Apostille
Apostille on Ukrainian documents
An apostille on Ukrainian documents for countries party to the Hague Convention, with translation and certification where they are required.
How we work
An apostille is the stamp by which a state confirms that a document is genuine — that the signature, the seal and the authority of whoever issued it are valid. It is required for countries party to the Hague Convention and replaces the longer consular procedure. One thing is worth knowing in advance: in Ukraine three different authorities issue apostilles depending on the document — the Ministry of Justice (civil status certificates, court and notarial documents), the Ministry of Education (diplomas, school certificates, records from educational institutions) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (everything else). That determines both the timescale and the order in which translation is done.
Kyiv office and remote orders
Order at our office at 40/2 Volodymyrska Street, office 5, Kyiv, or remotely from Ukraine and other countries. Finished documents can be collected, delivered digitally or sent worldwide through postal operators.
What you can order
- Birth, marriage and divorce certificates
- Diplomas, transcripts, school certificates
- Criminal record certificates
- Notarial documents and powers of attorney
- Court judgments
- Medical certificates and records
- Company constitutional documents
- Repeat extracts from state registers
What you receive
- A check on which authority apostilles your document
- The correct order: apostille and translation not reversed
- A double apostille where the country requires one
- Translation and certification in the same order
- Documents issued in any region handled
- Remote handling
Related services
Frequently asked questions
Which documents cannot be apostilled?
Documents issued in the USSR or in another state — only the country whose authority issued a document can apostille it. For a Soviet-era certificate, a repeat document in the current form is obtained from the Ukrainian authority first, and the apostille goes on that. Copies without notarial certification and documents from commercial bodies are not apostilled either.
What comes first — the apostille or the translation?
It depends on the destination country. Most often the apostille goes on the original and the document is then translated together with the stamp. Some countries, however, require an apostille on the translation as well, which changes the order. Reversed steps mean redoing the whole procedure, so we confirm the route before starting.
What is a double apostille?
The stamp applied twice: first to the original, then to the notarially certified translation. Some countries require this, Italy and Spain among them for certain documents. The requirement comes from the country and the document type, not from the agency.
How long is an apostille valid?
The stamp itself does not expire. But the receiving institution often limits the age of the document — usually to three or six months. So a criminal record certificate or a register extract is best apostilled immediately before submission rather than kept in reserve.
Can it be done while I am abroad?
Yes. A power of attorney and the original documents sent to Ukraine are enough. A manager will say exactly what is needed in your case and how the power of attorney should be drawn up.