Apostille of documents

APOSTILLE

In simple language, an apostille is a confirmation of the authenticity of a document. That is, if for various reasons you are going to use the document abroad, then in many cases you simply need an apostille stamp – it confirms that the document is not fake. With the apostille the document will have legal validity.

Apostille is not the worst thing

Previously, until 1961, foreign official documents to confirm authenticity abroad underwent the most difficult procedure – the so-called “consular legalization”. But in 1961, a number of countries signed the Hague Convention on simplifying this procedure. And now the official institutions of those countries that have decided to simplify each other’s lives recognize each other’s official documents only if they have an Apostille stamp (thanks to them!). Unfortunately, the remaining countries (not parties to the Convention) still require “consular legalization”. We hope this is not your case.

Where to put an apostille in Kyiv independently:

If you have:

You should go to:

Resolutions and decisions of courts, documents issued by the Civil Registry Offices (for example, marriage, divorce, birth, death, etc.) documents drawn up by notaries (statement, power of attorney, etc.)

Ministry of Justice (or division of territorial bodies of the Ministry of Justice)

Any educational documents (diplomas, education certificates, etc.)

Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine

Other documents (for example, certificate of criminal record, registration)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

Is everything so simple? No, not all:

  • If you have an old-style document (prior to 1991), you will first have to obtain a duplicate of it from the Civil Registry Offices at the place of marriage registration, and then it will be possible to put an apostille stamp on it.

  • If your diploma and the supplement to the diploma were signed by different persons at the time of issuance, and the Ministry of Education and Science does not have a sample of the signature of one of these persons, then they will arrange a long delay in forwarding requests, and the apostillation procedure may drag on for a month.

  • Some countries are a bit leery: they require a double apostille. Yes, Portugal, France, Italy, Austria, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and some other cautious friends recognize the document only if you first apostilled it, then translated it, then notarized the translator’s signature, and then apostilled it again. Well, what are you going to do here, you’ll have to put up with it…

  • Other difficulties are also possible – it is not always possible to predict this, because everything changes too quickly in our turbulent country.