Apostille Section

Welcome to the Apostille Section

The Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Hague Apostille Convention) facilitates the circulation of public documents executed in one State party to the Convention and to be produced in another State party to the Convention. It does so by replacing the cumbersome and often costly formalities of a full legalisation process with the mere issuance of an Apostille (also called Apostille Certificate or Certificate). The Hague Apostille Convention only applies as between States parties (see the "Status table of the Apostille Convention" below).


Latest  updates

 Text of the Convention

 Contracting States 

 How to get an Apostille

Apostilles may only be issued by a Competent Authority designated by the State on whose territory the public document has been executed. The Permanent Bureau (Secretariat) of the Hague Conference does not issue Apostilles. The following link provides the list of Competent Authorities designated by each Contracting State, the contact details of Competent Authorities and other practical information (see also the “Outline of the Convention”, available under “Explanatory documents”):

 Practical operation documents

 e-APP (Electronic Apostille Pilot Program)

 5th International Forum on the electronic Apostille Pilot Program (e-APP) and Digital Authentication, organised by the International Union of Notaries (UINL) and the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), London (UK), Saturday 13th June 2009

 4th International Forum on e-Notarization, e-Apostilles and Digital Evidence, organized and hosted by the National Notary Association of the United States of America, held on 29–30 May 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

 Miscellaneous