Documents legalization (apostille) for Russia

Legalization is “a formal procedure used to attain legal force for a document (education diploma, certificate, license, etc) in the territory of another state. The procedure is used to certify authenticity of signature and authority of a person who has signed such document and, if required, authenticity of seal or stamp attached to such document. The ultimate purpose of apostille in Russia is submission of document to authorities of another state.

Brief instruction for document legalization in Russia:

1. Apostille is always attached in that country the state authorities of which issued it. If a document is issued or made outside the Russian Federation, its legalization in Russia is not possible.

2. Apostille is not required if Russia and the country where you plan to submit the document have a bilateral agreement canceling legalization requirement.

3. In the majority of cases, apostille is attached to notary certified copies of documents (birth certificates, death certificates, wedding certificates, divorce certificates, diplomas, etc. as well as copies of legal entity incorporation documents – Article of Incorporation, Memorandum of Incorporation, contracts, Tax Authority Registration Certificates).

4. In the majority of cases, the document to be submitted in another state should be translated. The translator’s signature should be certified by a notary of the Russian Federation.

There are two other types of document legalization: consular legalization and the legalization in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.

Apostille in Russia

Attachment of an “Apostille” stamp (such procedure is also called “simplified legalization” or “apostillization ") is used for legalizing documents to be submitted in countries - signatories of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. Upon attachment of apostille the document attains legal force in all countries – signatories of the Hague Convention, including the Russian Federation.

Since January 29, 2010, an apostille attachment is subject to a state duty in the amount of 1500 rubles (the Russian Federation Tax Code, Article 333.1.8). The apostille in Russia is issued by territorial bodies of the Ministry of Justice and other executive power bodies (e.g. the Federal Agency for Education of the Russian Federation).

The price to arrange an apostille in Alba Translation Agency is 3000 rubles. The procedure of attaching an apostille takes usually 5-7 working days.

When translating an apostille stamp it is important to follow that format which prevails in a country where the target language is a state language.

Consular legalization in Russia

If a state is not a signatory of the Hague Convention, consular legalization is required. It is a more complicated procedure than attachment of apostille and includes document certification in the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation with further certification in a consular office of the respective country in the Russian Federation. Consular legalization makes your document valid only in the territory of the state which consular office attaches the stamp.

Legalization in the Russian Federation Trade and Commerce Chamber

Commercial documents (contracts, invoices, bill of lading, etc.) are subject to neither consular legalization nor apostillization. Such documents may be legalized only in the Trade and Commerce Chamber with further legalization in a consular office of the respective country. In the majority of cases, legalization of such documents is not required.