Apostille or consular legalisation? Check by country
If the destination country is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, the document needs a single stamp, the apostille. If it is not, consular legalisation is required: certification by several authorities, including that country's embassy. Choose the country, the direction and the document type, and the tool will show you which route you need and in what order.
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In short: how to tell them apart
- An apostille works between parties to the Hague Convention and is a single stamp, affixed in Georgia by the Public Service Hall.
- Consular legalisation is for countries that are not parties: after the Public Service Hall stamp, the document is also certified by the destination country's embassy.
- The stamp is affixed in the country where the document was issued. A foreign document cannot be apostilled in Georgia.
- Documents from clinics and educational institutions are apostilled directly, while documents from a bank, employer or company are first certified by a notary.
- China since 2023 and Canada since 2024 are parties to the Convention: legalisation is no longer needed for them.
Apostille and legalisation in one table
Both procedures confirm the same thing: that the signature and seal on the document are genuine. The difference is how many authorities are involved and how long the process takes.
| Criterion | Apostille | Consular legalisation |
|---|---|---|
| When | The country is a party to the Hague Convention | The country is not a party to the Convention |
| Who certifies in Georgia | Public Service Hall | Public Service Hall and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the destination country's embassy |
| Steps | One stamp | Two or more links in the chain, sometimes certification after arrival as well |
| Time | A few working days; an express option is available | Depends on the embassy's workload, often several weeks |
| Verification | By the apostille number, in the electronic register | By the seal and signature of each link |
Detailed procedures: apostille at the Public Service Hall and consular legalisation for non-party countries.
When a document needs neither an apostille nor legalisation
Both procedures are needed only when the document is submitted to an official body or an official procedure in another country: an embassy, court, notary, registry, insurance company and sometimes a public hospital. In many other cases certification is an unnecessary expense.
- Consultation and a second opinion at a foreign clinic. Most private clinics only need an accurate translation for a cost estimate and a second opinion, and an electronic copy will do.
- Personal use. If the translation is only for you or your treating doctor, it does not need official force.
- Documents exempted by treaty. With some countries, a legal assistance treaty exempts certain official documents from certification, although in practice recipients often still ask for an apostille.
So the first question we always put to the recipient is in what form they need the document. A single letter to the clinic or embassy often saves an entire step.
The tool above processes your choices only in your browser: nothing is sent and nothing is stored. The result is the general rule, and we check the specific recipient's requirements separately when you place an order.
Five mistakes that get a document sent back
Each of the cases below costs both time and money, but they are easy to rule out in advance.
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Legalisation where an apostille is enough
The list of countries changes. Anyone still offering you legalisation for China or Canada is relying on outdated information and making you pay for an unnecessary step.
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A private document without a notary
The Public Service Hall does not certify a bank, employer or company letter directly. A notary must first certify a copy or a translation. This rule does not apply to documents from clinics and educational institutions.
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A foreign document brought to Georgia for an apostille
A certificate issued abroad needs the stamp in that country. Once it has been brought to Georgia, the only fix is to send it back by courier and queue again.
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A translation without the stamp
The apostille and legalisation stamps are part of the document and are translated too. A translation that omits the text of the stamp is often considered incomplete.
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An "old" certificate
Some embassies and authorities accept criminal record and marital status certificates only if they were issued within the last few months. We check the recipient's rule before the certificate is obtained.
If you do not have the document yet, we will obtain the certificate or extract in your name, and you can find out the translation price in advance with the translation price calculator.
Frequently asked questions about choosing between an apostille and legalisation
Where can I check whether a country is a party to the Hague Convention?
The official source is the status table of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, which gives the date the Convention entered into force for each country. Our tool is based on that list and covers the countries Georgian clients need most often. The list changes from time to time, so for every order we check the official table again before submitting the document to the Public Service Hall.
What should I do if my country is not on the list?
The tool includes the countries Georgian patients and families travel to most often. If you cannot find your country, write to us or call: we will check the official list to see whether it is a party and tell you which steps your document needs. If the country is not a party, we will find out where its embassy or consulate is, because it is often in a neighbouring country.
Is the apostille placed on the translation or on the original?
Both options exist, and the choice depends on what the recipient requires. On a public document the apostille is usually placed on the original, and the document is then translated together with the stamp. Some recipients ask for the notarised translation made in Georgia to be apostilled as well, while others expect the translation to be done in their own country by a sworn translator. We always clarify this in advance.
Do I have to go to the Public Service Hall in person to get an apostille?
No. Anyone can submit a document to the Public Service Hall and no power of attorney is needed, because the apostille certifies the document, not its holder. So if you are abroad, it is enough for us to have the document in Georgia: we submit it, have the stamp affixed, translate it if needed and send it to you by DHL. You will need a power of attorney only if a certificate or extract first has to be obtained in your name.
How long is an apostille valid?
An apostille has no expiry date of its own: it confirms that the signature on the document was genuine on a specific date. However, the recipient may limit how old the document itself can be. Some embassies, for example, accept a criminal record certificate only if it was issued within the last few months. In that case a new certificate with a new apostille is needed; the old one cannot be renewed.
Next step
- Apostille and legalisation in a single order Document check, notary, stamp, translation and delivery.
- Notarised translation For a private document, the road to an apostille starts at the notary.
- Sending a document abroad by DHL The finished, certified document delivered to your address, with tracking.
We will handle the full cycle
Tell us what the document is and which country it is going to. We will check the recipient's requirements, go through every step and send the finished document to your address.