Hague Apostille Convention Countries | Apostille Countries List
The following 127 countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention and will require an Apostille.
What is Hague Apostille Convention?
Hague apostille convention abolished the requirement of legalizing foreign documents with embassy attestation. Thus Hague Apostille member countries only require an apostille from the competent authority to legalize documents abroad.
Joining Hague Apostille convention alone will not make a country a apostille country. Only countries that joined in the instrument under Hague convention known as "The Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (HCCH 1961 Apostille Convention)" is considered as an apostille country.
There are other instruments under Hague convention. Some countries may have joined Hague convention without acceding the apostille convention. Thus, Hague apostille countries are decided by whether they accepted the Apostille convention or not. Moreover, some countries signed Hague apostille convention without joining the organization HCCH.
One Standardized Apostille
The Hague Convention simplifies international document recognition. Streamline legal compliance across 125+ participating nations with our official reference files.
125+ Member Countries
Country directory
A single reference file for the Hague Apostille Convention member jurisdictions listed in the supplied source.
Apostille process
A step-by-step guide for moving from document preparation to state-level verification.
List of Apostille Countries
Browse every Hague Apostille Convention member country with ratification dates and their official apostille issuing authorities.
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Hague Apostille Objections Registry
When a new country joins the HCCH, existing member states have six months to formally object. If any nation objects, the Apostille Convention does not apply between those two specific countries — even though the new country still joins the Convention globally.
Practical Example
Due to sovereign non-recognition policies, Spain formally objected to Kosovo's accession to the Convention. Consequently, Spanish authorities do not accept Kosovar Apostilles, and vice versa. Documents exchanged between these nations must undergo traditional consular legalization instead.
Active Non-Recognition Registry
Azerbaijan
Germany, Belgium
Bangladesh
Lithuania, Argentina, Denmark, France, Greece, Estonia, Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany
Burundi
Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland
China
India
Dominican Republic
Germany
India
Germany
Kosovo
Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Chile, People's Republic of China (for the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions), Cyprus, Ecuador, Georgia, Germany, Greece, India, Mauritius, Mexico, Republic of Moldova, Namibia, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela
Kyrgyzstan
Belgium, Austria, Greece
Liberia
Belgium, Germany
Mongolia
Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Greece
Morocco
Germany
Pakistan
Greece, Denmark, Netherlands, Finland, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany
Philippines
Germany, Finland
Republic of Moldova
Germany
Rwanda
Germany
Senegal
Germany, Netherlands, Austria
Tajikistan
Austria, Belgium, Germany
Tunisia
Germany, Austria, Greece, Belgium
Uzbekistan
Germany, Austria, Greece, Belgium
Frequently Asked Questions
Get authoritative answers to the most common questions regarding the Hague Apostille Convention, mutual recognition treaties, and international document authentication rules.
The Hague Apostille Convention of 1961 (officially the HCCH 1961 Apostille Convention) is an international treaty that simplifies how public documents are legalized for use abroad. It replaces the long, expensive multi-step embassy legalization process with a single, globally standardized certificate known as an Apostille.
The difference depends entirely on whether your destination country is a member of the treaty:
- Apostille: Used when both the issuing country and the receiving country are members of the Hague Convention. It requires only one authentication step.
- Embassy Legalization: Required if either country is not a member. This is a multi-step process involving local notarization, state certification, national/federal department clearance, and a final stamp from the destination country's embassy or consulate.
Yes. Under Article 12 of the Convention, when a new country joins, existing members have a six-month window to object. If a country objects to a new member, the Apostille Convention does not apply between those two specific nations (for example, Spain's objection to Kosovo, or Germany's objection to Uzbekistan). In these cases, traditional consular legalization must be used.
No, not automatically. The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) administers over 40 different global treaties. A country can be an official member of the HCCH organization without signing or ratifying the specific 1961 Apostille Convention. Only countries that have signed this exact instrument accept and issue Apostilles.
An Apostille can only be issued on public documents. These generally fall into four categories:
- Court Documents: Writs, judgments, decrees, and administrative court decisions.
- Administrative Documents: Civil registry records (birth, marriage, and death certificates).
- Notarial Acts: Powers of attorney, affidavits, contract signings, and certified translations.
- Official Certificates: School diplomas, university transcripts, business registration certificates, and medical records.
Technically, an Apostille never expires. Once issued, it permanently confirms the authenticity of the signature on that document. However, foreign authorities, universities, or immigration departments often enforce their own institutional rules, requiring that both the original document and the Apostille be issued within the last 3, 6, or 12 months to ensure the records are up to date.
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