Apostille Certification

The certification applied so that official documents drawn up in countries party to the Hague Apostille Convention may be valid in another country. The apostille does not verify the content of the document; it confirms that the signature or seal on it comes from a competent authority. As a rule it applies to public documents; private law documents must generally first be given the character of official documents by a notary or competent authority before becoming eligible for an apostille. No consular or ministerial certification is required for documents bearing an apostille.