Superlegalisation of Documents

If you need to use a document in a country that is not party to the Convention of October 5, 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (known as the Hague Convention), an apostille will not suffice and the document will have to be superlegalised.

Every country that is not party to the Convention requires superlegalisation.

Whereas an apostille is a single certificate, superlegalisation calls for two certifications, which makes it a more demanding process. The first certification is normally carried out by one or two national authorities, such as a court or a ministry. In some countries several authorities share this task, for example the Ministry of Education for diplomas and certificates and regional courts for notarised signatures. In others, such as Great Britain, only one authority is responsible. The second certification is then carried out by the embassy of the destination country.

What is superlegalisation?

Superlegalisation is a higher-level verification and certification of public documents intended for use before a foreign state authority. A public document is one bearing the seal of a Slovak authority or institution or of an official, together with the official’s signature. This higher verification does not confirm the content of a public document, expert opinion or translation, or whether that content is true.

Superlegalisation step by step

Superlegalisation, also known as consular or full legalisation, is the procedure used when a document is to be presented in a country that does not apply the Hague Apostille Convention, or where the apostille is not accepted between the two countries concerned. Instead of a single certificate, the document receives a chain of endorsements, each confirming the authenticity of the previous signature or seal.

How the chain of certifications works

The first stage takes place in the country where the document was issued. Depending on the type of document, it may be certified by a court, a ministry or another designated authority, and then by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The final stage is carried out by the embassy or consulate of the destination country, which confirms the signature and seal of the foreign ministry. Some countries add further steps after the document arrives, such as verification by their own foreign ministry.

Why it takes longer than an apostille

Because several authorities are involved, each with its own forms, opening hours, fees and payment methods, superlegalisation generally takes longer and requires more coordination than an apostille. Documents may also need to be translated at a particular stage of the process, and some embassies have specific requirements regarding the format or binding of documents.

Avoiding common mistakes

• Using a copy where the original or an official duplicate is required
• Submitting a document that is older than the receiving authority accepts
• Completing outdated or incorrect application forms
• Arranging the translation at the wrong stage of the process

Since rules differ between countries and can change, the correct procedure, whether an apostille or superlegalisation, should always be checked individually for your document and destination. Contact us and we will confirm the required steps and handle the superlegalisation for you.