When does the Hague Apostille expire?
With a Hague Apostille you will validate a document in a certain foreign country, but for how long is valid? It depends on the type of apostilled document.
If you’re handling business or personal matters in a foreign country, you may need to get your public documents apostilled to ensure they are accepted internationally.
What is the Hague Apostille?
The Hague Apostille is a special certificate attached to your public document (like a birth certificate, court order, or marriage license) to validate its authenticity in countries that are part of The XII Hague Convention. This certification proves your document is legitimate for use abroad.
Which countries are part of The Hague Convention and require an apostille?
Countries that are signatories of The Hague Convention require an apostille for public documents. Some of these countries include:
Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile,China, People’s Republic of (Hong Kong & Macao Only), Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue, Republic of North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela.
How Long Is the Hague Apostille Valid?
A common question about the Hague Apostille is ‘how long the Apostille lasts. Well, it depends on the type of apostilled document, since the apostille remains valid as long as the document is:
- Apostilles that do not expire: those that go in documents that do not expire either, such as, for example, a university degree.
- Apostilles that expire: when the document has a term of validity, the apostille will expire when the document expires. This is the case of birth, marriage or death certificates from the Civil Registry, which are requested by Spanish Government with 3-month-old apostille. Each country has its own regulations regarding the expiration of apostilles.
It’s important to note that a valid Hague Apostille applies only to the country it was intended for, even if that country is part of The Hague Convention. If you need to submit the same document in a different country, you may need a new apostille, even if the document hasn’t expired.
Consider the Validity of Your Document
When planning to apostille a document, always keep in mind the validity of the document itself. The apostille will not extend the document’s expiration date, so it’s crucial to ensure your paperwork is current.
How Can We Help?
At Adlanter, we specialize in helping businesses and individuals with their international legal needs. Whether you’re moving employees to a Hague Convention country like Spain or applying for a non-profit residence permit, we can assist you with apostilled documents and other formalities.
Contact us today to learn how we can streamline your legal processes and ensure all your documentation is correctly apostilled and accepted abroad.