Certifying the Documents with Apostille or Legalization
The documents issued in Georgia need to be certified with Apostille or legalized in order to be eligible for using abroad.
Certification with Apostille/legalization means the confirmation of the authenticity of the signature on the documents issued in Georgia, the authority of the signatory person, and if the document is sealed or stamped – authenticity of the seal or stamp.
Application for certification with Apostille/legalization of documents can be filed in territorial offices of the Public Service Development Agency and the branches of the Public Service Hall.
Anyone interested may apply for Apostille or Legalization of documents.
Documents certified with Apostille can be used in the territory of member states of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (HCCH 1961 Apostille Convention) (follow the https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/authorities1/?cid=41) the list of member states of the Convention).
For countries that are not member states of the Apostille Convention, the legalization requirement remains in effect. Therefore, the documents issued in Georgia to be used in those countries are certified according to the legalization procedure.
Unlike certification of a document with apostille, legalization is a two-step procedure. The first stage of legalization is carried out by the Agency, and the second stage by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, which verifies the authenticity of the signature on the legalization stamp, the authority of the signatory and the authenticity of the seal. It should be noted that the Agency provides technical support for also putting the legalization stamp of the second stage of legalization and therefore, the document legalization is carried out on a single-window principle.
Note: Once the document is legalized, it needs to be additionally certified by the diplomatic/consular office of the relevant foreign country receiving the document, after which the document can be used in that particular foreign country only (follow the link for information about diplomatic/consular offices of the foreign country).
The Agency also provides translation into foreign language of the documents subject to certification with Apostille/legalization, and certification with Apostille/legalization of the translation. Documents can be translated into the following languages:
• English
• Italian
• French
• Spanish
• Greek
• Russian
• German
• Turkish
Documents Subject to Certification with Apostille/Legalization, Processing Times and Fees
Both the original document and the printed electronic document certified by an authorized person or the electronic copy of or duly certified hardcopy of a physical document are subject to certification with Apostille.
Both the original document and a duly certified copy of the document, as well as the letter of certification of authenticity of a copy of the original document provided by the administrative bodies are subject to legalization.
The following documents cannot be certified with Apostille/legalized:
Certification with Apostille/legalization of a document:
Certification with Apostille/legalization of documents issued by the Ministry of Education,Science and Youth of Georgia and the agencies within its system within the scope of their authority:
Fee for translation of one page (or up to one page) into a foreign language:
Certification with Apostille/legalization of the physical document in case of an application submitted by a person staying abroad through direct visual contact established by means of electronic communication, as well as certification of an electronic document with electronic Apostille:
Certification of an electronic document with electronic Apostille in case of an application submitted with a qualified electronic signature on the relevant website:
Processing fee for applying in consular office:
