Apostille

What is an Apostille?

Apostille is the documentary device by which a government department authenticates a document as genuine, thereby legalizing it for use in another member country under the terms laid out in 1961. Once a document has been Apostilled, thereby providing official government authentication of the signatures and stamps appearing on it, it is automatically deemed legalized for use in another member country.

What is The Hague Convention?

This is an intergovernmental convention which set about establishing a simplified system to allow documentation originating in one member country to be easily recognized as authentic in another member country. The norms were established at The Hague Convention of 6 October 1961.

An Apostille consists of the following:

•         name of country from which the document emanates

•         name of person signing the document

•         the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted

•         in the case of unsigned documents, the name of the authority which has affixed the seal or stamp

•         place of certification

•         date of certification

•         the authority issuing the certificate

•         number of certificate

•         seal or stamp of authority issuing certificate

•         signature of authority issuing certificate

Its simplicity and lack of ambiguity has made the Apostille a favored form of validation of documents worldwide, even in countries that are not actually signatories to The Hague Conference.

Why do I need an Apostille?

Authorities in Greece need proof that US documents or the signatures of US officials on documents are genuine before they will accept them.

Which stamp do I need? An Authentication or an Apostille?

That depends on the country you are dealing with.

As a general rule, countries that are party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (Greece is party to this Convention) require an Apostille on documents which qualify as US public documents.

Documents going to countries that are not party to the Hague Convention generally require an Authentication. These countries include China, Vietnam, most Middle Eastern countries and many others.

On what documents do I get an Authentication or Apostille?

You need a document with an original signature on it. That means either the original document or a notarized copy. Any official Government document with an original signature/stamp or seal on it can be Apostilled. If the document is not an official Government document (such as legal documents or medical certificates) the document (or a copy of it) must be notarized by a Notary Public. All business documents must be notarized or certified by the relevant chamber of commerce/industry.

All tertiary education documents must be notarized or verified by the central Student Administration area of the issuing institution. Please note that some universities will not verify their documents with an original signature, in which case the document must be notarized by a Notary Public.

Where can I get the Apostille?

Please contact the relevant Greek Consular Authority in the USA for further information.