What is Apostille and how can we help you with it in Gothenburg?
If you have an important document that needs to be used abroad, you may need an Apostille stamp to make it valid.
As experienced in the industry, we can help you in Gothenburg, we can help you with your documents so that they can be used internationally. Our team of experts have extensive experience and are well versed in the processes required to get your documents Apostille stamped.
To help you understand how we can help you, below are some of the document types we can help you Apostille stamp:
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificate
- Diploma
- Transcripts
- Medical reports
- The Testaments
- Legal documents
As a company that has helped many customers in Gothenburg, we have worked with many customers in the area to help them get their documents Apostille stamped. We understand the importance of having the right documentation for international business and are committed to helping our clients navigate the process smoothly and efficiently.
We also offer a range of other services that can help you simplify the process of getting your documents Apostille stamped. These include translation services, legalization services and much more. We are here to assist you with all your international documentation needs.
So if you need help with Apostille in Gothenburg, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team of experts is here to help you navigate the process and ensure your documents are valid internationally.
Conclusion:
We are an experienced Apostille company in Gothenburg and offer a range of services to help you get your documents Apostille stamped. Our team of experts are well versed in the processes required to get your documents Apostille stamped and we are committed to helping our clients navigate through the process smoothly and efficiently. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need help with Apostille in Gothenburg or if you have questions about our other services. We are here to help you!
More about Apostille
You have probably at some point heard the word and that you need an Apostille, but rarely had it explained to you what it actually is. In this section we explain what an Apostille, or in other words an Apostille stamp, really is and what its function is.
5 important things to know about Apostille:
- An Apostille is valid in the countries that have signed the Hague Convention
- Only a Notary Public issues Apostilles
- When a document is certified with an Apostille, it does not need to be certified further by, for example, visiting an embassy.
- An Apostille can in many cases be stamped without you being physically present at a Notary Public
- Simply put, an Apostille is a stamp that certifies the authenticity of an official document.
What is an Apostille?
First of all, an Apostille is a certification that a document issued by an authority has been signed and stamped by an authorized person employed by the authority. Above all, the purpose of the Apostille stamp is simplified to act as an assurance for foreign actors (authorities, companies, etc.) that the document is genuine.
In summary, the stamp’s main function is thus to certify that the document was issued by an authorized person who works at the authority, and that it is authorized to sign the document. Simply put – certifying the authenticity of the document to ensure that it is not a forgery.
It is primarily documents issued by authorities that are provided with an Apostille stamp. However, they can also be documents that have been issued by authorized translators , doctors and other Notaries Public .
Sammanfattningsvis är stämpelns huvudsakliga funktion därmed att intyga att dokumentet utfärdats av en behörig person som jobbar på myndigheten, och att den har behörighet att skriva under dokumentet. Förenklat sagt – att intyga äktheten på dokumentet för att försäkra att det inte är en förfalskning.
Det är framförallt dokument som utfärdas av myndigheter som förses med en Apostille-stämpel. Det kan dock också vara dokument som har utfärdas av auktoriserade översättare, läkare och andra Notarius Publicus.
Examples of documents that need an Apostille:
- Documents from government authorities, such as the Swedish Companies Registration Office , the Tax Agency , the National Board of Health and Welfare and so on.
- Documents from courts. For example. certificate that a divorce has taken place, so-called divorce papers.
- Documents translated by authorized translators from the Kammarkollegiet.
- Extracts from various registers. For example. the load register .
- Various grades or certificates from schools. Usually certificates from universities and colleges.
- Documents signed by another Notary Public .
In order for a document to be provided with an Apostille, it needs:
- A stamp in its original from the authority that issued the document.
- That it is clear from which authority the document was issued.
- A signature and clarification of the name of the person who stamped the document.
- Information about the position the person issuing the document holds at the relevant authority. For example. case manager, administrator or similar.
Documents not issued by an authority
In any case, it is not only official documents that can be stamped. For documents that do not meet the requirements above, you can still get an Apostille. However, it is first required that a Notary Public first certifies your signature or authorization. This is done with a separate stamp. The stamp certifies that you are the right person signing the document. The stamp will read something like “I hereby certify that person XXX has personally signed this document”. Then the document is also provided with the seal of the Notary Public. Only after this procedure has taken place at a first Notary Public can you then go to another Notary Public who provides the document with an Apostille. What the second Notary Public does is that it certifies with the Apostille stamp that your signature on the document was certified by another Notary Public.
3 things you must know to be able to get an Apostille stamp
- The country where you present the document must be a member of the so-called Apostille Convention.
- The documents must be in their original form and be stamped.
- There must be a signature from an authorized person at the authority and a name clarification from that person.
Apostille is issued by a Notary Public
Only a Notary Public can provide a document with an Apostille. The reason for this is that a Notary Public has a special trust from the state (through the county board – Read more here ). The trust means that the Notary Public helps the public by certifying with good judgment the authenticity of issued documents. The aim is for there to be a simple and flexible way for private individuals to obtain a certificate that issued official documents are genuine, which is often a requirement from other countries during international contacts.
The Hague Convention
An Apostille stamp gets its validity and meaning through an international agreement between a number of countries. The agreement is called the Hague Convention and has a total of 118 member countries. This shows that it is a very comprehensive convention and the stamp has an important function in international relations, not least in real estate purchases, opening bank accounts and similar administrative services. You can find a list of all member countries on the Hague Conference’s own website.
The convention means that when a document is provided with an Apostille, the document does not need to be certified by an authority, embassy or other government institution. A Notary Public can be compared to an extended function of the authority of the authorities, where the authenticity of an official document is certified, without the need for the state to get involved. From a practical point of view, this is very effective, of which it fulfills an important function. If all documents that are to have their authenticity certified need to go through authorities or the like, the waiting times would have been very long.
Can a Notary Public issue an Apostille?
Yes. Important to know is that the only person who can do this is a Notary Public with the appointment they received from the County Board. But how does it actually work? In summary, an Apostille is a kind of certification for documentation that, usually, must be presented to foreign actors. For example, for a bank, estate agent, foreign authority, etc. The Apostille stamp certifies that the document has been officially certified by an elected person from the Swedish state. This means that confidence that the document is de facto genuine is strengthened. In other words, this means that the document does not need to be certified by, for example, a Swedish embassy or consulate, but a Notary Public’s certification is sufficient.
Frequently asked questions - FAQ
What is apostille?
An apostille is a form of legalization of a document issued by an authority. It is an internationally recognized form of legalization used to verify that a document is valid in another country. An apostille is a special stamp or a special certificate issued by an authority or persons authorized by an authority in the country where the document was issued.
What do i need apostille?
You may need an apostille if you plan to use a document issued in Sweden in another country. This may include documents issued by authorities, such as birth certificates, extracts from the civil registration register, diplomas, marriage certificates, or other types of documents. An apostille confirms that the document is valid in the country where it was issued, and enables it to be used in another country.
What is the difference between an apostille and a legalization?
An apostille is a form of legalization, but there are also other forms of legalization that may be required depending on the country where the document is to be used. Legalization is a process where an authority or a person authorized by an authority verifies that a document is issued by an authority and signed by an authorized official. An apostille is a special form of legalization used to verify that a document is valid in another country. An Apostille is an internationally recognized form of legalization.
Which countries use apostille?
Many countries use apostille to legalize documents to be used in other countries. There are a number of countries that have signed the Hague Convention of 1961, which is an international agreement for the use of apostilles. Countries that have signed the convention include Sweden, Spain, Estonia, USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and many more.
Where can I get an apostille?
In Sweden, only lawyers who have an appointment from the County Administrative Board as Notary Public are entitled to issue Apostilles. A Notary Public does not work for the state, but has received a so-called state appointment through the County Board which gives them the right to issue certain stamps and certificates.
Which documents can be apostilled?
Usually all kinds of public documents, such as birth and death certificates, marriage and divorce certificates, diplomas, extracts from the charge register, authorized translations and the like.
Do I need to get an Apostille in my documents if I'm going to use it in another country?
It depends on where you are going to use the document and which nation it comes from, as well as what requirement those who requested the document have made. The Hague Convention applies to approximately 106 countries, and if both countries are members of the convention, an apostille is required.
How much does it cost to get an apostille?
It costs SEK 499 to get an Apostille on a physical document.