Many diplomas, certificates, school-leaving certificates, and other educational documents issued in Latvia do not have official legal validity in Russia. To use these documents in Russia, they must first be legalized by obtaining an apostille and then undergo the nostrification (recognition) procedure.
If you intend to use a Latvian diploma in a country that is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, it can be legalized for university admission through the simplified procedure known as apostille certification.
When and why is an apostille required?
An apostille is a special certificate that confirms the authenticity of an official document. It may be affixed to documents issued by government authorities, local self-government bodies, as well as educational institutions and other organizations that have been granted special authority by the state.
Commercial documents cannot be apostilled. Therefore, if you have obtained a certificate for completing educational courses provided by a private company that does not hold an educational license, it cannot be certified with an apostille. Only documents issued by accredited educational institutions holding an official state license may be legalized through the apostille procedure.
It should also be noted that an apostille only certifies the authenticity of the document, as well as the signature of the authorized official who issued it. It does not automatically grant the right to work in regulated professions (such as medicine or law) and does not replace the recognition of higher education qualifications (nostrification). In Russia, this procedure is carried out by the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Glavexpertcentre" and is required for admission to Russian universities or employment in a regulated profession.
An apostille may only be issued in the country where the document was originally issued. It cannot be obtained through diplomatic missions or consular offices.
When is an apostille not required?
Most private employers do not require an apostille on diplomas or other educational documents when hiring employees for positions that do not involve access to restricted information. In addition, an apostille is not required if Latvia and another country have a bilateral agreement on the mutual recognition of diplomas and academic degrees, allowing educational qualifications to be recognized for university admission or professional employment without additional legalization.
Latvia is not among the states that participated in the CIS conventions on the mutual recognition of educational documents. However, Russia and Latvia were previously parties to a bilateral Treaty on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family, and Criminal Matters, which provided for the mutual recognition of official documents without additional legalization. This treaty was terminated at the initiative of the Latvian side on 12 August 2024. As a result, documents may now be used between the two countries only after they have been certified with an apostille.
Educational documents issued in Latvia
Educational documents in Latvia are issued upon graduation from higher education institutions, vocational schools, general education schools, training courses, and other educational institutions.
Main types of educational documents issued in Latvia:
- Certificate of primary education;
- Certificate of general secondary education;
- Certificate of basic vocational education;
- Certificate of vocational education;
- Diploma of secondary vocational education;
- Certificate of vocational education;
- Certificate of completion of a professional qualification course;
- Professional development certificate;
- Bachelor's degree diploma;
- Master's degree diploma;
- Doctoral degree diploma.
In addition, Latvia has officially approved forms for other certificates relating to postgraduate medical training, the conferment of academic titles, and the award of academic degrees. In certain cases, students may also receive official statements or certificates.
In 2026, Latvia announced a reform of the issuance of educational documents. Under the reform, certificates of completed primary and general secondary education will be issued in electronic form and made available through the Unified State Examination Information System (VIIS) or the Latvian public services portal.
Procedure for obtaining an apostille for diplomas and certificates in Latvia
Since 2019, the apostille certification of educational documents in Latvia has been the responsibility of sworn notaries.
To obtain an apostille, the applicant must present the original document to be apostilled together with a passport or other identity document. The procedure usually takes one business day, provided that the database of specimen signatures contains the signature and seal of the official who issued the document.
The apostille is issued electronically. By entering the apostille number, you can locate and verify it in the electronic apostille register.
The apostille certification of educational documents in Latvia is governed by Cabinet Regulation No. 267 "Regulations on the Legalization of Official Documents by Apostille" of 18 June 2019, as well as other applicable legal acts.
What is an apostille?
What is an apostille? Why do I need an apostille? How do I get an apostille? - Our video will explain everything you need to know about the apostille. If you have a document that needs to be certified with an apostille for use abroad, Schmidt and Schmidt will assist you! We provide apostille services in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Consular legalization of diplomas and certificates in Latvia
If a document is intended for use in a country that does not recognize the Hague Convention, such as the United Arab Emirates or another state that is not a party to the Convention, the consular legalization procedure, also known as "consular authentication", must be applied.
Consular legalization is the process of certifying the authenticity of a legal document so that it is recognized as valid by the legal system of a foreign country. The procedure is carried out by a diplomatic mission or consular representative of the country where the document will be used.
Compared with the simpler apostille procedure, consular legalization is a more complex, time-consuming, and costly process. While an apostille is usually issued in a single step, consular legalization requires several preliminary certifications before a public document can be authenticated by the embassy or consulate of the destination country.
As a rule, the document must be translated into the official language of the destination country before being submitted to the embassy. The diplomatic mission determines the specific legalization requirements and procedure.
What is consular legalization?
In our video we are explaining what consular legalization is and where to apply for it.
Schmidt & Schmidt will assist you in all issues concerning the legalization.
Schmidt & Schmidt offers legalization in more than 80 countries all over the world.
Translation of an educational document
When using an educational document issued in Latvia in a foreign country, it must be provided with an official translation (notarized, sworn, court-certified, or certified translation) in accordance with the legal requirements of that country.
The translation of the document must undergo a verification process. This involves sending the prepared translation to the graduate for review in order to confirm the correct spelling of their first and last name, the names of studied subjects, and the topics of academic works, as inaccuracies may occur during translation.
Depending on the requirements of the national legislation, the official translation may be attached to a notarized copy of the document bearing an apostille.
Sending documents from Latvia
Despite the complicated international situation, it is still possible to send documents from Latvia. However, for some destinations, delivery may only be possible through several stages.
What happens next?
Once you have obtained your legalized diploma, as well as a copy of the document with a notarized translation attached, the documents can be considered officially valid for use abroad.
How can we help?
If you are located outside Russia, we will be happy to assist you with the apostille certification and legalization of documents for use abroad.
You can always contact Schmidt & Schmidt. We have extensive experience in the legalization of various types of documents and provide a full range of related services, including the preparation of notarized copies, translation, preparation of required powers of attorney, legalization of documents with government authorities and consulates of foreign countries, as well as delivery of completed documents to most countries worldwide.
You can learn more about the legalization and apostille procedures on our website.
