Аpostille
Often when going abroad we are faced with a list of requirements to the documents to be used outside the territory of the Russian Federation. One of these requirements is apostille.
Apostille is a special stamp certifying the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document acted, and, if appropriate, the authenticity of the seal or stamp on the document. In simple words, it's a stamp that allows a document issued in Russia to have legal effect outside the territory of the Russian Federation. Apostille, affixed to documents, does not require their further certification or legalization and is recognized by the authorities of all countries participating in the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961 (Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Official Documents).
APOSTILLE
(Convention de la Haye du 5 Octobre 1961)
1. Country……………………………………………….
This public document
2. Has been signed by (name) …………………….……..
3. Acting in the capacity of …………………………...
4. Bears the seal/stamp (name of authority)………………………………………………………...
Certified
5. Place ………………………. 6. Date ……………………
7. by (name of certifying authority)………………
8. № ………………………………………………...
9. seal/stamp 10. signature ……………..
List of the States participating in the Hague Convention
|
Australia |
Israel |
Reunion (Fr.) |
|
Austria |
India |
The Russian Federation |
|
Azerbaijan |
Ireland |
Romania |
|
Albania |
Iceland |
Salvador |
|
Anguilla (Brit.) |
Spain |
Samoa |
|
Angola |
Italy |
San-Marino |
|
Andorra |
Kazakhstan |
Swaziland |
|
Antigua and Barbuda |
Cayman Islands (Brit.) |
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Brit.) |
|
Argentine |
Cyprus |
Saint Helena Island (Brit.) |
|
Armenia |
Kiribati |
The Northern Mariana Islands (USA) |
|
Aruba (Neth.) |
Columbia |
The Seychelles |
|
The Bahamas |
Latvia |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Fr.) |
|
Barbados |
Lesotho |
Saint Vincent and Grenadines |
|
Belorussia |
Liberia |
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
|
Belize |
Lichtenstein |
Saint Lucia |
|
Belgium |
Luxemburg |
Slovakia |
|
Bermuda (Brit.) |
Mauritius |
Slovenia |
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Macao (Port. till 1999, after – special adm. region of China) |
The Solomon Islands |
|
Botswana |
Macedonia |
Surinam |
|
The British Antarctic territory (Brit.) |
Malawi |
The USA |
|
The British Virgin Islands (Brit.) |
Malta |
Tonga |
|
Brunei Darusalam |
Martinique (Fr.) |
Trinidad and Tobago |
|
Vanuatu |
Marshall Islands |
Tuvalu |
|
Great Britain and its subordinate territories |
Mexico |
Turkey |
|
Hungary |
Mozambique |
Turks and Caicos (Brit.) |
|
Venezuela |
Montserrat (Brit.) |
Wallis and Futuna Islands (Fr.) |
|
Virgin Islands (USA) |
Isle of Man (Brit.) |
Fiji |
|
Eastern Samoa (USA) |
Namibia |
Finland |
|
Guadeloupe (Fr.) |
The Netherlands Antilles |
The Falkland Islands (Brit.) |
|
Guiana (Fr.) |
The Netherlands |
France |
|
Germany |
Niue |
French Polynesia (Fr.) |
|
Guernsey (Brit.) |
New Zealand |
Croatia |
|
Gibraltar (Brit.) |
New Caledonia (Fr.) |
The Czech Republic |
|
Honduras |
Norway |
Switzerland |
|
Hong Кong (special administrative region of China) |
Panama |
Sweden |
|
Grenada |
Poland |
Ecuador |
|
Greece |
Portugal |
Estonia |
|
Guam (USA) |
Puerto-Rico |
The Republic of South Africa |
|
Jersey (Brit.) |
Japan |
|
|
The Dominican Republic |
The stamp of Apostille is affixed on the document or on a separate sheet attached to the document. Apostille must conform to the sample annexed to the Convention. It may be in the official language of the country of the issuing authority. Items in Apostille may be written in two languages. The title of apostille must be in French "Apostille (Convention de la Haye du 5 octobre 1961)".
Apostille is not affixed to the documents related to customs and commercial operations, as well as to the documents executed by diplomatic or consular authorities.
KINDS OF APOSTILLE
- Apostille of document copies
In most cases, apostille is affixed on copies of documents certified by a notary or documents drawn up by a notary (for example, a letter of attorney, a written consent of parents, etc.).
In the above cases the stamp of apostille is provided by the Department of Justice.
- Apostille of original documents
Apostille may be stamped on original documents issued by state authorities (diploma, birth certificate, etc.).
Apostille procedure for a notarized copy or a notarized translation of a document takes 3-4 working days. The company "Business Solutions" also offers urgent apostilization service (1 working day).
