Apostille Offices

Albania

Albania - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

Office of Authentications of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs(Drejtoria Konsullore, Zyra e Legalizimeve, Ministria e Puneve te Jashtme)

Contact details:

Address: / Bulevardi "Gjergj Fishta" Nr.6TiraneAlbania (Shqiperi)
Telephone: / +355 (4) 364090 ext. 185+355 (4) 364685+355 (4) 340358
Fax: / +355 (4) 362084/5
E-mail: /
General website: / http://www.mfa.gov.al/shqip/drejtoriakonsu.asp(in Albanian only)

Practical Information:

Price: / [no information available]
Useful Links: / -

Argentina

Argentina - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto

"(...) the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs has signed an Agreement with the Federal Board of Notariat, by which the different Bodies of Notaries Public of Argentina have been authorised to authenticate signatures with the Apostille legalisation.This designation has become in force on 1 December 2003.The Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains being the Authority of Application of the Convention." [sic]

Contact details:

Address: / Esmeralda 1212C1007ABR, BUENOS AIRESArgentina
Telephone: / + 54 (11) 4819 7000
Fax: / -
E-mail: / To contact the competent authorityuse the contact link on the website indicated below.
General website (see also "Practical Information") : / http://www.mrecic.gov.ar/(in Spanish only)

Practical Information:

Price: / Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto charges $39 pesos argentinos.The Colegios de Escribanos (Bodies of Notaries Public) charge a maximum fee of $69 pesos argentinos. This service includes the certification of the signature of the Public Notary.
Useful links: / http://www.cfna.org.ar/(in Spanish only)

Australia

Australia - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

The Secretary to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Commonwealth of Australia

Contact details:

Address: / R.G. Casey BuildingJohn McEwen CrescentBarton, ACT 0221Australia.
Telephone: / +61 (2) 6261 3644 / +61 (2) 6261 1111
Fax: / +61 (2) 6261 2820 / +61 (2) 6261 3111
Email: / , .
General website (see also “Practical Information”): / http://www.dfat.gov.au/

Practical Information:

Price: / $60 Australian dollars for a single-sided page document$80 Australian dollars for a binding (documents of two or more pages)
Useful Links: / http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/authen.html http://www.dfat.gov.au/sydney/faq.pdf
Regional offices / http://www.smartraveler.gov.au/state_offices.html

Austria

Austria - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

1. Das Bundesministerium für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten hinsichtlich aller Urkunden, die

a) vom Bundespräsidenten oder von der Präsidentschatskanzlei,b) vom Präsidenten des Nationalrates, vom Vorsitzenden des Bundesrates oder von der Parlamentdirektion,c) von der Bundesregierung,d) von einem Bundesministerium,e) vom Verfassungsgerichtshof oder vom Verwaltungsgerichtshof,f) vom Obersten Gerichtshof, vom Kartellobergericht beim Obersten Gerichtshof, von der Obersten Rückstellungskommission beim Obersten Gerichtshof oder von der Obersten Rückgabekommission beim Obersten Gerichtshof oderg) vom Rechnungshof

ausgestellt worden sind;

2. Die Präsidenten der mit Zivilrechtssachen befassten Gerichtshöfe erster Instanz oder ihre zur Ausstellung der Unterzeichnungsbestätigung (Apostille) bestimmten Stellvertreter, mit Ausnahme des Handelsgerichtes Wien und des Jugendgerichtshofes Wien, hinsichtlich aller Urkunden, die von einem anderen Gericht als den in Zifter 1 lit. e und f genannten, von einer staatsanwaltschaftlichen Behörde, von einem Notar, von einer Notariatskammer oder von einer Rechtsanwaltskammer – insoweit diese Kammern dabei in Vollziehung behördlicher Aufgaben des Bundes tätig werden – im Sprengel des betreffenden Gerichtshofes ausgestellt worden sind;

3. hinsichtlich aller anderen Urkunden

a) die Landeshauptmänner, soweit es sich um Urkunden handelt, die in ihrem Bundesland in Vollziehung behördlicher Aufgaben des Bundes undb) die Landesregierungen, soweit es sich um Urkunden handelt, die in ihrem Bundesland in Vollziehung behördlicher Aufgaben des Landes ausgestellt worden sind.

Contact details:

Address: / Bundesministerium für Auswärtige AngelegenheitenMinoritenplatz 8A-1014 WIEN
Telephone: / +43 (5) 01150-0+43 (5) 01150-4411
Fax: / +43 (5) 01159-0
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information") : / http://www.bmaa.gv.at/
Click here to view the complete list and contact details of the Regional Courts (Landesgerichte) and Land Governments (Landesregierungen)

Practical Information:

Price: / The Austrian competent regional courts charge €2,90for the issuance of an Apostille with regard to judicial and notarial documents;The Vienna Chief Executive Office charges €16,27.
Useful Links: / http://www.bmaa.gv.at/view.php3?f_id=1355&LNG=de&version(in German only)
List of Regional Courts and Land Governments
Federal Act of 31 May 1967 on the issuance of the Apostille according to the Hague Convention (Federal Law Gazette Nr. 2811968)

(This page was last updated on 6 September 2006)

Belarus

Belarus - Competent Authorities (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

On 8 February 1993, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus communicated to the depositary of the Convention the following:

Translation(...) the Ministry would advise that in accordance with Article 6 of the Convention and in accordance with the Decree issued by the Government of the Republic of Belarus on 1 January 1993, official documents issued by government agencies of the Republic of Belarus for use in the territories of Contracting States of the Hague Convention, repealing the necessity of legalization of foreign official documents, are now authorized only by an apostille written on these documents. An apostille may be given by the Ministry of Justice on documents issued by judicial authorities and courts; by the Ministry of National Education on documents issued by relevant educational authorities; by the Committee for Archives and Administration on documents issued by relevant state archives; and by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on all other documents.

Contact details:

Address: / Ministry of Justiceul. Kollektornaya, 10220084 MINSK
Telephone: / +375 17 220-96-84+375 17 220-97-55
Fax: / -
E-mail: /
General website: / http://www.minjust.by/ (in Belarusian only)
Address: / Ministry of National Education
Telephone: / -
Fax: / -
E-mail: / -
General website: / http://www.minedu.unibel.by/(in Belarusian only)
Address: / Committee for Archives and Records Management10, Kollektornaya St.220048, MINSKRepublic of Belarus
Telephone: / +375 17 220-51-20
Fax: / -
E-mail: /
General website: / http://archives.gov.by/eindex.htm
Address: / Ministry of Foreign Affairsul. Lenina, 19MINSKBelarus 220030
Telephone: / +375 17 227-29-22
Fax: / +375 17 227-45-21
E-mail: / -
General website: / http://www.mfa.gov.by/

Practical Information:

Price: / [no information available]
Useful Links: / -

Belgium

Belgium - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

Ministère des Affaires étrangères, du Commerce extérieur et de la Coopération au Développement

Contact details:

Address: / rue des Petits Carmes 271000 BRUSSELSBelgium
Telephone: / +32 (2) 501 89 00
Fax: / +32 (2) 501 37 90
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information") : / http://www.diplobel.fgov.be/en/default.asp

Practical Information:

Price: / 10 €
Useful Links: / http://www.diplobel.fgov.be/en/services/legalisationsdetail.asp?TEXTID=3783
Regional offices / -

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

By Note dated 17 August 2000, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina informed the depositary of the following:

"(...) the authorities designated by Bosnia and Herzegovina who are competent to issue the certificate referred to in the first paragraph of Article 3 of the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents concluded at The Hague on 5th October 1961, are Municipal Courts in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Republic of Srpska. These certificates shall be subject to certification by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communications of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina."

By Note dated 8 October 2003, the depositary was informed of the following:"(...) that the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken over from the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communications the responsibility for the international co-operation in judicial matters, as well as the co-operation between two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina as of 15 March 2003."

Contact details:

Address: / Ministry of JusticeTrg Bosne i Hercegovine 1 71000 SARAJEVOBosnia and Herzegovina
Telephone: / +387 33 223 501+387 33 223 503
Fax: / +387 33 223 504
E-mail: /
General website: / http://www.mpr.gov.ba/
Address: / Ministry of Foreign AffairsMusala 2 SARAJEVOBosnia and Herzegovina
Telephone: / +387 33 281 100
Fax: / -
E-mail: /
General website: / http://www.mvp.gov.ba/

Practical Information:

Price: / [no information available]
Useful Links: / -

Bulgaria

Bulgaria - Competent Authorities (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

1. The Ministry of Justice - in respect of the documents of the courts and notaries;2. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs - in respect of all other documents.

Contact details:

Address: / Ministry of Justiceul."Slavianska" No 11040SOFIABulgaria
Contact person: / Mr Dimiter CholakovSenior Expert at the Judicial Activity Directoratelanguages of communication: French, Greek
Telephone: / +359 (2) 923 7477
Fax: / +359 (2) 981 3443
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information") : / http://www.mjeli.government.bg/(in Bulgarian only)
Address: / Ministry of Foreign Affairs2, Alexander Zhendov StreetSOFIA 1032Bulgaria
Telephone: / +359 (2) 971 14 08+359 (2) 971 37 78+359 (2)948-2218
Fax: / +359 (2) 870 30 41
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information") : / http://www.mfa.government.bg/

Practical Information:

Price: / The Courts, the Prosecutor’s Offices, the Investigation Offices and the Ministry of Justice : 2.50 BGN per document. No fees for urgent services as the service is done in maximum 24 hours.
Ministry of Foreign Relations : ordinary service BGN 5.00, urgent service BGN 7.50
Useful Links: / http://www.mjeli.government.bg/Direkcii/apps.aspx?id=apostille

(The contact detailsfor the Ministry of Justice have last been updated on 8 December 2005)

China, People's Republic of

China (Macao) - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

1. The Chief Executive

2. The Secretary for Administration and Justice

3. The Director of Justice Affairs Department.

Contact details:

Address: / Direcção dos Serviços de Assuntos de JustiçaRua do Campo, n.º 162Edf. Administração Pública, 19.º andarMacau
Telephone: / +853 564225
Fax: / +853 710445
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information") : / http://www.dsaj.gov.mo/(in Portuguese and Chinese only)

Practical Information:

Price: / Free of charge
Useful Links: / http://www.dsaj.gov.mo/ContentFrame_pt.aspx?ModuleName=Content/pt/dj/dj01_pt.ascx (in Portuguese and Chinese only)

China (Hong Kong) - Competent Authorities (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

4. The Administrative Secretary,

5. The Registrar of the High Court,

6. The Deputy Registrar of the High Court,

7. The Assistant Registrar of the High Court.

Contact details:

Address: / LG115High Court Building38 QueenswayHong Kong
Telephone: / +852 2825 4226
Fax: / +852 2524 2034
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information") : / http://www.judiciary.gov.hk/

Practical Information:

Price: / $125 HKD currency (aprox. USD$16)
Useful Links: / http://www.judiciary.gov.hk/en/crt_services/apostille.htm

Croatia

Croatia - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

The municipal courts or the Ministry of Justice and Administration of the Republic of Croatia

Contact details:

Address: / Ministry of JusticeRepublike Austrije 1410000 ZAGREBCroatia
Telephone: / +385 (1) 3710-620+385 (1) 3710-711
Fax: / +385 (1) 3710-622+385 (1) 3710-653
E-mail: / -
General website (see also "Practical Information"): / http://www.pravosudje.hr/(in Croatian only)

Practical Information:

Price: / [no information available]
Useful Links: / -

Cyprus

Cyprus - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

The Ministry of Justice and Public Order of the Republic of Cyprus

Contact details:

Address: / Ministry of Justice and Public Order125, Athalassas Avenue1461 Lefkosia (Nicosia)Cyprus
Telephone: / +357 (22) 805 955
Fax: / +357 (22) 518 356
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information"): / http://www.mjpo.gov.cy/

Practical Information:

Price: / £2 stamps
Useful Links: / -

(The contact details of this authority were last updated on 19 December 2005)

Czech Republic

Czech Republic - Competent Authority (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

8. The Ministry of Justice, International Department (certificates issued by authorities of justice, including certificates issued or certified by notaries);

9. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consular Department (documents issued by authorities of State Administration or by the other ones).

Contact details:

Address: / Ministry of JusticeVyšehradská 16128 10PRAHA 2Czech Republic
Telephone: / +420 221 997 106+420 221 997 107+420 221 997 108+420 221 997 109
Fax: / +420 224919927
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information"): / http://portal.justice.cz/
Address: / Ministry of Foreign AffairsLoretánské námestí 5118 00PRAHA 1Czech Republic
Telephone: / +420 224 181 111
Fax: / -
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information"): / http://www.mzv.cz/

Practical Information:

Price: / [no information available]
Useful Links: / -

Denmark

Denmark - Competent Authority (Art. 6)the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Estonia

Estonia - Competent Authorities (Art. 6)

Designated Competent Authority(ies):

1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consular Department, Legal Division;2. Ministry of Education and Research, Administrative Department;3. Ministry of Justice, Courts Department;4. Ministry of Internal Affairs, Population Facts Department;5. Ministry of Social Affairs, Information Management Department

Contact details:

Address: / Ministry of Foreign AffairsConsular DepartmentLegal DivisionIslandi väljak 115049 TALLINN
Telephone: / +372 63 77 440 / 63 77 478
Fax: / +372 63 77 454
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information"): / http://www.vm.ee/
Address: / Ministry of Education and ResearchAdministrative DepartmentMunga 1851007 TARTU
Telephone: / +372 7 350 256 / 7 350 240
Fax: / +372 7 350 250
Tallinn Office: / Tõnismägi 1115192 TALLINN
Telephone: / + 372 62 81 234 / +372 62 81 222
Fax: / +372 62 81 390
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information"): / http://www.hm.ee/
Address: / Ministry of JusticeCourts DepartmentLiberal Professions and Legal Registers DivisionLõkke 410122 TALLINN
Telephone: / +372 6837 560
Fax: / +372 6460165
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information"): / http://www.just.ee/
Address: / Ministry of Internal AffairsPopulation Facts DepartmentPikk 6115065 TALLINN
Telephone: / +372 61 25 170 /61 25 231 / 61 25 246
Fax: / +372 61 25 162
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information"): / http://www.sisemin.gov.ee/
Address: / Ministry of Social AffairsInformation Management DepartmentGonsiori 2915027 TALLINN
Telephone: / +372 62 69 306
Fax: / +372 69 92 209
E-mail: /
General website (see also "Practical Information"): / http://www.sm.ee/

Practical Information:

Price: / 230 EEK (as per 1 January 2007)
Useful Links: / Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://www.vm.ee/eng/kat_132/2583.htmlMinistry of Justice:http://www.just.ee/6865 (Estonian only)Ministry of Internal Affairs: http://www.sisemin.gov.ee/atp/index.php?id=13323

(The contact details of these authorities havebeen updated on 8 May 2007)