Legalization and apostille
INTERTEXT Translation Agency can arrange all kinds of document legalization, both by consuls and by apostille. Moreover, we legalize not only Moldovan documents. We have experience in legalization of documents issued in Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, USA, Israel, Cyprus. As soon as we receive your request, our managers will immediately process it and contact you on the phone number/e-mail you specified.
Should it not be so convinient for you to use this form you can also send us your request by e-mail.
Legalization consists in authentication and validation of documents issued in another state, in the form of statement of certification. Currently there exist 2 types of possible legalization of documents: consular legalization and affixation of "Apostille" stamp. Consular legalization is a procedure, by means of which a state authenticates documents issued on its territory or on the territory of another state. It is requested in number of countries which did not conclude bilateral or multilateral agreements on simplification or complete abolition of consular legalization. Consular legalization implies a multitude of procedures on authentication of documents and signatures on them. Thus, in the end, a seal of Embassy or Consulate of country of destination or Ministry of External Affairs of the respective state is affixed to the document.
List of countries, for which consular legalization of Moldovan documents is required: Germany, Denmark, Jordan, Canada, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Syria, and others.
Due to complexity of consular legalization of documents and with the scope of simplification and acceleration of this process, since the year 1961 there exists the simplified legalization - "Apostille" stamp, which is affixed to the documents of countries, which signed the Hague Convention. For the Republic of Moldova the said Convention had come into force on March 16, 2007. Apostille is affixed to document only once by the authorities of the country where the document was issued. Thus, authorities of the country on territory of which it is subjected to use will recognize it without consular legalization or other formalities.
List of the 1961 Hague Convention signatory states
(information is provided in alphabetical order as of November 1, 2008)
| Australia | Latvia | Seychelles |
| Austria | Lesotho | Serbia and Montenegro |
| Azerbaijan | Liberia | Slovenia |
| Albania | Lithuania | Slovakia |
| Andorra | Liechtenstein | USA |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Luxembourg | Suriname |
| Argentina | Mauritius | Tonga |
| Armenia | Macedonia | Turkey |
| Bahamas | Malawi | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Barbados | Malta | Fiji |
| Belarus | Marshall Islands | Czech Republic |
| Belize | Kazakhstan | Finland |
| Bulgaria | Colombia | France |
| Belgium | Mexico | Croatia |
| Botswana | Moldova | Switzerland |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Monaco | Sweden |
| Brunei Darussalam | Namibia | Ukraine |
| Great Britain* | Netherlands | Ecuador |
| Hungary | Niue | Estonia |
| Venezuela | Norway | Republic of South Africa |
| Germany (Germany abrogated effect of this Convention for the Republic of Moldova) | New Zealand | Japan |
| Gilbert and Ellis Islands | Panama | * Great Britain also spread the effect of this Convention over the following territories: |
| Grenada | Poland | Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey |
| Greece | Portugal | Isle of Man |
| Honduras | Romania | Bermuda |
| Dominica | Russia | New Hebrides |
| Israel | El Salvador | Cayman Islands |
| India | San Marino | Falkland Islands |
| Ireland | Samoa | Gibraltar |
| Iceland | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Montserrat |
| Spain | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Helena (Netherlands Antilles) |
| Italy | Saint Christopher and Nevis | Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Cyprus | Saint Lucia | Virgin Islands |
| China (only Hong Kong and Macau) | Swaziland |
However, legalization and affixation of an apostille are not required if an international treaty provides for cancellation or simplification of these procedures. Thus, the Bilateral Treaties on Mutual Legal Assistance and Convention on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family and Criminal Cases dated January 22, 1993, state that documents issued or authenticated in one of the signatory countries by an institution or specially authorized body in due form and bearing an official seal require no authentication (legalization) in another signatory country. With regard to such documents only their notarized translation can be requested.
Members of this Convention are: Republic of Moldova, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Uzbekistan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Armenia, Ukraine, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
The Republic of Moldova had also concluded bilateral treaties on mutual legal assistance with Romania, Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic.
Legal framework
Convention abolishing the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents (concluded 5 October 1961)