Legalization/Apostille

When a document is intended to be used in a country different from the country of issuance, it must be authenticated for foreign use. This is typically a multi-step process. For example, in Hungary, diplomas are first subject to an intermediate authentication by the Educational Authority, followed by further authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

If the country of intended use is not a member of the Apostille Convention, the document must also be authenticated by the consulate of that country in Hungary. However, if the country is a member of the Apostille Convention, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will issue an Apostille, and no further authentication will be required.

 

An "Apostille" is a form of authentication issued to documents for use in countries that participate in the Hague Convention of 1961. If a document is apostilled, it has undergone a special certification process that makes it legally acceptable in all the countries that are members of the Hague Convention.

The Apostille is a certificate that verifies and confirms the seal and signature of the person who authenticated the document. The process of obtaining an Apostille varies by country but generally involves submitting the document to a designated authority (often the country's foreign ministry or department of state), who then attaches the Apostille certificate to it.

The purpose of the Apostille is to eliminate the need for double-certification, first by the originating country and then by the receiving country. It simplifies the process of authenticating documents for international use, making it easier to prove their legitimacy when they are presented in another country. This is particularly useful for documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, degrees, professional licenses, court orders, or any official government document that needs to be recognized internationally.