What is it?
Consular legalization and Apostille are procedures for making documents legally valid in another country. Let's say you are a foreign student and you enter a Russian university. When applying, you need to provide proof of previous education, and your documents must be "legalized". Depending on the country that issued your certificate or diploma, an Apostille or Consular legalization is required. Or, you move to another country for permanent residence. In order to settle in, you will also need, for example, an apostilled birth certificate. Before your trip, make sure that a special stamp appears on your document. How to do it right? It is better to entrust the preparation of papers to our company.
Apostille
[p]This is a simplified procedure for the preparation of papers. It can be affixed to both originals, notarized copies and translations, and only one relevant government entity needs to be visited to complete it. Apostille works in all states that have signed the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961. Having put it once, the document will be valid in 120+ countries, and the list is constantly growing.Consular legalization
If the intended country has not joined the 1961 Convention, complete consular legalization is required. Unlike an Apostille, document preparation takes longer and is a more complex, expensive process. You will have to make notarized copies, a certified translation, and apply to three authorities: the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the embassy of the chosen state. Each stage may have its own subtleties, so it is better to leave it to BetterLetter.
Examples of our work
Example of consular legalization of documents for China (before 2023)
