Legalization / certification of authenticity of documents

Certification of document authenticity (legalization) means verification of signature and seal of a document. It is performed by a competent institution of issuing country in order the documents issued in one country were in force in another one. Legalization also implies confirmation of the legal status and authority of the signatory.

N.B. Certification of document authenticity (legalization) is not a notarial act.

As from 31 October 2010, Latvia applies the Convention Abolishing the Legalization of Documents Between the Member States of the European Communities (the Convention) which provides for a reciprocal exemption from the requirement of legalisation.

The Convention is applied only as to Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, and Italy.

The public documents issued by these five countries for use in Latvia are exempt from legalisation requirement (apostille) or from a similar formality. Accordingly, the public institutions of these countries have to accept without legalisation the public documents issued in Latvia.

If in doubt as to the authenticity of documents issued in Latvia, institutions of foreign countries may request information from the Ministry of Justice (address: Brīvības bulvāris 36, Riga, LV-1536, e-mail: tm.kanceleja@tm.gov.lv) where requests are accepted for providing information in English, French, and Latvian.

As from 24 November 2010, the document legalization requirements have been abolished unilaterally regarding the documents issued in the countries of the European Union, the European Economic Zone, and the Swiss Confederation. This abolishment implies that the documents issued in the said countries do not require additional authentication (legalization or "Apostille") in order to be used in Latvia.

The European Union Member States:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

The European Economic Zone Member States:

All EU Member States, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway

The Swiss Confederation

If the document issued abroad has to be in force in the Republic of Latvia

1. If the document is drawn up in a country which has joined the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents of 1961 (henceforth HC-1961), its authenticity should be certified with an Apostille by the competent institution of the relevant state according to provisions of the Convention. The document bearing an Apostille is not subject to any other confirmation by Latvian diplomatic/consular missions.
2. If the document is issued in a country that has not joined HC-1961, it has to be legalised by Latvian diplomatic/consular mission in the relevant country, or it has to be legalised by the diplomatic/consular mission of the relevant country in Latvia or the nearest neighbouring country, and afterwards by Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Department.

A public document issued in the Republic of Latvia intended for use abroad

1. If the document is intended to be in force in a country that has joined HC-1961, its authenticity has to be certified with an Apostille by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Rìga, Elizabetes iela 57, Riga, LV 1050; tel. +371 67016364) with an Apostille. The document bearing Apostille is not subject to any other confirmation by diplomatic/consular mission of the relevant foreign state.
2. If the document is intended to be in force in a country that has not joined HC-1961, it has to be legalized by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Rìga, Elizabetes iela 57, Riga, LV 1050; tel. +371 67016364) and/or diplomatic/consular mission in the relevant country, and afterwards - by a diplomatic/consular mission of the relevant state.

Authenticity of documents issued in Latvia have to be certified in order to be valid in Luxembourg.

The responsible institution that deals with certification of authenticity of documents issued in Latvia is the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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