The Hague Convention certification, which is known as the “Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization for Foreign Public Documents” (Hague Convention), refers to the secondary certification issued by the government departments (Supreme Court or Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to the original certification issuer (notary office or notary public). What the Hague Convention certifies is not the content of the document, but the authenticity and validity of the issuer. The Hague Convention certification is valid among the Member States and is generally accepted by the international community.
The purpose of the Hague Convention is to replace the complicated procedure of diplomatic or consular legalization of foreign public documents and issue simple certificates in a specific format. The certificate is an Apostille certificate. Once attached to the document, no further legalization is required when the document is submitted in another member state.
The Hague Convention members include over 90 countries and regions including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, China (Hong Kong), and China (Macao).
Procedures
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1. Applicant to submit documents to be certified.
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2. International notarization.
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3. Government endorsement (Apostille certification).
Documents Required for Certification
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1. Applicant's information form (including application purpose, place of use, etc.).
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2. Applicant's ID card or passport.
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3. Original documents to be certified.
