Consular legalization of a document is a consular officer's certification that a signature, a seal and duties of the undersigned individual on a document are genuine. Legalization is necessary to allow documents issued in one country to be accepted and used by institutions of other countries.
Documents witnessing education acquired abroad are subject to legalization , if they have been issued in the state having not acceded to the 1961 Hague Convention concerning abolition of legalization requirements of documents issued in foreign countries , or approved by "Apostille" if they have been issued in the state having acceded to the above mentioned Convention.
Legalization requirements:
- Documents shall be translated into the language of the country to which they are to be submitted (or in English);
- The translation shall be fastened to the original document and the fastening shall be certified by a Notary Public in compliance with notaries procedures;
- Copies shall be certified in compliance with notaries' procedures.
List of the countries Acceding to the 1961 Hague Convention Concerning Abolition of Legalization Requirements of Documents Issued in Foreign Countries:
- Republic of Albania;
- Principality of Andorra;
- Antigua and Barbuda;
- Republic of Argentina;
- Republic of Armenia;
- Australia;
- Republic of Austria;
- Republic of Azerbaijan;
- Commonwealth of The Bahamas;
- Barbados;
- Republic of Belarus;
- Kingdom of Belgium;
- Belize;
- Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- Republic of Botswana;
- Negara Brunei Darussalam;
- Republic of Bulgaria;
- Republic of Colombia;
- Cook Islands;
- Republic of Croatia;
- Republic of Cyprus;
- Czech Republic;
- Dominican Republic;
- Republic of Ecuador;
- Republic of Estonia;
- Republic of The Fiji Islands;
- Republic of Finland;
- French Republic;
- Federal Republic of Germany;
- Republic of Greece;
- Grenada;
- Republic of Honduras;
- Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region);
- Republic of Hungary;
- Republic of Iceland;
- Republic of India;
- Ireland;
- Republic of Italy;
- State of Israel;
- Japan;
- Republic of Kazakhstan;
- Republic of Latvia;
- Kingdom of Lesotho;
- Republic of Liberia;
- Principality of Liechtenstein;
- Republic of Lithuania;
- Great Duchy of Luxembourg;
- Macau (Special Administrative Region);
- Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;
- Republic of Malawi;
- Republic of Malta;
- Republic of the Marshall Islands;
- Republic of Mauritius;
- United States of Mexico;
- Principality of Monaco;
- Republic of Namibia;
- Kingdom of the Netherlands;
- New Zealand;
- Niue;
- Kingdom of Norway;
- Republic of Panama;
- Republic of Poland (from 2005-08-14);
- Republic of Portugal;
- Romania;
- Russian Federation;
- Republic of South Africa;
- Republic of El Salvador;
- Republic of San Marino;
- Saint Kitts and Nevis;
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
- Independent State of Samoa;
- Serbia and Montenegro;
- Republic of Seychelles;
- Republic of Slovakia;
- Republic of Slovenia;
- Kingdom of Spain;
- Republic of Suriname;
- Kingdom of Swaziland;
- Kingdom of Sweden;
- Swiss Confederation;
- Kingdom of Tonga;
- Republic of Trinidad and Tobago;
- Republic of Turkey;
- Ukraine;
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
- The United States of America;
- Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela