Save the date: 11th International Forum on the e-APP
The Permanent Bureau is pleased to announce that the 11th International Forum on the e-APP (electronic Apostille Programme) will take place in Fortaleza (Brazil), from Wednesday 16 to Friday 18 October 2019. For over a decade, the e-APP has contributed to the facilitation of the effective and secure operation of the HCCH Convention on Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public...
Cuba accedes to 1980 Child Abduction Convention; Paraguay accedes to 1996 Child Protection Convention; Philippines accedes to 1961 Apostille Convention
On 12 September 2018, Cuba, Paraguay and the Philippines joined various Hague Conventions, coinciding with the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (the “HCCH”). Cuba deposited its instrument of accession to the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International...
Guyana accedes to the Apostille Convention – 152nd State connected to the HCCH
On 16 August 2018, the Permanent Bureau was informed that the Co-operative Republic of Guyana had deposited its instrument of accession to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention) on the 19 July 2018. With the accession of Guyana, the Apostille Convention now has 116 Contracting Parties; it...
The Apostille Convention enters into force for Bolivia
On 7 May 2018, the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention) entered into force for Bolivia. Bolivia had acceded to the Apostille Convention on 6 September 2017. The Apostille Convention currently has 115 Contracting Parties. While not a Member State of the HCCH yet, Bolivia is currently Party to two...
Latvia launches a Category 2 e-Register
On 26 March 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia launched a Category 2 e-Register as part of the electronic Apostille Program (e-APP) under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention). The e-Register is available at...
The Apostille Convention enters into force for Tunisia
On 30 March 2018, the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention) entered into force for Tunisia. Tunisia had acceded to the Apostille Convention on 10 July 2017. The Government of Tunisia has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (i.e. the Depositary) that a Competent Authority under...
Belgium begins issuing e-Apostilles
On 1st March 2018, the Belgian Competent Authorities have started to issue e-Apostilles. There will be a transitionary period until 1st May 2018, in which both paper and e-Apostilles will be issued. After this period, only e-Apostilles will only be issued, for both electronic and paper public documents. Once issued, the apostillised documents are sent to the requesting party by email (or to the...
Apostille Handbook now available in German, Portuguese and Russian
German, Portuguese and Russian language versions of the Apostille Handbook (2013) are now available. The German version was provided by the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (in consultation with the Swiss Federal Office of Justice and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice), the Portuguese version by the Attorney General of the Portuguese Republic, and the Russian...
Estonia implements the e-APP
On 1 December 2017, the Chamber of Notaries of Estonia began issuing e-Apostilles and launched a Category 2 e-Register, as part of the electronic Apostille Program (e-APP) under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention). Users can now apply for both e-Apostilles and paper Apostilles via the...
Working Group on the Authentication of Documents Generated by Supranational and Intergovernmental Organisations
On 1 December 2017, the Working Group on the Authentication of Documents Generated by Supranational and Intergovernmental Organisations met in The Hague. The Working Group was attended by 36 experts, representing 22 States, one supranational organisation and one intergovernmental organisation, as well as members of the Permanent Bureau. The report of the Working Group is now available...