Apostille legalisation — document list, workflow and cautions

A legible certified extract from the district office is required; faded old copies are commonly rejected. This is why we audit the record before any certification step: Obtain a fresh certified extract before translation and legalisation. Handled at the start, it costs one review; discovered by the receiving authority, it usually means re-issuing the record and repeating every certification after it.

Both the current entry and the relevant movement records must be extracted in full. This is why we audit the record before any certification step: Request certified extracts of every relevant page and order them chronologically. Handled at the start, it costs one review; discovered by the receiving authority, it usually means re-issuing the record and repeating every certification after it.

Receiving authorities usually require both the certificate and the registration record. This is why we audit the record before any certification step: Confirm both records are present before translation and legalisation. Handled at the start, it costs one review; discovered by the receiving authority, it usually means re-issuing the record and repeating every certification after it.

Custody wording must be rendered literally, without paraphrase. This is why we audit the record before any certification step: Translate literally, preserve clause numbering, and attach the divorce certificate. Handled at the start, it costs one review; discovered by the receiving authority, it usually means re-issuing the record and repeating every certification after it.

Receiving authorities typically accept it only within three to six months of issue. This is why we audit the record before any certification step: Sequence the legalisation steps to finish within the acceptance window. Handled at the start, it costs one review; discovered by the receiving authority, it usually means re-issuing the record and repeating every certification after it.

The name chain must be traceable from the former to the current name. This is why we audit the record before any certification step: Legalise the change records together with every document bearing the former name. Handled at the start, it costs one review; discovered by the receiving authority, it usually means re-issuing the record and repeating every certification after it.

Authorities require a recently issued certificate legalised without delay. This is why we audit the record before any certification step: Align the collection date with legalisation queues so the certificate stays valid. Handled at the start, it costs one review; discovered by the receiving authority, it usually means re-issuing the record and repeating every certification after it.

Some authorities require institutional verification before the state-level step. This is why we audit the record before any certification step: Obtain institutional verification and include it in the set from the outset. Handled at the start, it costs one review; discovered by the receiving authority, it usually means re-issuing the record and repeating every certification after it.

Not necessarily. HCCH Apostille Convention states publishes its own requirement, so we read it before preparing the set and match the certification chain to it. Where the requirement is silent, we prepare to the stricter of the two formats so the same set stays usable if the file is later submitted elsewhere. Reference: HCCH — Apostille Convention status table.

Not necessarily. Department of Consular Affairs, Thailand publishes its own requirement, so we read it before preparing the set and match the certification chain to it. Where the requirement is silent, we prepare to the stricter of the two formats so the same set stays usable if the file is later submitted elsewhere. Reference: กรมการกงสุล — การรับรองเอกสาร.

Not necessarily. Australian authorities publishes its own requirement, so we read it before preparing the set and match the certification chain to it. Where the requirement is silent, we prepare to the stricter of the two formats so the same set stays usable if the file is later submitted elsewhere. Reference: DFAT — Apostilles and authentications.

Not necessarily. New Zealand authorities publishes its own requirement, so we read it before preparing the set and match the certification chain to it. Where the requirement is silent, we prepare to the stricter of the two formats so the same set stays usable if the file is later submitted elsewhere. Reference: DIA New Zealand — Apostille.

You can. The work is the sequencing: 5 steps, each at a different counter with its own opening hours, and a document accepted at one step can still be rejected at the next. If you would rather not manage that, send us the set once and our team runs the whole chain and reports at each step.

Both. Our team has worked on document certification for more than 15 years, and most cases are decided before the first counter visit: which record to request, which office issues it, what order the certifications go in, and whether a step is needed at all. We review your case and tell you what your file is missing before you commit to anything.

Typical working time is 3–5 business days for translation and review / about one week including standard legalisation / 2–3 business days when the authority's express channel is available / 1–2 weeks when fresh registrar extracts are needed, excluding the receiving authority's own queue, which we cannot control and never guarantee. We confirm the realistic range for your case after seeing the actual document set.