Update on the e-APP
Designed to facilitate the authentication of public documents for use abroad, the electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP) has become an integral part of the operation of the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (1961 Apostille Convention).
The e-APP has two components, which can be implemented separately or together:
- The e-Apostille is an Apostille issued in electronic form with a digital signature
- The e-Register is a register maintained in a publicly accessible, electronic form that can be used to record the issuance of both e-Apostilles and paper Apostilles
Over the course of recent months, the Permanent Bureau has been informed of new implementations of e-APP components in four Contracting Parties to the Convention. As a result, there are now 56 Contracting Parties operating at least one component of the e-APP, including 35 which have implemented both the e-Apostille and e-Register components.
In Panama, the General Secretariat of the Supreme Court of Justice has begun issuing e-Apostilles and has implemented an e-Register in which Apostilles issued after 17 April 2023 can be verified.
In Pakistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has implemented an e-Register.
In the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Justice has begun issuing e-Apostilles and has implemented an e-Register. More information is available here.
In the United States of America, three additional states have begun issuing e-Apostilles: Kentucky, Minnesota, and Washington. e-Apostilles are also being issued in Connecticut, Montana, Rhode Island, and Utah, and e-Registers are available in multiple states.
The Permanent Bureau of the HCCH continues to engage with relevant authorities with the aim of expanding the use of e-Apostilles and e-Registers to all Contracting Parties to the 1961 Apostille Convention and of promoting their optimal operation where already implemented. In August 2024, the Permanent Bureau participated in an e-APP Symposium organised by the Montana Secretary of State's Office in Helena (USA), which brought together over 200 participants from across the country. The high level of interest generated by the event reflects the significant momentum gained by the e-APP in the USA, where implementations of either component in several additional states are expected in the near future.
In light of the e-APP’s significant potential benefits in terms of time, resources, accessibility, and security for both citizens and government officials, the Permanent Bureau encourages all Contracting Parties to the 1961 Apostille Convention to consider implementation of both of its components.
States wishing to learn more about the e-APP will have a unique opportunity to do so later this year, as the 13th International Forum on the e-APP will be held on 21-22 October in Astana, Kazakhstan. The International Forum on the e-APP gathers experts and stakeholders from around the world and provides a unique international platform for governments, organisations, and the private sector to learn more about the benefits of the e-APP, to promote its effective implementation, and to discuss the latest developments in relation to the e-APP worldwide. This year, the e-APP Forum will be held for the first time in Central Asia and will be jointly organised by the HCCH, the Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan, and the Maqsut Narikbayev University.
For more information on the 13th International Forum on the e-APP, and to register by 7 October, please visit its dedicated page on the HCCH website. For more information on the 1961 Apostille Convention and the e-APP, please visit the Apostille Section of the HCCH website.
