What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is a simplified form of document legalization that applies to member states of the Hague Convention, which was ratified on October 5, 1961. Armenia has been a member of the Hague Convention since 1993.
In many countries, an Apostille is a special stamp. In Armenia, it is a special paper with the inscription “APOSTILLE (CONVENTION DE LA HAYE DU 5 OCTOBRE 1961)” attached to the original or notarized copy of the document and sealed by the Ministry of Justice.
Previously, Apostilles in Armenia were issued in two languages: Armenian and English. Since July 22, 2017, they are issued only in English. In Russian, it is correct to say “Апостиль” (not “Апостил” or “Апостиле”) and “Гаагская конвенция об Апостиле” from October 5, 1961.
Although the official website of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia states “International legalization of documents (Apostille)” – this is a mistake. Apostille and legalization are slightly different processes. Read about the “Legalization of documents” procedure here — >>>
What types of Apostilles are there?
This paragraph will be very useful for Armenian government officials.
There are three types of Apostilles:
1. A paper with the inscription “APOSTILLE” as per the Hague Convention. This paper is attached to the document or stapled to it and confirmed with a seal and signature of the responsible person. This type of Apostille is used in Armenia.
2. A stamp or seal “APOSTILLE” with a wet imprint. This type of Apostille is used in most CIS countries.
3. An electronic Apostille. This Apostille raises many unnecessary doubts and questions. The practice of stamping documents with an Apostille has proven ineffective due to numerous forgeries. Therefore, some countries have decided to introduce an electronic Apostille registry. For example, in the Republic of Moldova, the Ministry of Justice’s website allows you to verify the authenticity of an Apostille and view its scanned copy. This form of Apostille will soon spread worldwide as it ensures transparency, legality, and quick identification of both the Apostille and the document.
This Apostille was issued for a new-style Birth Certificate from Armenia in 2019
What is the purpose of an Apostille?
An Apostille confirms the authenticity of the signature of the official or employee who signed the document. It does not confirm the content of the document. The official whose signature is certified by the Apostille is responsible for the content. The Apostille is signed by another official. The Apostille also confirms the authenticity of the seal on the document.
Before the Apostille Convention, documents had to undergo a complex legalization process. This process remains for documents from countries that are not members of the Apostille Convention.
What documents can receive an Apostille?
The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia applies Apostilles to the following documents:
1. Documents or copies of documents, translations, notarized by a notary, certificates, and documents issued by a notary (Law “On Notaries”),
2. Certificates of birth, death, marriage issued by the Civil Registry Offices of Armenia,
3. Documents issued by the judicial enforcement service,
4. Documents issued by judicial authorities (court decisions, copies of court decisions, and other documents),
5. Documents from other bodies and organizations if the authenticity of the signature on them is certified by a notary.
For which countries is an Apostille required?
You can find the full updated list of countries that are members of the Apostille Convention at this link>>
However, keep in mind that if countries have signed the Apostille Convention, it does not mean that an Apostille is required in every case. There are also countries that are members of the Apostille Convention but have signed additional bilateral agreements simplifying the recognition of certain documents.
If countries that have signed the Apostille Convention have also signed agreements with each other on simplified document recognition procedures, the requirement for an Apostille in one of these countries is unlawful. However, officials in these countries sometimes still demand an Apostille.
There are also exceptions where a country does not recognize the Apostille of another country. For example, according to Wikipedia, the Armenian Apostille is not recognized in Kosovo, and vice versa, the Kosovo Apostille is not recognized in Armenia.
An Apostille is not required for documents intended for use in CIS countries, regardless of the authority, its subdivision, ministry, or region, city, or district.
CIS countries have signed the Minsk Convention “On Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family, and Criminal Matters” dated January 22, 1993.
The Republic of Armenia has agreements on document recognition with countries such as Bulgaria, Lithuania, and several other countries as provided by international treaties of the Republic of Armenia.
If a country is not a member of the Hague Convention and has not signed the corresponding interstate agreement, consular legalization of documents is required.
Where can you get an Apostille?
An Apostille can be obtained at the Civil Status Registration Agency of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia.
If you are unable to visit the Ministry of Justice of Armenia yourself or prefer not to, you can contact our company.
Our company offers Apostille services (recognition) for documents of the new format approved in Armenia.
What documents are needed for an Apostille?
To obtain an Apostille from the Ministry, the following are required:
1. An application, full name, address, phone number, and the names of the documents submitted for Apostille;
2. The document itself;
3. A photocopy or copy of the document submitted for Apostille;
4. A receipt for payment of the state fee.
Processing time for an Apostille
Under standard processing, an Apostille is issued within two working days from the date of application and document submission.
For an additional fee, it can be processed within one working day.
If there are doubts about the authenticity of any documents, the processing time may be extended to fifteen working days. In this case, a written response is provided within one day explaining the reason for the extension and signed by the responsible person.
How to verify an Apostille?
Currently, there is a special resource where you can verify the validity of an Apostille. The website is the Electronic Apostille Registry of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia. You can check it in Russian by entering the 16-digit code located at the bottom right of the Apostille, near the seal.
The website address in Russian is https://www.e-apostille.am/ru/?tnum=0043-05–
See the example in the photo:
You can also make a photocopy of the Apostilled document and send a request to the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, indicating your return address in the request. However, this will take longer.
In the near future, we will post links to verify Apostilles online from other countries.
When can an Apostille be refused?
An Apostille may be refused if:
– The document does not comply with the legislation of Armenia,
– The document is submitted in violation of the requirements set by the Ministry of Justice,
– The document is submitted for an Apostille for a country that is not a member of the Hague Convention,
– The document is submitted for an Apostille for a country that has signed a bilateral agreement with the Republic of Armenia on simplified document recognition procedures,
– The submitted document contains unverified corrections, changes, or errors.
The rejection of a document on the above grounds is carried out within one day from the date of submission to the Ministry. The refusal must be in writing, stating the legal reasons for the refusal.
If the application for an Apostille is rejected, the document and the receipt for the state fee are returned along with the refusal.
What to do if a country (its officials) requires an Apostille when the country is not a member of the Apostille Convention, or in other cases where legalization or an Apostille is not required?
First, in this case, the official who requested the Apostille is responsible for such a requirement. One option is to simply indicate in the Apostille application a country that is a member of the Apostille Convention. However, keep in mind that you will create a precedent where, after your case, officials will continue to demand an Apostille, citing the documents you provided from Armenia with an Apostille. Other citizens from Armenia will also face this problem.
Second, you have the right to request a written order from the official who unlawfully requested the Apostille and ask them to contact the nearest consulate of the Republic of Armenia to clarify the circumstances.