Apostille is an international standardized form for filling out information about the legality of a document. In particular, the "Apostille" stamp is applied to originals and copies of documents. Learn more about the current changes in 2024 in apostillation and who needs it

Ukraine has clear rules for certifying official documents. We will tell you what apostillisation of documents is and who needs an apostille in this article.

What is an apostille for a document?

An apostille is a special stamp affixed to official documents that certifies the authenticity of the signature, the capacity of the person who signed the document, and the authenticity of the seal or stamp that affixes the document.

The main purpose of an apostille is to legalise documents for their use abroad in countries that have acceded to the 1961 Hague Convention.

An apostille is, in simple terms, a simplified procedure for legalising a Ukrainian document in 112 countries.

An apostille stamp can be affixed both on the document itself and on a separate sheet that is attached to the document.

---

Visit Ukraine on social media: Telegram | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok

---

Apostille in Ukraine in 2024

Back in 2023, an interdepartmental order came into force establishing uniform rules for apostillation in Ukraine. The document No. 125/209/293/139/999/5, developed jointly by five key ministries - Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Education and Science, Finance and Justice - defines a clear mechanism for certifying Ukrainian documents for use abroad.

The rules regulate in detail the procedure for affixing a special Apostille stamp in accordance with the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. This is an internationally recognised method of legalising documents, which greatly simplifies their recognition in other countries.

Key aspects of the apostillation procedure:

- unification of the apostille procedure;
- clear definition of the list of documents to be apostilled;
- establishing uniform standards for the international mark.

Establishing a clear apostillation procedure is important for Ukrainians working, studying or doing business abroad, as it greatly simplifies the process of recognising Ukrainian documents in the countries that are parties to the Hague Convention.

In order to get a job in your speciality abroad, you need to confirm your Ukrainian diploma. You can find out where Ukrainian diplomas are recognised, how to confirm the document and how to nostrificate a foreign diploma in Ukraine here.

Apostille for Ukrainian documents

We explain in simple terms which papers can be affixed with a special stamp - an apostille - and which cannot.

What can be certified:

- documents from courts;
- documents from justice authorities, state archives and penitentiary institutions;
- documents on education from the Ministry of Education, schools, universities and other educational institutions;
- anything certified by a notary;
- documents from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including police clearance certificates;
- documents from the Migration Service on citizenship and refugee status;
- documents from the tax office;
- certificates issued by civil registry offices: birth or death, marriage or divorce, adoption of a child, change of name, etc;
- other official documents issued in Ukraine.

In other words, if you need to present Ukrainian documents to any official institutions abroad, they must be apostilled. For example, if you want to get a job in your speciality and need to present your diploma of the relevant education, your diploma must be apostilled to confirm the validity of your educational document. Before travelling abroad, we recommend that you affix an apostille to the documents that you may need there.

You cannot affix an apostille to:

- passports;
- military cards;
- employment records;
- weapons permits;
- technical passports for cars;
- laws and other regulations;
- correspondence between institutions.

The rules do not apply to documents issued by foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine and presented in the countries of their accreditation, as well as to official documents directly related to commercial or customs operations.

Please note! If a document is required for a country that is not a member of the Hague Convention, another method of certification may be required - consular legalisation.

Where to get an apostille in Ukraine?

Please note that apostille on official Ukrainian documents is affixed exclusively on the territory of Ukraine. That is, you will not be able to affix an apostille to Ukrainian documents at Ukrainian embassies or consulates abroad.

Some documents previously apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are now certified by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Migration Service and the State Tax Service. Therefore, it is necessary to understand who affixes an apostille to certain documents:

- The Ministry of Internal Affairs affixes an apostille to documents issued by this ministry and its territorial bodies, except for documents related to education and science.
- The Ministry of Education and Science affixes an apostille to official documents issued by this Ministry, as well as by its territorial bodies, educational institutions, enterprises, institutions and organisations providing services in the field of education and science or carrying out other activities related to the provision of such services.
- The Ministry of Justice affixes an apostille to documents issued by the judiciary, courts, state archival institutions, penitentiary and probation authorities; as well as to documents executed by state or notary publics of Ukraine.
-The State Migration Service affixes apostille to documents issued by this service, its territorial and territorial subdivisions related to migration.
- The State Tax Service affixes an apostille to documents issued by this service and its territorial bodies.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affixes an apostille to all other types of documents.

Which countries do not require an apostille?

Some countries accept documents without apostille and consular legalisation.

Based on the 1993 Minsk Convention, neither apostille nor consular legalisation of Ukrainian documents is required in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

In addition, Ukraine has bilateral treaties on legal assistance, which cancels the need for apostille and consular legalisation with the following countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, Vietnam, and Hungary.

To confirm the validity of Ukrainian documents in these countries, you may only need an official translation of the document and notarisation.

Do you dream of living abroad but are lost in the labyrinth of migration legislation? Consult a qualified migration lawyer who will provide you with full support in collecting, submitting, processing and apostilling documents for moving abroad. Visit Ukraine specialists have many years of experience in solving complex migration problems and guarantee an individual approach to each client.

Just a reminder. Relocating a business to another country is always a challenge. Find out how to prepare for the move, as well as why quick and easy adaptation is impossible without high-quality translation and localisation here.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

---

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

---