Apostil

So called “Hague Convention” revoking legalization of foreign official documents was signed in 1961 in Hague (Netherlands) to make easier acceptance process for such documents issued by foreign country. For the Russian federation this Convention came into force from May 31, 1992.
Apostil — is a special stamp to be put on official documents in accordance with the Hague Convention; it does not require further certification or legalization and shall be deemed by official bodies of the countries-participants of the Convention.

In accordance with the Hague Convention, Apostil is put to the official documents executed in the territory of the countries-participants of the Convention and to be submitted in the territory of the other state.

nder the Hague Convention the following documents are deemed official:

1. documents issued by a body or a functionary falling under jurisdiction of the country, including documents issued by prosecutor’s office, clerk of the justice or a legal executive;
2. administrative documents;
3. notarial acts;
4. official notes such as the notes on registration; visas confirming a definite date; certification of a signature on the document that was not notarized.

Though Apostil is not put to the documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents, and administrative documentation directly related to commercial activity or customs procedures. Namely, Apostil shall not be put to the power of attorney for transaction performance, goods transportation across the borderlines, agreements (contracts) on goods delivery and service rendering, on performance of different works and settlement thereof.

Consulate offices of the countries-participants of the Hague Convention accredited in the Russian Federation do not put the stamp of Apostil and shall not perform legalization of the documents executed by authorities or with participation of authorities of the represented state.

• justice authorities of the Russian Federation subject administrations – to the documents by the bodies subjecting to their jurisdiction and institutions of justice, and to the notarized copies of the documents certified in accordance with notarial procedure in the same federal subjects;
• bodies of register-offices of the Russian Federation subject administrations – to the registration certificates of civil status executed by the above bodies and by Register-office bodies subjecting to their jurisdiction;
• department of documentary and informative work of the Committee on archive activities in the Russian Federation – to the documents issued by central state archives of the Russian Federation;
• archive bodies of the Russian Federation subjects – to the documents issued by the archives subjecting to their jurisdiction;
• Administration of matters of the Russian Federation General Prosecutor’s Office – to the documents executed in connection with the prosecutor’s office.

Samples from different countries Apostille

Regulatory system:

In accordance with Article 13 of the Hague Convention, Government of the Great Britain announced that the following territories would be covered by the Hague Convention:

List of states executed agreements with the Russian federation on legal aids and legal relations in civil, family and criminal cases:

List of states-participants of the Convention executed agreements with the Russian federation on legal aids and legal relations in civil, family and criminal cases (signed January 22, 1993 in Minsk):