The Irish authorities have updated the name of the body responsible for issuing apostilles, as well as the procedure for document legalization. These changes are reflected on the official website of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
Recently, the Greek authorities made 170,000 diplomas from one of the country’s leading universities accessible through the official government portal, reports Greek City Times.
In Texas, USA, the procedure for getting documents apostilled will change starting August 5, 2025. This update comes from the official website of the Texas Secretary of State.
The authorities of Arizona (USA) have updated the guidelines for apostilling documents. The relevant changes are posted on the official website of the Arizona Secretary of State.
With the development of digital technologies, a new form of apostille has emerged — the electronic apostille (e-APP), which enables the issuance and verification of documents in electronic format. This innovative solution is intended to enhance the speed, convenience, and security of international document exchange. In this article, we examine the current legal framework governing electronic apostilles, as well as the key challenges faced by governments and individuals in their implementation.
The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has issued official clarifications regarding which documents do not require legalization by apostille. This was reported by the Judicial and Legal Gazette.
According to 24.kg, citing the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic, the "Electronic Apostille" system has officially been launched in Kyrgyzstan.
After lengthy discussions, digitally apostilled certificates of no criminal record are becoming available in Ukraine through the “Diia” service. This was reported by the publication RBC-Ukraine.
A project that launched a digital apostille platform in Peru has won the prestigious Avonni national award in the category “Public Innovation”. This is reported by the newspaper El Comercio.
Against the backdrop of the expanding use of electronic apostilles, the Ministry of Digital Governance of Greece has been officially designated as an authority independently authorized to certify documents. The corresponding changes have been recorded on the portal of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
A pilot project on electronic apostilization has been launched in the People's Republic of China. This is reported by the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
In light of the escalating geopolitical tensions, Israel has temporarily closed its diplomatic missions and suspended all consular services, including the legalization of documents. The announcement was made by Israeli diplomatic missions operating abroad.
In the People’s Republic of China, the introduction of electronic apostille is set to begin in June 2025. This has been reported by foreign diplomatic missions citing a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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.
In Belarus, the system of advance electronic registration for the apostille of educational documents has been in operation since March 3, 2025. However, the public has already raised questions about it.
The Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) has published a report on the activities of the organization in 2024. The report places significant emphasis on the development of document legalization through apostille.
France implemented significant reforms to its apostille procedures, effective January 1, 2025. These changes aim to streamline the process of authenticating French public documents for international use, enhancing efficiency and accessibility.
As we usher in a new year, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on the significant progress made in 2024 within the realm of international document authentication and to set our sights on the exciting plans for 2025.
A digital apostille service for several types of documents is now available on the Israeli government portal. These apostilles can be used in countries that have ratified the 1961 Hague Convention, accept electronic apostilles, and maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry website and the Associated Press of Pakistan have announced the launch of an online apostille service in the Islamic Republic. The service is said to be available from September 11, 2024.
From 2025, Singapore will be able to issue electronic apostilles for documents online, THE EDGE reports. The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) is working on the implementation of the new technology in collaboration with the Infocommunications Media Development Authority.
The Ministry of International Relations (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores) of the Dominican Republic announced a temporary suspension of apostille and document legalization services, according to the local publication Listin Diario.
The Ecuadorian authorities have announced that they are starting to carry out apostille and consular legalization procedures for documents digitally. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of the Republic is handling this issue. The department has distributed the corresponding statement in the media.
On June 15, 2024, changes to the procedure for providing the state service “Apostille of official documents emanating from justice authorities and other government bodies, as well as notaries of the Republic of Kazakhstan” came into force. Now an application for apostille through the Electronic Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Egov) portal with a list of required documents is submitted using an electronic digital signature (EDS).
In the near future, almost a quarter of all apostilles worldwide will be issued electronically. This is the result of a study carried out by London Apostille Services in the UK.
Applications for affixing an electronic apostille can be sent in accordance with the legislation of the competent authorities, including through the Gosuslugi website.
According to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, applications for affixing an electronic apostille can be sent in accordance with the legislation of the competent authorities, including through the website gosuslugi.ru. The application form is determined by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.
The National Council of Justice and the Notarial College of Brazil have started providing the service of electronic apostille of documents. It will allow online (via e-mail or instant messengers on a smartphone) to receive copies of official documents in PDF format, which will be marked with a QR code confirming their authenticity.
The Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents regulates the use of an apostille between member states or contracting states of the Convention. The E-Apostille process was initiated by the 2006 Hague Conference and the United States National Notaries Association in line with the needs of technological development.
From March 1, 2022, official documents of Uzbekistan can be certified with an electronic apostille. The corresponding regulations have been developed by the government of the country.
