There are times when you need to provide a number of documents to other countries or their embassies.Confirm that they must go through a special process called legalization.Exceptions are the documents filed with the state, which has a Minsk Convention.
What is legalization?
This procedure make the document legal force in the territory of another country, which is a confirmation of authority, authenticity of the signature or seal of the official, complete documents.
legalization procedure is divided into two types:
- stamped "apostille" (simplified method);
- consular legalization (for countries that have not signed the convention in The Hague).
Consular legalization - a very complicated procedure, which is designed to confirm the authenticity and legality of the document, sent abroad, as well as its compliance with the laws of the country.
diplomatic or consular legalization consists of several stages:
- the document must be certified by a notary (if the translation is certified, you must sign the certificate transfer of a person);
- notarized signature and seal of the Ministry of Justice;
- proof delivered on paper stamp and signature of the authorized person in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Justice;
- the last stage - the identity document to the consulate of the country in which it is directed.
Apostille compared with consular legalization - a very simple and uncomplicated procedure.
This concept dates back to the signing of the 1961 Hague Convention, which abolished the position of consular legalization.Instead diplomatic legalization introduced a new system of certification of documents common to all participating countries that have signed an official document in 1961, as well as a number of states that have acceded later.
In accordance with the provisions of the Convention, the assurance of using apostille subject only official documents certified in the state bodies.With this kind of legalization certifies the authenticity of the signature of the civil servant are certified or issued the document, not its content.
What is an apostille?
In most cases, it is presented in the form of a stamp that is attached to the document or affixed directly on it.The stamp has a standard square shape, it contains the official text, indicating the country of origin of the document and sign on to assure his face.
In most cases it is made in one of the official languages, some countries have a duplication of the items contained in the Apostille on one of the international languages.
Minsk Convention
In some cases, documents sent abroad, does not require legalization.For the unimpeded delivery of documents is necessary that between the states signed a separate agreement regulating the freedom to provide official documents without proper certification.For example, the 1993 Minsk Convention.
in January 1993 in Minsk was pee paper on legal aid, which simplified the legalization of foreign documents, he received the abbreviated name of "the Minsk Convention".Member countries to sign and ratify the document, were the following: Armenia, Belarus, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova and the Russian Federation
Thus, Minsk Convention became the legislative act allowing unhindered work with almost all officialdocuments issued in the territory of the former Soviet Union or in the territory of the former Soviet Union.
