An apostille authenticates the origin of a public document for use in another State where the Hague Apostille Convention applies. It certifies the signature, the signer’s capacity and, where relevant, the seal or stamp; it does not certify the document’s substantive contents.
What is an Apostille?
The Apostille stamp certifies the legal capacity of the public official who signed a document and the authenticity of that signature.
An apostille is accepted where the Hague Apostille Convention is in force between the issuing and receiving States and the document falls within its scope. Check whether any applicable exemption removes the need for an apostille.
Moreover, since 2006 the electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP) supports the electronic issuance and verification of Apostilles around the World.
For information on electronic Apostilles and access to the e-APP Implementation Chart, including links to e-Registers, consult the HCCH Apostille Section.
Documents that require Apostille
The Apostille is a type of legalization required for several processes, such as:
- Permissions to work abroad and, in general, immigration processes;
- Incorporations of companies in other countries;
- Admissions to educational institutions abroad;
- Local registrations and or civil acts like marriage.
The Apostille Stamp
Apostille stamps can be put on the original documents such as:
- Official documents issued by educational institutions, such as: degree certificates, diplomas, diploma transcripts and others;
- Certificates issued by archival institutions;
- Certificates of health status;
- Certificates issued by the Ministries of Internal Affairs, as well as other official documents;
- Documents issued by judiciary bodies and courts, as well as documents issued by notaries;
- Certificates issued by registry offices (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates, incorporation documents of legal entities).
Apostille in Italy: requirements
Moreover, the Apostille Convention requires all Apostilles to be numbered consecutively, with individual numbers applied to each Apostille issued.
Each Apostille contains a seal and 10 mandatory references:
- name of country from which the document emanates,
- name of person signing the document,
- the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted,
- the name of the authority that has affixed the seal or stamp (in the case of unsigned documents),
- place of certification
- date of certification,
- the authority issuing the certificate,
- number of certificate,
- seal or stamp of authority issuing certificate,
- signature of authority issuing certificate.
Where the Apostille Convention applies
Check the official HCCH Status Table to establish whether the Apostille Convention is in force between the State where the public document was issued and the State where it will be used. Pay attention to entry-into-force dates, territorial extensions and objections to accessions. Membership of the HCCH organisation alone does not establish that the Convention applies.
Where the Convention applies, an apostille normally replaces diplomatic or consular legalisation for documents within its scope. Other rules or agreements may remove the need for this formality. Consult the HCCH directory to identify the competent issuing authority.
Apostille in Italy: When it is not applicable
If the Apostille Convention does not apply between the States concerned, consular legalisation may be required unless another exemption applies. For an Italian document to be used abroad, check the preliminary authentication required from the competent Italian authority and the subsequent requirements of the destination country’s embassy or consulate in Italy.
For further information on the matter, have a look at our dedicated article on the Consular Legalization of Italian documents.
For a list of all the legalization exemptions, take a look at our article.
Jurisdiction bodies: where to get an apostille in Italy
In Italy, the competent authority depends on the type of public document. Public Prosecutor’s Offices generally handle judicial and notarial documents, including criminal-record and pending-charges certificates. Prefetture generally handle other administrative documents, including civil-status records. Special territorial arrangements apply in Valle d’Aosta and in the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano. Check the HCCH designation and the relevant office’s instructions before applying.
Difference between Apostille and Legalization
An apostille replaces diplomatic or consular legalisation where the Hague Apostille Convention applies between the issuing and receiving States. If the Convention does not apply, the ordinary legalisation procedure may be required, unless another exemption is available. The steps depend on the document, its country of origin and the destination country’s requirements.
If you need help to apostille a document from another country, Studio A&P offers support for legalization and apostille services.
For more information on the legalization of foreign documents for Italy, read our dedicated guide.
If you want to know how to legalize or apostille Italian documents for use abroad, take a look at our guide.