Document Certification
with “Apostille” (Legalization)
in Riga, Latvia
Need notarial translation
or legalisation of documents with Apostille?
Send a request and acquire Apostille
and notarial translation costs
within 10 minutes!
Frequently Asked Questions
on how documents are legalised with
Apostille and how notarial certification of
translations take place.
What is Apostille?
Apostille is an official document certifying the legal force of the documents of the issuing country. It is used to facilitate the circulation of documents internationally. Such arrangements shall ensure that the documents are legally valid and recognised in all countries which have acceded to the Hague Convention on Apostille.
Convention of 5 October 1961 (Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents) is an international agreement designed to facilitate the process of using documents between different countries (states). This Convention was adopted on 5 October 1961 in the Hague (Netherlands). Its main aim is to reduce bureaucratic barriers to the use of documents abroad.
Apostille can be attached to various documents, including birth, marriage, death certificates, travel documents, educational documents, and others, including notarised documents.
In order to obtain Apostille, the relevant document must be submitted to the authority responsible for legalising the documents, usually the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or another official body. In Latvia, the legalisation procedure and the imposition of Apostille are entrusted to the offices of sworn notaries.
Upon completion of the legalisation procedure, the document shall be accompanied by an Apostille confirming that the signature, stamp and title of the official who signed the document are genuine, thereby allowing it to be used abroad without further legalisation proceedings.
In order to find out Apostille costs (expenses), file and send your documents via Order Application Form for Document Certification with “Apostille” (Legalization) in Riga, Latvia.
Is notarial translation and legalisation of documents with Apostille the same service?
No, notarial translation and legalisation with Apostille is not the same service, although they are often used together when it is necessary to produce documents for international use.
Notarial translation confirms the accuracy and authenticity of the translation of the document, while legalisation of documents with Apostille confirms the legal value of the document or notarized translation at international level.
Notarial translation is usually required for documents to be comprehensible and acceptable in another language. Apostille is necessary to confirm the authenticity of the document in other countries.
Thus, the two proceedings are linked, but they are different and each with its own distinct legal purpose.
How do I legalize documents with Apostille in Latvia?
In accordance with Section 4, Paragraph 1 of the Latvian Document Legalisation Law: ‘A public document issued in Latvia which is intended to be used in a foreign state that is a participating state of the Apostille Convention or Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Documents shall be electronically legalised by sworn notaries. The abovementioned document shall be accepted in electronic or paper form.’
Accordingly, in order to legalise documents with Apostille in Latvia, as well as to notarise the necessary documents in a foreign language, it is possible to turn to the Documents Legalization and Notarial Translation Services Office, i.e.:
1. Send your request to info@apostile.lv ; or
2. Send your request via Whatsapp ; or
3. Fill in the Order Application Form.
Apostille Services in Riga City
Legalization of documents with Apostille in Riga is available at the offices of sworn notaries and translations, which offer notarial translation and legalization services. For the sake of clarity, it should be noted that the following terms are synonyms and designate the same service. Terms such as: “Apostille services”, “legalization of documents”, “approval with Apostille”, “certification with Apostille”, “affirmation of documents with Apostille”, “legalization of documents with Apostille”, “Adding Apostille”, “Apostille certificate”, “Apostille Riga”, “Apostille Latvia”, “verification of documents with Apostille”, “Document Certification with “Apostille” (Legalization) in Riga, Latvia”, “Apostīle”, “apostyling of documents”, “affix Apostile”, “attach Apostils”, “annex Apostille”, “enclose Apostule”, “Apostilisation”, “Apostilization”, “Latvia Apostille stamp” “add Apostille” denote the same service: legalization or certification of documents by Apostille, where a certificate in the form of Apostille is affixed to a document (or its derivative). As this type of certification is provided electronically in the Republic of Latvia, a QR-code printout shall be affixed to the duly certified documents. Using a smartphone and this code, it is possible to check the authenticity of the Apostille on the following website.
In Riga city, notarial translation services and legalisation of documents with Apostille are performed rapidly and qualitatively by the translation and document legalization provider “Riga City Translations Office”. Send your request to info@apostile.lv or fill in the Order Application Form and acquire certification services within 1-3 business days.
Remote Apostille Services
Is it possible to get an Apostille remotely or online? How do I get an Apostille certification if I’m abroad? Such and similar questions are often asked by customers in connection with the certification of their documents when they have already went abroad.
The short answer is Yes, it is possible. However, each case should be assessed on a case-by-case basis: What documents should be certified by Apostile? Are the legalised documents valid for the legalisation process? Are documents available in electronic form or in physical (paper) form only?
Summary:
Documents can be attested remotely in 3 ways:
1. Physical (paper) documents from abroad shall be sent to a legalisation office in Latvia by post or using the services of courier companies.
2. If an electronic (digtital) document (signed with a secure digital signature and containing a valid timestamp) to be certified is available in .EDOC or .ASICE file format, such documents may be sent for legalisation via e-mail to info@apostile.lv or filed via Order Application Form.
3. If a client is abroad, but his or her documents are left in Latvia, then they may be submitted for notarial translation and/or legalisation with Apostille in Latvia by a contact person selected by the document owner without a special permit, power of attorney or authorisation, and his or her representative (relative, friend, etc.) may perform legalization on his/her behalf therof.
What documents can’t be legalised with Apostille?
Under Section 7 of the Latvian Document Legalisation Law: It is prohibited to legalise the following public documents issued in the Republic of Latvia:
1) documents that do not conform to the requirements for drawing up of documents laid down in laws and regulations;
2) documents the certification of which is technically impossible due to the actions of the submitter (for example, the document submitter has laminated the document himself or herself);
3) electronic documents that do not conform to the requirements for drawing up and circulation of electronic documents laid down in laws and regulations;
4) the derivatives (notarial copies, notaized extracts) and translations of personal identification documents (passports, ID cards).
In order to clarify if your documents are valid for legalisation, please fill in the Order Application Form.
Full list of states performing legalisation of documents with Apostille
Full list of all 127 countries of the world that have ratified and acceded to the 1961 Hague Convention on Apostille:
Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela.
Document Certification with “Apostille” (Legalization) in Riga, Latvia may be carried out in the following ways:
1) Via e-mail info@apostile.lv; or
2) By filling the Order Application Form; or
3) Via WhatsApp app by pressing on the green icon in the lower left corner of this page.
List of countries NOT a subject to legalisation with Apostille
The countries listed below are not members of the Apostille Convention, and documents requested by these countries will require seperate legalization (attestation, certification). Additionally, please note that some of these countries may require carry out legalization via their Consulate, Foreign Ministry or Embassy.
These countries are as follows:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vatican City, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Apostille Price and Terms
Apostille Terms
Typically, legalizing documents with Apostille takes between one and three working days. The order execution time may vary depending on the type of documents to legalize, as well as the number of documents to be certified.
In some cases, provision of urgent services at additional cost is also possible. In this case, it is necessary to send your documents as soon as possible to the translation/legalisation office, which carries out both notarial translations and offers legalisation of documents with Apostille.
Apostille Price
To find out how much Apostille services cost, please send the documents you want to translate and legalize to:
1) E-mail info@apostile.lv; or
2) Fill in the Order Application Form; or
3) Via WhatsApp by pressing on the green icon in the lower left corner of this page.
Certification of documents by Apostille: How not to confuse different types of certification
Altogether, there are two large categories of cross-linked but distinguishable attestations:
1. Certification (legalisation) of documents with Apostille;
2. Notarial attestations of documents.
1. Certification of documents with Apostille
Legalization of documents is a process that certifies the fact that the document was issued, as well as the signature and seal of the official who issued and signed the document in order to recognize it as valid in another state. In other words, this confirms the authenticity of the document, mitigates the risks of false documents being submitted abroad.
Usually, this function is performed either by the foreign ministries or consular services or, for example, by the offices of sworn notaries as in Latvia or Sweden.
Legalisation is necessary in order for documents to be used internationally, for example for business purposes, marriage registration, education purposes, etc.
It is possible to legalise:
➨ originals of documents (such public, official documents as –
diplomas, certificates, statements, notarial deeds, etc.);
➨ derivatives of documents (notarial copies, notarized duplicates, notarized extracts, etc.);
➨ notarised translations of documents.
2. Notarial attestation of documents
The second large group of attestations is notarial attestations of documents.
Such certifications are also performed by sworn notaries in Latvia, as in the case of Apostille certifications.
This group of attestations consists of two sub-categories of attestations:
➨ Certification of derivatives of documents (notarial copies, notarized copies, notarized extracts, and alike);
➨ Certification of notarial translations.
Summary
It will often be necessary to combine different types of certification when preparing your documents for usage abroad.
Example 1: Notarial copy of divorce certificate + notarial English translation of notarial copy of divorce certificate + certification of documents with Apostille.
Example 2: Notarial English translation of family status statement + certification of documents with Apostille.
Example 3: Creation of notarial copy of birth certificate + notarial translation into Spanish + legalisation of all documents with Apostille.
To find out exactly what certifications your documents require, please fill in the Order Application Form.
Urgent legalisation of documents with Apostille
Typically, it takes 2-3 business days to certify the documents. The duration of the work may depend on factors such as the workload of notarial offices, the content, volume or number of documents to be legalised (certified) with Apostile.
Urgent legalisation of documents with Apostille is sometimes possible within 1 working day. However, first of all, the Legalisation Office, whose services include document legalization services, should be contacted for such urgent assurances as soon as possible.
Urgent Apostille or legalisation of documents with Apostille can constitute extra costs and affect Apostille prices. To find out how much it costs to legalise documents with Apostille as quickly as possible, fill in and send your documents via Order Application Form for Document Certification with “Apostille” (Legalization) in Riga, Latvia, as well as indicate “Urgent” in the “Additional Information” field.