12: Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents
Entry into force: 24-I-1965
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Last update:
6-X-2023
Number of Contracting Parties to this Convention: 126
The expression “Contracting Party” covers both cases in which the Convention has, and cases in which the Convention has not yet, entered into force for that Party following the deposit of its instrument of ratification, accession, acceptance or approval (see column EIF in the chart).
Contracting Parties and Signatories to this Convention that are also Members of the HCCH (i.e., the Organisation) are in bold; Contracting Parties and Signatories that are not Members of the HCCH are in italics.
| Contracting Party | S 1 | R/A/S2 | Type3 | EIF4 | EXT5 | Auth6 | Res/D/N/DC7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 3-IX-2003 | A | 9-V-2004 | 1 | |||
| Andorra | 15-IV-1996 | A | 31-XII-1996 | 1 | |||
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1-V-1985 | Su | 1-XI-1981 | 1 | |||
| Argentina | 8-V-1987 | A | 18-II-1988 | 1 | D 13 | ||
| Armenia | 19-XI-1993 | A | 14-VIII-1994 | 1 | |||
| Australia | 11-VII-1994 | A | 16-III-1995 | 1 | D 13 | ||
| Austria | 5-X-1961 | 14-XI-1967 | R | 13-I-1968 | 1 | D | |
| Azerbaijan | 13-V-2004 | A** | 2-III-2005 | 1 | |||
| Bahamas | 30-IV-1976 | Su | 10-VII-1973 | 1 | |||
| Bahrain | 10-IV-2013 | A | 31-XII-2013 | 1 | D 7 | ||
| Barbados | 11-VIII-1995 | Su | 30-XI-1966 | 1 | |||
| Belarus | 16-VI-1992 | Su | 31-V-1992 | 1 | |||
| Belgium | 10-III-1970 | 11-XII-1975 | R | 9-II-1976 | 1 | ||
| Belize | 17-VII-1992 | A | 11-IV-1993 | 1 | |||
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 6-IX-2017 | A | 7-V-2018 | 1 | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 23-VIII-1993 | Su | 6-III-1992 | 1 | D | ||
| Botswana | 16-IX-1968 | Su | 30-IX-1966 | 1 | |||
| Brazil | 2-XII-2015 | A | 14-VIII-2016 | 1 | D 13 | ||
| Brunei Darussalam | 23-II-1987 | A | 3-XII-1987 | 1 | |||
| Bulgaria | 1-VIII-2000 | A | 29-IV-2001 | 1 | |||
| Burundi | 10-VI-2014 | A** | 13-II-2015 | 1 | |||
| Cabo Verde | 7-V-2009 | A | 13-II-2010 | 1 | |||
| Canada | 12-V-2023 | A | 11-I-2024 | 1 | |||
| Chile | 16-XII-2015 | A | 30-VIII-2016 | 1 | |||
| China | 8-III-2023 | A** | 7-XI-2023 | 3 | D | ||
| Colombia | 27-IV-2000 | A | 30-I-2001 | 1 | D | ||
| Cook Islands | 13-VII-2004 | A | 30-IV-2005 | 1 | |||
| Costa Rica | 6-IV-2011 | A | 14-XII-2011 | 1 | |||
| Croatia | 23-IV-1993 | Su | 8-X-1991 | 1 | |||
| Cyprus | 26-VII-1972 | A | 30-IV-1973 | 1 | |||
| Czech Republic | 23-VI-1998 | A | 16-III-1999 | 1 | |||
| Denmark | 20-X-2006 | 30-X-2006 | R | 29-XII-2006 | 1 | 1 | D |
| Dominica | 22-X-2002 | Su | 3-XI-1978 | 1 | |||
| Dominican Republic | 12-XII-2008 | A** | 30-VIII-2009 | 1 | |||
| Ecuador | 2-VII-2004 | A | 2-IV-2005 | 1 | D | ||
| El Salvador | 14-IX-1995 | A | 31-V-1996 | 1 | |||
| Estonia | 11-XII-2000 | A | 30-IX-2001 | 1 | D | ||
| Eswatini | 3-VII-1978 | Su | 6-IX-1968 | 1 | |||
| Fiji | 29-III-1971 | Su | 10-X-1970 | 1 | |||
| Finland | 13-III-1962 | 27-VI-1985 | R | 26-VIII-1985 | 1 | D | |
| France | 9-X-1961 | 25-XI-1964 | R | 24-I-1965 | 1 | D | |
| Georgia | 21-VIII-2006 | A | 14-V-2007 | 1 | D | ||
| Germany | 5-X-1961 | 15-XII-1965 | R | 13-II-1966 | 1 | D,N | |
| Greece | 5-X-1961 | 19-III-1985 | R | 18-V-1985 | 1 | ||
| Grenada | 17-VII-2001 | A | 7-IV-2002 | 1 | |||
| Guatemala | 19-I-2017 | A | 18-IX-2017 | 1 | D | ||
| Guyana | 30-VII-2018 | A | 18-IV-2019 | 1 | |||
| Honduras | 20-I-2004 | A | 30-IX-2004 | 1 | |||
| Hungary | 18-IV-1972 | A | 18-I-1973 | 1 | D 13 | ||
| Iceland | 7-IX-2004 | 28-IX-2004 | R | 27-XI-2004 | 1 | ||
| India | 26-X-2004 | A** | 14-VII-2005 | 1 | |||
| Indonesia | 5-X-2021 | A** | 4-VI-2022 | 1 | D 1 | ||
| Ireland | 29-X-1996 | 8-I-1999 | R | 9-III-1999 | 1 | ||
| Israel | 11-XI-1977 | A | 14-VIII-1978 | 1 | |||
| Italy | 15-XII-1961 | 13-XII-1977 | R | 11-II-1978 | 1 | ||
| Jamaica | 2-XI-2020 | A | 3-VII-2021 | 1 | |||
| Japan | 12-III-1970 | 28-V-1970 | R | 27-VII-1970 | 1 | ||
| Kazakhstan | 5-IV-2000 | A | 30-I-2001 | 1 | D | ||
| Kosovo | 6-XI-2015 | A** | 14-VII-2016 | 1 | D,DC | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | 15-XI-2010 | A** | 31-VII-2011 | 1 | |||
| Latvia | 11-V-1995 | A | 30-I-1996 | 1 | D | ||
| Lesotho | 24-IV-1972 | Su | 4-X-1966 | 1 | |||
| Liberia | 24-V-1995 | A** | 8-II-1996 | 1 | |||
| Liechtenstein | 18-IV-1962 | 19-VII-1972 | R | 17-IX-1972 | 1 | ||
| Lithuania | 5-XI-1996 | A | 19-VII-1997 | 1 | D | ||
| Luxembourg | 5-X-1961 | 4-IV-1979 | R | 3-VI-1979 | 1 | ||
| Malawi | 24-II-1967 | A | 2-XII-1967 | 1 | |||
| Malta | 12-VI-1967 | A | 3-III-1968 | 1 | |||
| Marshall Islands | 18-XI-1991 | A | 14-VIII-1992 | 1 | |||
| Mauritius | 20-XII-1968 | Su | 12-III-1968 | 1 | |||
| Mexico | 1-XII-1994 | A | 14-VIII-1995 | 1 | |||
| Monaco | 24-IV-2002 | A | 31-XII-2002 | 1 | |||
| Mongolia | 2-IV-2009 | A** | 31-XII-2009 | 1 | |||
| Montenegro | 30-I-2007 | Su | 3-VI-2006 | 1 | |||
| Morocco | 27-XI-2015 | A** | 14-VIII-2016 | 1 | |||
| Namibia | 25-IV-2000 | A | 30-I-2001 | 1 | |||
| Netherlands | 30-XI-1962 | 9-VIII-1965 | R | 8-X-1965 | 4 | 1 | D |
| New Zealand | 7-II-2001 | A | 22-XI-2001 | 1 | D 13 | ||
| Nicaragua | 7-IX-2012 | A | 14-V-2013 | 1 | |||
| Niue | 10-VI-1998 | A | 2-III-1999 | 1 | |||
| North Macedonia | 20-IX-1993 | Su | 17-XI-1991 | 1 | |||
| Norway | 30-V-1983 | 30-V-1983 | R | 29-VII-1983 | 1 | ||
| Oman | 12-V-2011 | A | 30-I-2012 | 1 | D 1 | ||
| Pakistan | 8-VII-2022 | A** | 9-III-2023 | 1 | D,N | ||
| Palau | 17-X-2019 | A | 23-VI-2020 | 1 | |||
| Panama | 30-X-1990 | A | 4-VIII-1991 | 1 | |||
| Paraguay | 10-XII-2013 | A | 30-VIII-2014 | 1 | |||
| Peru | 13-I-2010 | A** | 30-IX-2010 | 1 | |||
| Philippines | 12-IX-2018 | A** | 14-V-2019 | 1 | D 4, 5 | ||
| Poland | 19-XI-2004 | A | 14-VIII-2005 | 1 | D | ||
| Portugal | 20-VIII-1965 | 6-XII-1968 | R | 4-II-1969 | 1 | D 13 | |
| Republic of Korea | 25-X-2006 | A | 14-VII-2007 | 1 | |||
| Republic of Moldova | 19-VI-2006 | A** | 16-III-2007 | 1 | |||
| Romania | 7-VI-2000 | A | 16-III-2001 | 1 | D | ||
| Russian Federation | 4-IX-1991 | Su | 31-V-1992 | 1 | D,N 15 | ||
| Rwanda | 6-X-2023 | A | 5-VI-2024 | 1 | D | ||
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 26-II-1994 | A | 14-XII-1994 | 1 | |||
| Saint Lucia | 5-XII-2001 | A | 31-VII-2002 | 1 | |||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2-V-2002 | Su | 27-X-1979 | 1 | |||
| Samoa | 18-I-1999 | A | 13-IX-1999 | 1 | |||
| San Marino | 26-V-1994 | A | 13-II-1995 | 1 | |||
| Sao Tome and Principe | 19-XII-2007 | A | 13-IX-2008 | 1 | |||
| Saudi Arabia | 8-IV-2022 | A | 7-XII-2022 | 1 | |||
| Senegal | 13-VII-2022 | A** | 23-III-2023 | 1 | |||
| Serbia | 26-IV-2001 | Su | 27-IV-1992 | 1 | D | ||
| Seychelles | 9-VI-1978 | A | 31-III-1979 | 1 | |||
| Singapore | 18-I-2021 | A | 16-IX-2021 | 1 | |||
| Slovakia | 6-VI-2001 | A | 18-II-2002 | 1 | |||
| Slovenia | 8-VI-1992 | Su | 25-VI-1991 | 1 | |||
| South Africa | 3-VIII-1994 | A | 30-IV-1995 | 1 | |||
| Spain | 21-X-1976 | 27-VII-1978 | R | 25-IX-1978 | 1 | D | |
| Suriname | 29-X-1976 | Su | 25-XI-1975 | 1 | |||
| Sweden | 2-III-1999 | 2-III-1999 | R | 1-V-1999 | 1 | ||
| Switzerland | 5-X-1961 | 10-I-1973 | R | 11-III-1973 | 1 | D 6 | |
| Tajikistan | 20-II-2015 | A** | 31-X-2015 | 1 | |||
| Tonga | 28-X-1971 | Su | 4-VI-1970 | 1 | D | ||
| Trinidad and Tobago | 28-X-1999 | A | 14-VII-2000 | 1 | |||
| Tunisia | 10-VII-2017 | A** | 30-III-2018 | 1 | |||
| Türkiye | 8-V-1962 | 31-VII-1985 | R | 29-IX-1985 | 1 | ||
| Ukraine | 2-IV-2003 | A | 22-XII-2003 | 1 | D | ||
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 19-X-1961 | 21-VIII-1964 | R | 24-I-1965 | 13 | 1 | D 13 |
| United States of America | 24-XII-1980 | A | 15-X-1981 | 1 | D | ||
| Uruguay | 9-II-2012 | A | 14-X-2012 | 1 | |||
| Uzbekistan | 25-VII-2011 | A** | 15-IV-2012 | 1 | |||
| Vanuatu | 1-VIII-2008 | Su | 30-VII-1980 | 1 | |||
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | 1-VII-1998 | A | 16-III-1999 | 1 |
1) S = Signature
2) R/A/Su = Ratification, Accession or Succession
3) Type = R: Ratification;
A: Accession;
A*: Accession giving rise to an acceptance procedure; click on A* for details of acceptances of the accession;
AEU: Accession by the European Union
AEU*: State bound as a result of the accession by the European Union
A**: Objection
C: Continuation;
Su: Succession;
Den: Denunciation;
5) EXT = Extensions of application
6) Authorities per Convention = Designation of Authorities
7) Res/D/N/DC = Reservations, declarations, notifications or depositary communications