The Ukrainian Ministry of Justice has clarified which documents are not officially apostilled. This was reported by the Judicial-Legal Newspaper.
Which original documents cannot be apostilled in Ukraine
For official recognition of documents issued in Ukraine abroad, their legalisation for international use is required. The most common and easiest way is affixing an apostille, said the Judicial-Legal Newspaper with reference to the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice.
However, the Ministry clarifies that not all documents can be apostilled in Ukraine.
According to the Rules for Affixing an Apostille to Official Documents Intended for Use in Other Countries (approved by the order issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Justice of Ukraine dated March 17, 2023, No. 125/209/293/139/999/5, registered with the Ministry of Justice on March 21, 2023 under No. 478/39534), the following documents cannot be apostilled:
- Originals of identity documents and documents confirming Ukrainian citizenship (e.g., passport);
- Originals of identity documents and those confirming special status (e.g., service ID);
- Military service cards;
- Employment record books (this rule dates back to Soviet times);
- Gun ownership permits;
- Vehicle registration documents (technical passport).
Also, other types of ID or certificates issued under Ukrainian law cannot be legalized for use abroad. Although this rule is not very specific, it basically means that identity documents cannot be apostilled in Ukraine — only official documents that confirm legally important facts can be.
Which document copies can or cannot be apostilled in Ukraine
The Ministry of Justice clarifies that only notarized copies of the above-mentioned documents can be apostilled.
Originals and copies of legal regulations, official explanations, legal opinions, and documents that are essentially correspondence cannot be apostilled», according to the Judicial-Legal Newspaper.
The Ministry of Justice also states that original official documents issued by institutions of the former Soviet republics cannot be apostilled in Ukraine. The only exception is educational documents and academic titles issued by the Ukrainian SSR. In such cases, only notarized copies can be apostilled.
There’s a special rule for copies of educational documents — they can only be apostilled if the original has already been apostilled first. The same rule applies to civil registry documents (such as birth or marriage certificates).
An apostille also cannot be placed on information from the State Register of Property Rights to Real Estate if it's issued on plain A4 paper without special forms, signatures, or stamps — as allowed by a Cabinet resolution from December 25, 2015, No. 1127 (with amendments). To use such information abroad, a person should go to a notary and request a formal statement or affidavit, according to the Judicial-Legal Newspaper.
The apostille rules do not apply to documents issued by Ukrainian embassies or consulates that are used in the countries where they are accredited. They also don’t apply to customs or commercial documents — these are handled by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
What is an apostille?
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