Legalization of documents for international use

Legalization of documents for international use There are several kinds of legalization of documents issued in foreign states. It is as follows: A. Apostille B. Consular legalization C. According to reciprocity agreements A. Apostille Apostille refers to the legalization of a document for international use under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. Documents which have been notarized by a notary public, and certain other documents, and then certified with a conformant apostille are accepted for legal use in all the nations that have signed the Hague Convention.

States of the Convention Albania

Iceland

Russian Federation

Argentina

India

Serbia

Australia

Ireland

Slovakia

Austria

Israel

Slovenia

Belarus

Italy

South Africa

Belgium

Japan

Spain

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria

Korea, Republic of Latvia

Suriname Sweden

Lithuania

Switzerland

Luxembourg Malta Mexico Monaco Montenegro Netherlands New Zealand Norway Panama Poland Portugal Romania

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland United States of America Venezuela

China, People's Republic of Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Ecuador Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary

Apostilles may only be issued by a Competent Authority designated by the State on whose territory the public document has been executed. The apostille verifies the signature, status of an official who signed the document, seal and stamp. The signature, seal and stamp do not require any additional verification.

Each state – party of the Convention designates authorities competent to issue apostille. Please refer to the official website of Haague Convention to find out the authorized body in corresponding state: http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=conventions.authorities&cid=41

B. Consular legalization In countries which are not signatories to the 1961 Convention and do not recognize the apostille, a foreign public document must be legalized by a consular officer in the country which issued the document. Consular legalization confirms the legal status and authenticity of a document.

Foreign documents needed for use in Russia are strictly legalized in state of its origin. In this case, first of all, a document is verified by a Competent Authority like Ministry of Foreign Affairs and secondly, in the Consular office of the Russian Federation. In circumstances of compelling force (disasters, wars, etc.) foreign documents can be directly legalized in Russia. Firstly, document is verified by diplomatic or Consular office of origin and then submitted to Consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Both cases require notarized translation of a document into Russian.

C.Reciprocity agreements Russia has concluded reciprocity agreements on admittance of official documents with a number of states.

It means that documents issued in a proper way in states – parties of reciprocity agreements are admitted by other parties without any formalities. In this case notarized translation into the state language of the corresponding state is necessary. No apostille or consular legalization is required.

Reciprocity agreements have been concluded with the states as follows: Azerbaijan

Cuba

Mongolia

Armenia

Cyprus

Panama

Albania

Estonia

Poland

Algeria

Hungary

Romania

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Kazakhstan

Serbia and Montenegro

Bulgaria Byelorussia Croatia Czech Republic China Ukraine

Moldavia Latvia Lithuania Moldavia Macedonia Uzbekistan

Slovakia Slovenia Tunisia Turkmenistan Tadjikistan Vietnam

* This legal alert is not a legal opinion proper, nor may it replace the need of legal consultation in any specific instance.

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