apostille procedure
Submitting a file without verifying whether each document type needs a separate apostille

An apostille confirms the validity of signatures and stamps, not the content of the document. Translation quality and the up to date status of the document must therefore be checked separately.