Do My International Documents Need to Be Legalized, Apostilled, or Are They Exempt?
To simplify the legalization process and the transmission of documents and deeds internationally, many countries around the world have signed conventions and international treaties that either simplify the legalization procedure (apostille) or exempt certain documents from any procedure when produced in the contracting states.
France has signed such international treaties with several countries. These conventions can be bilateral (between two countries) or multilateral (between several countries).
In particular, France has ratified the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, which eliminates the requirement for the legalization of foreign public deeds, better known as the “Apostille Convention“. When applicable (i.e., when a document must be presented in a member state of the Convention), the authentication process is reduced to a single formality: the issuance of an authentication certificate by a designated authority in the country where the public deed was issued. The apostille is therefore a simplified substitute for the legalization process. The Convention has over 110 contracting states and has become one of the most widely applied multilateral treaties in judicial cooperation, with millions of Apostilles issued annually.
The procedure to follow for producing a document abroad thus depends on the existence of an active international convention, as well as the type of document concerned. Some conventions apply only to certain types of documents. To know the applicable procedure for your situation, you can refer to the summary table of the current state of international law regarding legalization, established by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, available here.
The notarial office Chassaint & Cerclé Notaires in Paris (France) assists individuals and professionals with the necessary steps for apostille or legalization of their documents. For more information, click here.
