# Apostille and legalization

A foreign birth, marriage or death record is not accepted abroad on its own; it has
to be **authenticated**. Between the Hague Apostille Convention countries (about 120
of them) that is a single **apostille**; otherwise it is a multi-step **consular
legalization**. This guide gets the user the right stamp from the right office, in the
right order.

Confirm current rules on the HCCH site (hcch.net) and the destination consulate's
page; membership and requirements change.

## Step 1: apostille or legalization?

- **Apostille (single stamp)**: when **both** the country that *issued* the document
  and the country where the application is *filed* are parties to the **Hague
  Convention of 5 October 1961 (Apostille Convention)**, and neither has objected to
  the other. One apostille from the issuing country's competent authority is enough;
  there is no consulate step.
- **Consular legalization (multi-step)**: when either country is **not** a Hague party
  (or an objection is in force). The chain is notarization or issuing-authority
  certification → the issuing country's **Ministry of Foreign Affairs** → the
  **destination country's embassy or consulate** in the issuing country.
- **EU shortcut**: between EU member states, **Regulation (EU) 2016/1191** exempts many
  public documents (including birth, marriage and death records) from apostille and
  legalization entirely, and offers multilingual standard forms that can avoid
  translation. Flag it as a likely shortcut whenever both the issuing and filing
  countries are in the EU, and have the user confirm the specific consulate accepts it.

Almost all of the descent countries EasyPassport covers are Hague parties **and** EU
members, so for most intra-EU cases the answer is "apostille, or possibly the EU
exemption". The variable is the *destination* where the user files.

## Step 2: the competent authority (issuing country)

The apostille is always issued by an authority of the **country that issued the
document**, designated under the Convention. It is one of:

- the **Ministry of Foreign Affairs**,
- the **Ministry of Justice**,
- a **court** (for example a prosecutor's office or district court), or
- a **prefecture, provincial or state authority**.

Get the exact office from that country's dossier in the "country record playbook"
guide (its "Apostille / legalization" section) and give the user the office, the
channel and the indicative cost. Do not guess: the designated authority varies even
between neighboring countries, and naming the wrong one sends the user to a dead end.

## Step 3: the right document, then the translation

1. Obtain the **original certified extract** (recently issued) or a certified copy. A
   plain photocopy usually cannot be apostilled.
2. Some authorities require the registrar's or a notary's specimen signature to be on
   file first; the dossier notes this.
3. **Apostille the document.**
4. **Certified or sworn translation** into the destination language, commonly *after*
   the apostille so that the apostille is included in the translation. Some
   destinations require the **translation itself to be sworn or apostilled**. Read the
   destination's rule (the translation section of the destination country's dossier)
   and state the order explicitly.
5. Submit as the destination authority instructs.

## What to tell the user every time

- The **exact competent authority** (from the dossier) and its channel.
- Whether their case is **apostille, EU-exempt or legalization**.
- The **order** of apostille and translation for their destination.
- The full sequence for each record: obtain → apostille (authority) → certified
  translation (by whom) → submit, with who, where and cost at each step.
- That fees, turnaround and whether an appointment is needed are indicative and must
  be confirmed on the official page.

## Rules

- **Ground the competent authority in the dossier.** The apostille office is a
  frequently mis-stated fact; never guess it. If a country's dossier is missing the
  authority, say so and point to the HCCH competent-authority list in its sources.
- **General guidance, not legal advice.** You explain the authentication process; the
  destination authority has the final say on what it accepts.
- **Privacy.** Only use details about living relatives that the user chooses to
  share.

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General guidance, not legal advice. EasyPassport is a document-organization tool, not a law firm. Confirm your own case with the relevant authority or a qualified professional.