GlossaryGeneral
What is an apostille?
Apostille under the Hague Apostille Convention
Short answer
An apostille is a certificate issued by the competent authority of the country where a public document was issued, so the document can be used in another member country of the Hague Apostille Convention without further legalisation. Türkiye, the US and the UK are all parties.
Explained
In the US, apostilles for documents issued by federal agencies (such as an IRS certification of US tax residency) come from the Department of State’s Office of Authentications, while documents issued by a state (such as a Certificate of Good Standing) are generally apostilled by that state’s Secretary of State. A state cannot apostille another state’s or a federal agency’s document.
In the UK, apostilles are issued by the FCDO’s Legalisation Office, which checks the signature, stamp or seal against its records and attaches an apostille if they match. Company certificates issued by Companies House can be legalised this way, and an electronic e-Apostille is also available.
Good to know
- An apostille confirms that the signature, stamp or seal is official; it does not certify the document’s content.
- Acceptance is up to the institution receiving the document, which may also ask for a translation.
- An apostille is obtained in the country where the document was issued.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of State — Apostille certificate
- GOV.UK — Get your document legalised
- HCCH — Apostille Convention status table
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This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; check the official source for the latest position or talk to us.
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