Apostille Republic of Belarus
What is the Belarus Apostille?
An Apostille is a special stamp of a specific design that significantly simplifies the procedure for recognizing the documents of one state on the territory of another.
Apostille in the Republic of Belarus – is a stamp, the form, content, and purpose of which are defined by the Apostille Convention of 1961. The Apostille from Belarus has the form of an international standard apostille. However, the Belarusian apostille contains information in Belorussian and Russian.
Belarus acceded to the Hague Convention “on the Apostille” as the successor of this right (successor) from the Soviet Union: the procedure began on June 16, 2022, and from May 31, 1992, the apostille in Belarus was already official.
With many countries from the former USSR, there is a Belarusian convention signed “On legal assistance and legal relations”, which allows these countries to manage without an apostille and legalization. However, Belarusian authorities often require an apostille for the documents of these countries.
What does the Belarus Apostille look like?
Photo of the Belarusian apostille:
The Apostille can be both a print and a stamp on a paper document, equipped with protective means. It is certified with the stamp of the ministry or corresponding agency and the signature of the official responsible for certifying the Apostille.
Model of the apostille in the Republic of Belarus. Source – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus (official website).
Text of the Belarusian apostille
(Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)
1. Рэспубліка Беларусь/Республика Беларусь
This official document/ Данный официальный документ
2. Signed by/ Подписан: official / Ф. И. О.
3. Acting as / Выступающим в качестве: Leader
4. Sealed with (stamp) / Скреплен печатью (штампом)
CERTIFIED / УДОСТОВЕРЕНО
5. In the city of / В городе: Minsk
6. Date: __________________
7. Full name.
Official
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus
8. By No ___
9. Stamp placement / Место печати
10. Signature / Подпись
How long is the apostille from the Republic of Belarus valid for?
The Apostille has no expiration date, as long as a new apostille format is not adopted. However, since its adoption, the form of the apostille has not changed. Only the procedure in apostille countries has changed.
Another issue is whether foreign authorities have time requirements for documents. Some countries only accept “fresh” documents. Therefore, a new apostille is necessary. The criminal record certificate definitely has an expiration date. And if you apply an apostille to a certificate that will expire soon – you risk losing money. If you try to apply an apostille to an expired certificate – you will simply be refused.
Is an apostille necessary for Belarus?
Everything depends on the country from which you want to present the documents to the Belarusian authorities. If these countries are part of the Minsk Convention (on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family, and criminal matters), then according to the rules of this convention – it is not necessary. However, there have been frequent cases where Belarusian authorities require an apostille for documents, whether the country is part of the Minsk Convention or not. Therefore, it is necessary to find out in advance from the authorities where you will present the documents.
If the country is part of the apostille (from which you present the documents), then an apostille is necessary. And it is not applied in Belarus, but in the country of origin of the document.
Why isn’t the apostille done in Belarus?
We are often asked such a question when an apostille is requested in Belarus for the documents of an Apostille country, and it is not done in Belarus. The fact is that an apostille in Belarus can only be applied to Belarusian documents. Documents obtained abroad can only be apostilled in the country where they were obtained.
If you have such a problem, you can contact our agency. We can apostille almost any documents from any country.
Which documents are not subject to apostille?
The following documents are not subject to apostille:
– passport,
– ID card,
– driving license,
– technical passport,
– registration certificate,
– work book,
– military ticket,
– certificates,
– documents issued only for use in the Republic of Belarus,
– dirty, damaged, broken, laminated documents,
– documents issued by the embassies and consulates of the Republic of Belarus,
– contracts (agreements) of legal entities,
– internal company documents (except for founding documents), for example, minutes of the general meeting.
Why is an apostille necessary for Belarusian documents if they are already signed by officials and there is a wet stamp?
The multitude of signatures of officials authenticating documents in Belarus makes it difficult to verify these signatures abroad. Therefore, special persons responsible for checking these signatures in the country were introduced. Then, these verifiers authenticate the document with the apostille. The signatures of these officials are easier to check – there are fewer of them and, usually, there is a register of these signatures.
Is it necessary to translate documents with an apostille?
This must be clarified with the state authority where you want to present the document. But if you have translated the document into Belarusian in the country of origin, then an apostille is also necessary for the translation – there, in the country where you obtained this document.
Is there an electronic apostille – E-apostille in Belarus?
The electronic apostille allows the authentication of birth and marriage certificates, medical documents, court decisions, and other documents for use abroad.
Unfortunately, in Belarus, there is still no possibility to verify the apostille online.
With the help of the electronic apostille register, any interested person can visually verify the apostillation of a document and the scanned document.