Apostille

Document Legalisation (Apostille)

Document legalisation, also known as authentication or Apostille, is the process of verifying the authenticity of signatures and seals of officials on a document. This procedure ensures that a document issued in one country is legally recognised in another.

Typically, an Apostille is required for documents intended for use abroad in countries that are members of the Hague Convention. Apostilles are only applicable to documents issued in Latvia and are necessary when you need to use official Latvian documents overseas. Conversely, if you plan to use an official document issued abroad in Latvia, the Apostille must be obtained from the country where the document was originally issued.

Common Documents That Require Legalisation

An Apostille is often required for documents related to immigration, employment, education, marriage or divorce, inheritance matters, or bank account openings abroad. However, many other scenarios may also require legalisation of Latvian documents for foreign use.

Please Note: A sworn notary public can only legalise (Apostille) documents issued within the Republic of Latvia.

Types of Documents That Can Be Apostilled:

• Original documents
• Notarised copies of documents
• Translations attached to originals or notarised copies

To confirm whether your documents require legalisation, we strongly recommend contacting the relevant authorities in the country where you intend to use the document.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us