What an apostille is
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document, such as a birth certificate, by the government that issued it. It confirms the signature or seal on the document is genuine. Countries that signed the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention accept each other’s apostilles instead of slower embassy checks. The UK, Ireland, the US, Australia, New Zealand and all EU countries have signed, and Canada joined on January 11, 2024.
An apostille is always issued by the country that issued the document. A US birth certificate gets a US apostille; a British one gets a British apostille.
Which countries ask for them
| Applying to | Apostilles | Translations |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | Yes, on every foreign certificate | Into Italian |
| Poland | May be needed: ask your consulate | Into Polish, by a sworn translator or consul |
| Greece | Yes, before translation | Into Greek, by a certified translator on the Foreign Ministry’s register, a lawyer qualified in Greece or an Ionian University translation graduate |
| Lithuania | Yes, including on notarized copies made abroad | Into Lithuanian, for everything except passports |
| Portugal | Yes, on birth certificates | Where needed |
| Hungary | Ask the consulate | By an official registered translator |
| Germany | US documents usually not | English usually not needed |
| Ireland | Not for the Foreign Births Register | Ask, if not in English or Irish |
| United Kingdom | No | Only for documents not in English |
Where to get an apostille
United Kingdom
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s Legalisation Office. The standard paper service costs £45 per document, plus postage, and takes up to 25 working days. An e-Apostille costs £35 but only works for documents issued electronically. Order your certificates from the General Register Office, ScotlandsPeople or GRONI first, then send them for the apostille.
United States
For state documents, such as birth, marriage and death certificates, the Secretary of State of the state that issued the certificate. Fees vary by state, from a few dollars to about $20 per document. For federal documents, such as FBI background checks, the US Department of State’s Office of Authentications.
Canada
Global Affairs Canada for federal documents. Some provinces issue apostilles for their own documents. Check with the province that issued the certificate.
Ireland
The Department of Foreign Affairs’ authentication service.
Translations
- Get the apostille first, then the translation. The translator then translates the apostille too, which Greece, for example, requires.
- Use the right kind of translator. Some countries want a sworn or officially registered translator, or one on their own approved list. A translation by a friend, however good, won’t be accepted.
- Ask for quotes. Prices vary a lot, and some translators charge per page, others per document. Our cost estimator lets you add a quote.
Tips that save time and money
- Order certificates in the form the country wants, usually the full version showing parents’ names, before paying for apostilles.
- Check whether the consulate keeps originals. If it does, order spare copies for your own records.
- Brothers, sisters and cousins on the same line need the same older certificates. One set, apostilled once, isn’t enough if each applicant must send originals, so check before you order.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Get your document legalised (Open Government Licence v3.0)
- German Missions in the US: apostilles on US documents
- Polish Embassy in Canada: Canada joins the Apostille Convention, 11 January 2024
- Hague Conference: Ireland’s competent authority
- Each country’s document requirements: see the sources on that country’s guide.