The Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) held an online brainstorming session on the electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP), according to the official HCCH website.
Why was a brainstorming Session on the Electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP) necessary?
The session brought together 67 participants representing 25 countries and was held as part of the implementation of the decision adopted by the HCCH Council on General Affairs and Policy, which convened from 4 to 7 March 2025.
The purpose of the session was to address the challenges associated with implementing the e-APP in jurisdictions where national legislation does not yet permit the acceptance of electronic documents. Participants had the opportunity to exchange views on the issue and propose potential solutions to overcome the current limitations.
A summary report outlining the results of the session, including concrete recommendations, will be published ahead of the next meeting of the HCCH Council on General Affairs and Policy in 2026. Advancing the e-APP remains one of the key strategic priorities of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
The purpose of the Electronic Apostille Programme
In October 2024, the 13th International Forum on the Electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP) took place in Astana, Kazakhstan. The event was organized by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Maqsut Narikbayev University, under the auspices of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH).
The forum gathered approximately 300 participants, including representatives from 70 countries that have ratified the Apostille Convention, as well as delegates from three countries that have not yet acceded to it. The forum was officially opened by Dr. Christophe Bernasconi, Secretary General of the HCCH, who emphasized the significant role of electronic apostilles in modernizing the process of document legalization. He also underlined the practical and economic importance of the Apostille Convention, citing research findings indicating that apostille procedures help participating states save an estimated €500 million annually.
This e-APP Forum is the first in-person event since 2019, when we gathered for the 11th Forum in Fortaleza, Brazil. It is therefore especially meaningful and important to return to an in-person format and to see so many participants once again, noted Dr. Bernasconi.
The participants were welcomed by representatives of the host country.
Electronic apostille is an important step that helps to simplify and make easier the way of obtaining electronic documents. We create more convenient and secure ways of document legalization, which directly affects the development of international business, science, culture and other spheres. Kazakhstan is proud that we are actively implementing these technologies to guarantee the provision of the highest quality public services for citizens and businesses. The purpose of the event is to share international experience in the sphere of introduction of electronic apostilles and practical work of the electronic apostille program. The exchange of information and discussion of current issues in the framework of electronic apostille will become extremely important,
stated Azamat Eskarayev, Minister of Justice of Kazakhstan, during the forum.
According to him, the primary objective of electronic apostille procedures is to protect the rights of individuals residing outside their home country.
The electronic apostille itself is a simplified form of legalization of an already previously issued document, confirming that it is a legal document
— he emphasized.
Speakers at the forum included representatives from Chile, South Korea, Brazil, Greece, and other countries. Participants recommended that states which have ratified the 1961 Hague Convention integrate the electronic apostille system with national registries, enhance the mechanisms for verifying electronic signatures and seals, and increase public awareness of the benefits of the e-Apostille.
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