Belarus ratifies Child Support Convention
On 8 March 2018, the Permanent Bureau was informed that on 16 February 2018, Belarus has deposited its instrument of ratification to the Hague Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (Child Support Convention). With the ratification of Belarus, the Child Support Convention now has 39 Contracting Parties. The...
Annual Report of the HCCH 2017
Belgium begins issuing e-Apostilles
On 1st March 2018, the Belgian Competent Authorities have started to issue e-Apostilles. There will be a transitionary period until 1st May 2018, in which both paper and e-Apostilles will be issued. After this period, only e-Apostilles will only be issued, for both electronic and paper public documents. Once issued, the apostillised documents are sent to the requesting party by email (or to the...
Adults Convention enters into force for Latvia
On 1 March 2018 the Convention of 13 January 2000 on the International Protection of Adults entered into force for Latvia following the deposit of its instrument of ratification to the Convention on 6 December 2017. The Adults Convention currently has 10 Contracting Parties. Latvia has been a member of the Hague Conference since 1992 and is already a Contracting Party to 13 other Hague...
The Service Convention enters into force for Tunisia
On 1 February 2018, the Hague Convention of 15 November 1965 on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters (Service Convention) entered into force for Tunisia, following its accession to the Convention on 10 July 2017. The Service Convention currently has 73 Contracting Parties. Tunisia has been a Member of the Hague Conference since 4...
Apostille Handbook now available in German, Portuguese and Russian
German, Portuguese and Russian language versions of the Apostille Handbook (2013) are now available. The German version was provided by the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (in consultation with the Swiss Federal Office of Justice and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice), the Portuguese version by the Attorney General of the Portuguese Republic, and the Russian...