The Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (HCCH 1961 Apostille Convention) facilitates the use of public documents abroad. The purpose of the Convention is to abolish the traditional requirement of legalisation, replacing the often long and costly legalisation process with the issuance of a single Apostille certificate by a Competent Authority in the place where the document originates. The electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP) was launched in 2006 to support the electronic issuance and verification of Apostilles around the world.
The Convention has over 125 Contracting Parties, and has become one of the most widely applied multilateral treaties in the area of legal cooperation, with several million Apostilles issued each year.
Please note that the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH has no mandate to issue or verify Apostille Certificates. Apostille Certificates can only be issued and verified by designated Competent Authorities of Contracting Parties to the 1961 Apostille Convention. A full list of Contracting Parties and the contact details of their Competent Authorities can be found here. For individuals seeking further information regarding Apostille Certificates, please contact the relevant Competent Authority.
Muster eines Apostillenzertifikats:
Erläuternde Dokumente:
- Übersicht über das Übereinkommen
- Apostille Handbook
- Background Note on Art. 1(3) exclusions
- Das ABC der Apostille
- Kurzer Leitfaden zur Implementierung
- Erläuternder Bericht 1960
- La légalisation des actes officiels étrangers von Georges A.L. Droz (Preliminardokument 1 vom März 1959)
Spezialkommissionen:
- Spezialkommission 2021
- Spezialkommission 2016:
- Schlussfolgerungen und Empfehlungen
- Documents executed by intergovernmental or supranational organisations
- Spezialkommission 2012:
- Spezialkommission 2009:
- Spezialkommission 2003:
Experts’ and Working Groups
- Experts’ Group on the e-APP and New Technologies:
- Working Group on the authentication of documents executed by intergovernmental or supranational organisations:
- Report of the Working Group
- Draft agenda
- Info. Doc. No 1 - Summary of Proposals
- Info. Doc. No 2 - Authentication Practices
Fragebögen und Antworten:
e-APP (Program elektronische Apostille)
