The 1961 Hague Apostille Convention abolishes consular legalization between member states: to use a document in a member country you only need an apostille – a single stamp from an authorized authority. Over 120 states have joined the Convention; it has been in force for Ukraine since 22 December 2003. If the destination country is not a member (for example, the UAE, Egypt or Qatar), consular legalization is required – a more complex, multi-step procedure through ministries and the embassy. A separate case is states with which Ukraine has a legal-assistance treaty (marked *): between them an apostille is often not required at all. Mainland China joined the Convention on 7 November 2023, and Canada on 11 January 2024.
Apostille or consular legalization – what's the difference
| Aspect | Apostille | Consular legalization |
|---|---|---|
| When it applies | Hague Convention countries (120+) | Countries outside the Convention |
| Procedure | A single stamp from an authorized authority | Chain: relevant ministry → MFA → destination country's embassy |
| Number of steps | 1 | 3–4 |
| Example countries | Poland, Germany, Italy, USA, China (since 2023), Canada (since 2024) | UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Vietnam |
COUNTRIES THAT HAVE SIGNED THE HAGUE APOSTILLE CONVENTION
List of countries requiring an apostille stamp
On October 5, 1961, the Hague Convention was signed, which abolishes the requirement for legalization of official documents for countries that participated in signing this convention. For such countries, an apostille is required.
Countries that have signed the Hague Convention:
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan*
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia*
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bahrain
- Belize
- Belgium
- Belarus*
- Bulgaria*
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil (since 14-08-2016)
- Brunei
- Burundi
- Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*
- Vanuatu
- Hungary*
- Venezuela
- Germany
- Honduras
- Grenada
- Greece
- Georgia* (does not apply to the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia and the former autonomous region of South Ossetia)
- Denmark (does not apply to Greenland and the Faroe Islands)
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Israel
- India
- Ireland
- Iceland
- Spain
- Italy
- Cape Verde
- Kazakhstan*
- Canada (since 11-01-2024)
- Cyprus
- Kyrgyzstan*
- People's Republic of China (applies only to Hong Kong and Macao)
- Colombia
- Kosovo (since 14-07-2016)
- Costa Rica
- Latvia*
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Lithuania*
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Mauritius
- Malawi
- Malta
- Morocco (since 14-08-2016)
- Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Mongolia*
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Niue
- New Zealand (does not apply to Tokelau)
- Norway
- Oman
- Cook Islands
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland*
- Portugal
- Republic of Korea
- Republic of Moldova*
- Russia*
- Romania*
- El Salvador
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Swaziland
- Seychelles
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Serbia*
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (does not apply to countries that gained independence (left the UK) but did not sign the Convention)
- United States of America
- Suriname
- Tajikistan*
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkey
- Uzbekistan*
- Ukraine (does not apply to ARC, as well as to the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions)
- Uruguay
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Croatia
- Montenegro
- Czech Republic*
- Chile (since 30-08-2016)
- Switzerland
- Sweden
- Ecuador
- Estonia*
- South Africa
- Japan
* Countries with which Ukraine has signed legal assistance agreements that abolish the requirement for legalization of official documents.
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