- Home
- Documents and relocation
- Apostille and Document Legalization
Apostille and Legalization of Documents for Use Abroad
We prepare personal and company documents so they are recognized in another country: apostille, consular legalization and translation. First we check exactly what the receiving authority will ask for.
A document issued in one country has no legal force in another on its own. For a migration office, bank, court or company registry to accept it, the signature and seal must be authenticated. Apostille and legalization of documents are the two ways to do this. For countries that are party to the 1961 Hague Convention, it is an apostille: a single stamp or certificate added by the authorized body of the issuing country. For other countries you need consular legalization, a chain of certifications that ends at the consulate of the destination country.
This is where cases most often lose weeks. The apostille went on the wrong document, the translation was done before the apostille instead of after, or it turned out the receiving country does not accept apostilles at all. We start by checking the route and only then go to the authorities.
We can work under a power of attorney if you are in another country.
Who it is for
- People putting together a file for a residence permit, visa or citizenship
- Company owners who need to prove articles of association, a registry extract or a board resolution abroad
- People enrolling at a foreign university or getting a diploma recognized for work
- People registering a marriage, a birth or a divorce in another country
- Anyone giving authority to a representative abroad through a power of attorney
Requirements
- The apostille is issued by the country where the document was issued, not the country where you file it
- The destination country must be party to the Hague Convention; otherwise you need consular legalization
- The document must be an original or a certified copy in a form the apostille authority accepts
- Many CIS countries have legal assistance treaties with each other, so an apostille is often not needed between them
- Whether the apostille comes before or after the translation depends on the receiving country's requirements
What we do
- Find out where and why the document will be filed, and choose the route: apostille or legalization
- Check the document itself: whether the form works or a duplicate or newly issued copy is needed
- Submit documents for an apostille or take them through the legalization chain
- Arrange a notarized translation or one by a sworn translator
- Work under a power of attorney if you are in another country
- Return the finished documents by courier or deliver them to where you file
Key documents
- Birth, marriage, divorce and name change certificates
- Diplomas with transcripts, and certificates of study
- Criminal record certificates
- Court decisions and notarized powers of attorney
- Company documents: articles of association, registry extract, shareholder and board resolutions
- The requirements of the authority where the file will be submitted
How it works
- Route checkwe confirm the issuing country, the receiving country and what the receiving side requires
- Document preparationif needed, we order a duplicate or a notarized copy
- Apostille or legalizationsubmission to the authorized body or the chain of certifications
- Translationa certified translation in the form that will be accepted
- Handoverwe send the originals, or scans if the authority works online
Timeline
An apostille usually takes from a few business days to several weeks, depending on the country and the authority; consular legalization takes longer.
Timelines are approximate: government agencies, consulates and banks set them.
What to watch out for
- An apostille on a copy the receiving country does not accept has to be redone
- Old Soviet-era documents often cannot be apostilled: a reissued certificate from the civil registry is needed first
- Inconsistent transliteration of names across documents raises questions at the migration office
- Consular legalization takes noticeably longer than an apostille
FAQ
How much does it cost?
Our service fee is on request. Government fees, translations, insurance and other mandatory costs are paid separately; we send the full estimate before you sign.
What is the difference between an apostille and consular legalization?
Apostille and legalization of documents do the same job in different ways. An apostille is a simplified procedure for Hague Convention countries: one stamp from the authorized body of the issuing country. Consular legalization is needed when the receiving country is not party to the convention: the document goes through several certifications, the last one at the consulate of the destination country. It takes longer.
Where is the apostille added: in my country or in the country where I file?
Always in the country that issued the document. A diploma is apostilled where it was issued, and a Latvian certificate is apostilled in Latvia. So if your documents come from different countries, there will be several routes. We combine them into one plan.
Do I always need an apostille?
Not always. Many CIS countries have legal assistance treaties under which documents are recognized without an apostille, but this only works between the treaty members. For Spain, Latvia or the UAE, documents from CIS countries still need to be certified.
Can an old Soviet-era certificate be apostilled?
Often not. Many authorities do not apostille Soviet documents, so you first need a reissued certificate from the civil registry of the country where the record was made. We will tell you how to do this remotely.
Can company documents be apostilled?
Yes. Articles of association, registry extracts, board resolutions and powers of attorney are apostilled the same way as personal documents, though sometimes the copies must be notarized first. This is a common task when opening a bank account or a branch abroad.
How long does an apostille take?
Usually from a few business days to several weeks, depending on the country and the authority. Consular legalization as a rule takes longer. We can give a closer estimate once we have seen the documents and worked out the route.
Do you guarantee the result?
No. Decisions are made by government agencies, consulates and banks. We are responsible for preparing and checking documents, filing and support, and we tell you about the risks upfront.
Related programs
Let’s discuss your case
We will check whether the program fits your citizenship, income and family, and send an estimate with the full list of costs.
