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Apostille & Embassy Legalization

Apostille & Embassy Legalization

Internal Quality Management (IQM) System

An “Apostille” is a form of certification issued by a country’s foreign affairs office that verifies the authenticity of documents, allowing them to be used internationally among nations that have signed the Hague Convention of 1961. The U.S. Department of State maintains a list of countries that accept apostille certificates. Essentially, an apostille is a standard certification required to ensure that your original documents are recognized in any country that is a party to the Hague Convention on the Legalization of Foreign Public Documents. To have your documents accepted in these countries, they must be affixed with the appropriate apostille.

Hague Apostille Country List

In 1961, several countries came together to simplify the process of legalizing documents for international recognition. This led to the establishment of the Hague Convention, where member countries agreed to a standardized method of authenticating public documents called an Apostille.

The Apostille Convention facilitates the verification of public documents—including those that are notarized—to ensure they are accepted across member nations. For a document to be recognized in any of the participating countries or their territories, it must be certified by an authorized local official. Here is a list of the countries that recognize the Apostille for the legalization of documents:

  • Albania

  • Andorra

  • Antigua and Barbuda

  • Argentina

  • Armenia

  • Australia

  • Austria

  • Azerbaijan

  • Bahamas

  • Bahrain

  • Barbados

  • Belarus

  • Belgium

  • Belize

  • Bolivia

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Botswana

  • Brazil

  • Brunei Darussalam

  • Bulgaria

  • Burundi

  • Cape Verde

  • Chile

  • China, People’s Republic of (Hong Kong & Macao Only)

  • Colombia

  • Cook Islands

  • Costa Rica

  • Croatia

  • Cyprus

  • Czech Republic

  • Denmark

  • Dominica

  • Dominican Republic

  • Ecuador

  • El Salvador

  • Estonia

  • Fiji

  • Finland

  • France

  • Georgia

  • Germany

  • Greece

  • Grenada

  • Guatemala

  • Guyana

  • Honduras

  • Hungary

  • Iceland

  • India

  • Indonesia

  • Ireland

  • Israel

  • Italy

  • Japan

  • Jamaica

  • Kazakhstan

  • Korea, Republic of

  • Kosovo

  • Kyrgyzstan

  • Latvia

  • Lesotho

  • Liberia

  • Liechtenstein

  • Lithuania

  • Luxembourg

  • Malawi

  • Malta

  • Marshall Islands

  • Mauritius

  • Mexico

  • Moldova, Republic of

  • Monaco

  • Mongolia

  • Montenegro

  • Morocco

  • Namibia

  • Netherlands

  • New Zealand

  • Nicaragua

  • Niue

  • North Macedonia, Republic of

  • Norway

  • Oman

  • Pakistan

  • Palau

  • Panama

  • Paraguay

  • Peru

  • Philippines

  • Poland

  • Portugal

  • Romania

  • Russian Federation

  • Saint Kitts and Nevis

  • Saint Lucia

  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

  • Samoa

  • San Marino

  • Sao Tome and Principe

  • Saudi Arabia

  • Senegal

  • Serbia

  • Seychelles

  • Singapore

  • Slovakia

  • Slovenia

  • South Africa

  • Spain

  • Suriname

  • Swaziland

  • Sweden

  • Switzerland

  • Tajikistan

  • Tonga

  • Trinidad and Tobago

  • Tunisia

  • Turkey

  • Ukraine

  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  • Uruguay

  • Uzbekistan

  • Vanuatu

  • Venezuela

This list includes countries and territories that have agreed to the standardized certification process, ensuring the mutual recognition of public documents across borders.

The Document Issued by US Department of State

Apostilles are issued by the U.S. Department of State and are necessary for the use of federally issued documents in countries that are part of the 1961 Hague Convention. In the United States, documents that require an apostille from the U.S. Department of State include those signed by:

  • U.S. federal officials,
  • U.S. consular officers,
  • Notary publics, judge advocates, or foreign consul diplomatic officers who are registered with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Protocol and are serving in the armed forces.

US State-issued Documents

  • State-Issued Document Authentication: Documents issued by a state and intended for use in Hague Convention signatory countries must be authenticated by the state’s competent authority.

  • No Further Authentication Required: Once documents have been affixed with an apostille by a state, they do not require additional authentication by the United States Department of State or any U.S. embassy or consulate to be used in a member nation.

  • U.S. Department of State Certification: The United States Department of State does not certify documents issued by states.

  • Use in Non-Signatory Countries: Authentication certificates from the U.S. Department of State are needed to verify the authenticity of state-issued documents for use in countries that have not signed the 1961 Hague Convention. For more details, refer to the Authentication Certificate Prerequisites page.

Important Note for Students: Prioritize completing your degree over the legalization of your documents. Western Global University offers support in obtaining apostilles or embassy legalization for documents from your home country. This service ensures that your degree is recognized globally for professional use without any issues. We facilitate the verification of your degrees through your country’s embassy, no matter where you are in the world.

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