When was the Hague Convention ratified?
The agreement we usually call the Hague Apostille Convention has a key date: it was ...
What is the main purpose of the Hague Apostille Convention?
The absolute core purpose of the Hague Apostille Convention is simplification. As outlined in its ...
Who issues apostilles under the Hague Convention?
The Hague Apostille Convention mandates that only specific government authorities, called 'Competent Authorities', are empowered ...
How does the Hague Convention relate to e-Apostilles?
The Hague Apostille Convention, drafted in 1961, has been simplifying international document use since 1965 (see ...
What is the e-APP and how does it relate to the original Hague Convention?
You might hear the term 'e-APP' mentioned alongside e-Apostilles, and it's key to understanding how ...
What specific problems did the Hague Apostille Convention solve?
As we've touched upon when discussing the Convention's primary purpose and how it simplified legalisation, the ...
Does the Hague Convention specify the Apostille certificate language?
The Hague Convention doesn't mandate one single language for the entire apostille certificate, aiming instead ...
If a country joined the Hague Convention late, does the apostille process still apply?
Yes, absolutely. The determining factor is whether the destination country is a party to the ...
Does the Hague Convention itself require UK notarisation for an apostille?
No, the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention does not contain a rule requiring documents from the ...
Why do apostilles from different countries look different?
You might notice that an apostille obtained from the UK's FCDO looks quite different from ...
How does the Hague Convention apply to Crown Dependencies & Overseas Territories?
This is an excellent question because the situation for places like Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle ...
What should I do if a Hague country refuses my valid UK apostille?
Firstly, it's important to know that this is very rare. The whole purpose of the ...
How did the Hague Convention simplify document legalisation?
Building on the Convention's main purpose (simplification, as we covered in FAQ - What is ...
Does the Hague Convention set rules for translating documents or apostilles?
No, the Hague Apostille Convention does not set any rules regarding the translation of the ...
Are lost apostilles replaceable under the Hague Convention?
The short answer is that the Hague Apostille Convention doesn't include specific provisions for replacing ...
If a UK document has multiple official signatures, which one gets the apostille?
This is a very practical question, and based on our extensive experience processing documents, the ...
Can the FCDO refuse an apostille even for a Hague Convention country?
The FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) can refuse to issue an apostille for a ...
Is my apostilled document legally valid abroad?
An apostille plays a crucial role in making your UK document acceptable overseas. The Hague ...
What counts as a “public document” under the Hague Convention?
The Hague Apostille Convention applies specifically to 'public documents', a term which covers official UK ...
Does the Hague Convention specify how to verify apostilles?
The original 1961 Hague Apostille Convention text doesn't mandate a single, specific method for how ...
