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Certification of document authenticity (legalisation) means verification of signature and seal of a document. It is performed by a Consular Officer in order the documents drawn up in one country were in force in another one. Legalisation also implies confirmation of the legal status and authority of the signatory.
N.B. Certification of document authenticity (legalisation) is not a notarial act.
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.
If a document issued in Latvia has to be in force outside Republic of Latvia
1. If the document is intended to be in force in a country that has joined HC-1961, its authenticity has to be certified by the Consular Department (Rìga, Elizabetes iela 57, 1st floor) 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 legalised by Latvian Consular Department and/or diplomatic/consular mission in the relevant country, and afterwards - by a diplomatic/consular mission of the relevant state.
Document authenticity certification is not necessary
Regarding countries that have concluded bilateral and multilateral agreements on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family and criminal matters with Latvia, documents that are drawn up or certified by a court or an official within his/her competence, and adhering to the established form, and are marked with the Great Seal in the territory of one contracting party, are accepted in the territory of the other party without any further certification.
Documents considered public in the territory of one contracting party are also considered public in the territory of the other contracting party.
Legalisation procedure employed by the Consular Department:
Persons who may submit documents for authenticity certification (legalisation) upon presentation of their identity documents are: - persons to whom the document refers directly;
- persons who have received a power of attorney certified by a notary, granted by the person mentioned in (1);
- relatives of persons mentioned in (1), upon presenting documents proving their kinship.
Documents of legal persons may be submitted for authenticity certification (legalisation) by the following persons, upon presentation of their identity documents: - by CEOs;
- by persons authorised by CEOs.
Document translation has to be notary certified, and sewn and sealed complete with the original or confirmed duplicate of the original document.
It is highly recommended before submitting documents for authentication to consult the mission of the corresponding country beforehand in order to find out if it is necessary to certify the authenticity (legalise) of: - original or copy of the original document only/copy of a document certified by a notary;
- translation of the document only;
- both the original or copy of the original document certified by a notary, and its translation.
Legalised and certified documents can be received ten (10) working days after the day of their submission.
Urgent document authenticity certification (legalisation) is performed within 48 hours, excluding holidays.
APPLICATION FORMS
document certification application form for natural persons
document certification application form for legal entities
Document certification (legalisation) fees
The applicant is charged certification (legalisation) fee upon submission of a document for certification.
Applicants are charged LVL 5,00 for certification of one document. The fee for urgent certification of one document is LVL 10,00.
Legal persons are charged LVL 10,00 for certification of one document. The fee for urgent certification of one document for legal persons is LVL 20,00.
Countries that have acceded to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents
(Convention de la Haye, of 5 October 1961)
Countries with which Latvia has concluded treaties on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family and criminal affairs
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