What is the Hague Apostille?

The Hague Apostille procedure is applied by 91 countries that have signed the Hague Convention, which has eliminated the requirement for consular legalization of documents originating from a country that has signed the Convention and which are intended for use in another nation (also a signatory to the Convention).

It is usually a sheet with a stamp added by the competent authority to the back of the copy of the original document, which certifies the authenticity of the document issued in another country. The country of destination is usually requested at the time of issuance.

When requesting a document to be apostilled, ask the public official where the apostille is to be done or request it through a specialized agency.

If the document comes from a country that has not acceded to the Hague Convention, the certification must be done at the Consulate of the country receiving the document. In the absence of a consulate of this country, it is necessary to turn to the consulate of a friendly country. In this case it is advisable to consult an expert.