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Convention de La Haye | The Hague Convention
An Apostille Certificate replaces the more expensive, cumbersome procedure of full document legalisation, and fast tracks the acceptance of public documents originating in one country for use in another.
Apostille is a French word (pronounced "ah-poh-steel") meaning a certificate issued by a government of a country authenticating the signature and/or seal of a public official on a public document intended for use in another country.
It is commonly referred to in English as the legalisation of a public document for international use under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents.
Public documents, including documents notarised by a Notary Public, which have been affixed or attached with an Apostille Certificate by the government of their country, are automatically accepted for legal use in foreign countries which are signatories to the Hague Convention.
The Australian Government ratified the Hague Convention on 9th August, 1994 and commenced issuing Apostlle Certificates on the 16th March, 1995.
Thereafter, it was no longer necessary for many Australian publicly-issued documents to be legalised by foreign Embassies or Consulates in Australia.
However, quite a few countries have still to adopt the Hague Apostille Convention, and those that have not done so to date, insist on full document legalisation of Australian public documents at their diplomatic missions or consular posts located in Australia.
Some foreign countries that do not have diplomatic, consular or trade representatives in Australia, have made arrangements with other foreign countries that do so, to assist with the formal legalisation of Australian public documents intended to operate in their countries.
There are approximately thirty (30) foreign countries that do not have a diplomatic representative in Australia, and have not made an arrangement with another country represented here to assist them with legalisation of Australian public documents required for use in their countries.
In respect of these particular countries, legalisation services that are required for these unrepresented countries may be provided by their Embassies or Consulates located in another country where they are in fact diplomatically represented.
As at 1st March, 2007, the following countries have agreed to participate in "The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents"...
- Albania
- American Samoa
- Andorra
- Anguilla
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bermuda
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Botswana
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Guyana
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Cayman Islands
- Colombia
- Comoros Islands
- Cook Islands
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Falkland Islands
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guernsey
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Isle of Man
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Jersey
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Korea (Republic of)
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao
- Macedonia
- Malawi
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Netherlands Antilles
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Niue (Savage Island)
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Norway
- Panama
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Reunion
- Romania
- Russia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Serbia & Montenegro
- Seychelles
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Spain
- St Georgia & South Sandwich Islands
- St Kitts & Nevis
- St Lucia
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tonga
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turkey
- Turks & Caicos
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom & Northern Ireland
- United States of America
- Venezuela
- Wallis & Futuna
- Yugoslavia
An Apostille Certificate is sufficient if your Australian public document is to be used in any of the above participating countries.
Notary Services: If you require your document to be notarised prior to Legalisation, click here... Red Seal Notary.