The Hague Convention Participating Countries List
Updated on: 22 Aug 2024
An apostille is a certificate that is provided to the documents to be used within the countries that are members of the Hague convention of 1961. The Apostille is one of the conventions and agreements that endeavours at providing a means that the processes of certification for use in the member states of the convention more easily.
The multilateral treaty that came into force on the 5th October 1961 is known as Convention abolishing the Legalisation of Foreign Public Documents or effortlessly known as the Hague Apostille Convention. In connection with the legalization of public documents for their recognition in other member countries, it has prescribed the form of certificate, known as apostille documents without any further procedure of attestation of documents.
The following are the list of countries that adhere to the Apostille procedures for the legalization of documents. However, basing the number on addition and removal of nations to or from the list of affiances to the Hague Apostille Convention. However, the wise should consider assessing the current status, and some system necessities with the corresponding institutions in the matter.
| S No | Region | Country | Authorities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Europe | Albania | Ministry of Justice |
| 2 | Europe | Andorra | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 3 | Europe | Armenia | Ministry of Justice |
| 4 | Europe | Austria | District Courts (Bezirksgerichte) |
| 5 | Europe | Azerbaijan | Ministry of Justice |
| 6 | Europe | Belarus | Ministry of Justice |
| 7 | Europe | Belgium | Federal Public Service (FPS) Foreign Affairs |
| 8 | Europe | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Ministry of Justice |
| 9 | Europe | Bulgaria | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 10 | Europe | Croatia | Ministry of Justice |
| 11 | Europe | Cyprus | Ministry of Justice and Public Order |
| 12 | Europe | Czech Republic | Ministry of Justice |
| 13 | Europe | Denmark | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 14 | Europe | Estonia | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 15 | Europe | Finland | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 16 | Europe | France | Courts of Appeal |
| 17 | Europe | Georgia | Ministry of Justice |
| 18 | Europe | Germany | District Courts (Landgerichte) |
| 19 | Europe | Greece | Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights |
| 20 | Europe | Hungary | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
| 21 | Europe | Iceland | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 22 | Europe | Ireland | Department of Foreign Affairs |
| 23 | Europe | Italy | Public Prosecutors (Procure della Repubblica) |
| 24 | Europe | Kazakhstan | Ministry of Justice |
| 25 | Europe | Kosovo | Ministry of Justice |
| 26 | Europe | Latvia | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 27 | Europe | Lithuania | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 28 | Europe | Luxembourg | Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs |
| 29 | Europe | Malta | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 30 | Europe | Moldova, Republic of | Ministry of Justice |
| 31 | Europe | Monaco | Ministry of State (Ministère d'État) |
| 32 | Europe | Montenegro | Ministry of Justice |
| 33 | Europe | Netherlands | District Courts (Rechtbanken) |
| 34 | Europe | North Macedonia, Republic of | Ministry of Justice |
| 35 | Europe | Norway | County Governor (Fylkesmannen) |
| 36 | Europe | Poland | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 37 | Europe | Portugal | Ministry of Justice |
| 38 | Americas | Antigua and Barbuda | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 39 | Americas | Argentina | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 40 | Americas | Bahamas | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 41 | Americas | Barbados | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade |
| 42 | Americas | Belize | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 43 | Americas | Bolivia | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 44 | Americas | Brazil | National Council of Justice (CNJ) |
| 45 | Americas | Canada | Not a member of the Apostille Convention (not applicable) |
| 46 | Americas | Chile | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 47 | Americas | Colombia | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 48 | Americas | Costa Rica | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship |
| 49 | Americas | Dominica | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 50 | Americas | Dominican Republic | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 51 | Americas | Ecuador | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility |
| 52 | Americas | El Salvador | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 53 | Americas | Grenada | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 54 | Americas | Guatemala | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 55 | Americas | Guyana | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 56 | Americas | Honduras | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 57 | Americas | Jamaica | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade |
| 58 | Americas | Mexico | Secretariat of Foreign Affairs |
| 59 | Americas | Nicaragua | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 60 | Americas | Panama | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 61 | Americas | Paraguay | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 62 | Americas | Peru | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 63 | Americas | Trinidad and Tobago | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and CARICOM Affairs |
| 64 | Americas | United States of America | Secretary of State offices in individual states |
| 65 | Americas | Uruguay | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 66 | Americas | Venezuela | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 67 | Asia-Pacific | Australia | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) |
| 68 | Asia-Pacific | Brunei Darussalam | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 69 | Asia-Pacific | China, People's Republic of | Not a member of the Apostille Convention (not applicable) |
| 70 | Asia-Pacific | Hong Kong | High Court |
| 71 | Asia-Pacific | Macao | Secretary for Administration and Justice |
| 72 | Asia-Pacific | Cook Islands | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration |
| 73 | Asia-Pacific | Fiji | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 74 | Asia-Pacific | India | Ministry of External Affairs |
| 75 | Asia-Pacific | Indonesia | Ministry of Law and Human Rights |
| 76 | Asia-Pacific | Japan | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 77 | Asia-Pacific | Korea, Republic of | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 78 | Asia-Pacific | Kyrgyzstan | Ministry of Justice |
| 79 | Asia-Pacific | Malaysia | Not a member of the Apostille Convention (not applicable) |
| 80 | Asia-Pacific | Marshall Islands | Attorney General's Office |
| 81 | Asia-Pacific | Mongolia | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 82 | Asia-Pacific | New Zealand | Department of Internal Affairs |
| 83 | Asia-Pacific | Niue | Ministry of Justice |
| 84 | Asia-Pacific | Palau | Ministry of Justice |
| 85 | Asia-Pacific | Philippines | Department of Foreign Affairs |
| 86 | Asia-Pacific | Singapore | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 87 | Africa | Botswana | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation |
| 88 | Africa | Burundi | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 89 | Africa | Cape Verde | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 90 | Africa | Lesotho | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations |
| 91 | Africa | Liberia | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 92 | Africa | Malawi | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 93 | Africa | Mauritius | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade |
| 94 | Africa | Morocco | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 95 | Africa | Namibia | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation |
| 96 | Africa | Seychelles | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism |
| 97 | Africa | South Africa | Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) |
| 98 | Africa | Swaziland | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation |
| 99 | Africa | Tonga | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 100 | Middle East | Bahrain | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 101 | Middle East | Israel | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 102 | Middle East | Oman | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 103 | Middle East | Turkey | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
An apostille documents are a standardized form and contains ten specific items:
- Country: The country from which the document is issued.
- Name of the Document: It refers to the kind of document that needs to be issued, generated or produced, among others.
- Name of the Person: The individual of the record who has signed a document to the record.
- Capacity: The capacity in which the person signing the document has been serving or represented the side or party that the document belongs to.
- Seal or Stamp: The impression or the mark that is put at the back or front of the document.
- Place: The country where the apostille is to be issued.
- Date: Date of issue.
- Authority: The authorities that issue apostille.
- Apostille Number: The reference number of the apostille.
- Seal or Stamp of Authority: The signature of the official of the authority issuing the apostille and the seal or stamp of that authority.
General Steps That Should Be Followed to Get an Apostille
- Prepare the Document: See to it that all the documents which are required should have the notary seal on them.
- Local or State Certification: At times however before apostille documents procedure, that procedure needs to be approved by the local or the state authority of the said state.
- Submit Application: To enclose the document, a completed application form and accompany it with an appropriate fee to the right office dealing with apostilles. This authority can either be a government organ, Ministry, or a court depending on the country.
- Receive Apostille: This mentioned authority will then attach the above stated apostille to the document mentioned and the same will carry and bring back the same to the applicant.
Steps that needs to be followed for Apostille are as follows:
- Check Specific Requirements: Precisely for that reasons there can be problems with registration and each country may have its peculiarities on what documents may be legalized as well as on the process of legalization.
- Use Official Channels: As evidence for such information only the material that is published on the web site of the government and the departments of the country where an apostille documents is required can be used.
- Fees and Processing Times: However, you should know that fees as well as processing period vary in different countries but at times it varies with in the regions of a single country.
However, regarding more procedures and rules which may vary from one country to another and from one type of document to another, one is advised to consult the official authorities of the country in which apostille documents is to be acquired from.
For Assistance Contact:- Brilliance
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