France has updated its online portal for ordering document apostilles, and it is now working again. Earlier, French experts said that after the legalization reform, the portal was not working.
The reform of apostille in France
In the past, apostilles in France were issued by regional courts of appeal. Each court could only apostille documents issued within its own region. Documents from national authorities were legalized by the Paris Court of Appeal.
In 2020, France began a step-by-step reform of the apostille process. The key decision was to transfer responsibility for issuing apostilles to the notary system, with the aim of making the procedure simpler. The full handover was originally planned for 2023, but the government was not ready with the necessary technical systems, so the date was postponed.
A new start date of January 1, 2025 was set. However, on December 23, 2024, it was postponed again — this time to May 1, 2025, with officials calling it the final date.
The reform was led by the French Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and the Minister for Overseas Territories.
Implementation was gradual. On March 15, 2025, French municipalities appointed official representatives to work with the High Council of Notaries. This representative could be a municipal employee, a member of the municipal council, or the mayor themselves.
Municipalities with more than 3,500 residents were required to submit a database of official signatures and seals to the High Council of Notaries by May 1.
On March 25, 2025, the Ministry of Justice issued an order creating a “National Database of Public Signatures” to store this information.
The Ministry also introduced new apostille fees:
- For individuals: €10 each for the first three documents, and €5 each for any additional documents.
- For companies: €20 each for the first three documents, and €10 each for additional ones.
- If urgent processing is requested, the fees are doubled.
The apostille procedure after the reform
Starting May 1, 2025, the responsibility for issuing apostilles in France was transferred to the notary system. The process is now handled by 15 regional notary chambers and councils — although Paris has made certain exceptions.
According to the official portal of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, the notarial procedure applies only to the following territories: mainland France (metropolitan France), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
In New Caledonia, apostilles are issued by the Prosecutor General of the Court of Appeal in Nouméa; in French Polynesia — by the Chief President of the Court of Appeal in Papeete; in Wallis and Futuna — by the President of the Court of First Instance in Mata Utu; and for the French Southern and Antarctic Territories — by the Prosecutor General of the Court of Appeal in Saint-Denis, Réunion.
As part of the reform, the French government announced a “digital transition.” Many apostille-related processes have moved online..
The High Council of Notaries created a national digital register of official signatures. However, not all municipalities have submitted their data yet, and Paris has not set a deadline for smaller municipalities to complete this step.
Before applying for an apostille in France, it is important to check whether the relevant municipality has uploaded its officials’ signatures to the national database. If it has, the applicant can request the apostille online and then send their documents by post to the apostille and legalization center, or go directly to the center in person.
Some experts have been critical of the reform. The French government was faulted for failing to provide a clear explanation of how document authenticity checks will work, and for not creating a public list of municipalities that have not yet submitted their signatures and seals.
There were also technical complaints. The new online service for ordering apostilles was not ready on time. Because of this, notary councils have advised applicants to go directly to apostille centers until the system is fully operational.
How the online apostille service works now
At the end of July 2025, France’s apostille portal was updated It is now fully accessible and operating normally.
The website provides a step-by-step guide for requesting an apostille:
- Submit a request;
- Send the document;
- Wait for processing;
- Pay online;
- Receive the document.
Before filling out the request form, applicants can use a special tool to check which type of certification they need for their document — an apostille or consular legalization — depending on the destination country.
Once the correct procedure is confirmed, the applicant enters the document type, destination country, and their personal and contact details into the service. The system then sends instructions for sending the document by email.
Applicants can track the progress of their apostille request online using the application number and their email address.
For now, there are no official clarifications on how document authenticity checks will be carried out, or on the list of municipalities that have not yet submitted their data to the national register.
What is an apostille?
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