Apostille is a French word meaning certification. An apostille certificate is an internationally recognized authentication, under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention, confirming the authenticity of an official document, such as:
- birth certificates
- marriage certificates
- death certificates
- matriculation certificates
- certificates of incorporation of a company
A document which bears an apostille certification of a country that is a party to the convention will be recognized by all the other countries that are party to the Hague Convention as an authentic document that is issued by the authorized body in the country of origin of the document.
An apostille certificate for a notarized document prepared in Israel thus gives the document legal validation in those foreign countries that have signed the Convention (including most western countries, with the notable exclusion of Canada). In Israel there is a certifying authority – the local courts – in every major city (in Jerusalem, for example, apostilles can be obtained from the Magistrates Court (Beit Mishpat HaShalom) at 6 Heshin Street (Room 229A), The Russian Compound, Jerusalem, Sunday-Thursday, between 08:30-13:30). The court affixes a sticker to the back of the notary’s certificate, for a nominal fee in stamp duty.
The apostille thus authenticates the notary’s work, confirming the notary stamp and the notary’s authority to approve notarial documents. For those countries who are not parties to the Hague Convention, notarized translations must be validated by the relevant country’s Consulate, or at the Foreign Office, in Israel.
For further information and a quote, please contact us at:
Simon M. Jackson – Notary, Legal & Translation Services
0737-40-60-40 / 0545-742-374.
