What is the Hague apostille and when do you need it with a sworn translation?

When an official document from one country is presented in another, the receiving authority needs to know it is genuine. That is what the apostille is for. And if the document is in another language, it will also need a sworn translation. Here is how the two fit together.

What an apostille is

An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document to confirm the authenticity of the signature and seal of the authority that issued it. It comes from the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, which simplified the old diplomatic legalisation process between the signatory countries, now more than one hundred.

An apostille does not certify the content of the document or translate it. It only confirms that the signature and seal are genuine.

Who issues it

The apostille is always issued by the competent authority of the country that issued the document. An Andorran birth certificate is apostilled in Andorra; a French degree, in France. We do not issue apostilles, but we can tell you where to request one.

What comes first: the apostille or the translation?

In most cases, the recommended order is:

Obtain the original document.
Have it apostilled in the country that issued it.
Have the document and the apostille translated by a sworn translator.

That way, the receiving authority gets everything in its own language. Some countries also require the translation itself to be apostilled or legalised, so always check the requirements with the authority that will receive the documents.

When you do not need one

Countries that are not party to the convention: instead of an apostille, they require consular legalisation, a longer process involving the authorities of the issuing country and the consulate of the destination country.
Specific agreements: some countries have agreements that waive the apostille for certain documents. For example, within the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 abolishes the apostille for certain public documents, such as civil status records.
Private documents: a contract between companies or a letter is not apostilled unless it has first been notarised.

Documents that often need an apostille and a translation

Birth, marriage and death certificates
Degrees and academic transcripts
Criminal record certificates
Powers of attorney and notarial deeds
Court judgments

How we can help

We provide sworn translations of your documents and their apostilles into any language through our international network of sworn translators. Tell us the destination country and authority, and we will tell you what you need.

Have apostilled documents to translate? Get in touch through our contact page or read about our sworn translation service.