Brazilian Apostille is an official document that certifies the authenticity of a signature, the capacity of the signer, as well as the seal or stamp placed on a public document. It is issued in accordance with the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, and is used to legalize documents abroad.
What does the Brazilian Apostille look like?
The apostille is a rectangular stamp that includes the following elements: the name of the country, the name of the signer, their position, the seal or stamp of the organization, the place and date of issuance, a unique number, and the signature of the authorized person. An electronic signature may also be used.
Photo of a Brazilian Apostille:
Text of the Brazilian Apostille
Language of the Apostille — The Brazilian Apostille contains information in Portuguese, English, and French. This ensures compliance with international standards and facilitates its use abroad.
Portuguese Language
BRASIL APOSTILLE
(Convenção da Haia de 5 de outubro de 1961)
- País:
REPÚBLICA FEDERATIVA DO BRASIL
Este documento público:
2. Foi assinado por: Leonardo Damião Ferreira
3. Na qualidade de: Escrevente
4. Tem o selo / carimbo de: Oficial de RCPN do 5º Subdistrito Santa Efigênia, São Paulo – SP
Certificado:
5. Em: SÃO PAULO
6. No dia: 13/06/2022
7. Por: Carlos ____________
8. Nº: 1067___-22
9. Selo / Carimbo:
10. Firma: Assinatura Eletrônica
Tipo de Documento: Certidão de Nascimento
Nome do titular: EMILY _____________ VIEIRA
Código: 106_______-22
CRC: 8ACB_______
A presente Apostila foi firmada com assinatura eletrônica, conforme a Lei nº 11.419/2006.
Dúvidas a respeito desta Apostila entrar em contato com a Ouvidoria do CNJ: ____________
Observação:
Esta Apostila certifica apenas a assinatura, a capacidade do signatário e, quando apropriado, o selo ou carimbo constantes no documento público. Ela não certifica o conteúdo do documento para o qual foi emitida.
A autenticidade desta Apostila e de sua assinatura eletrônica bem como o documento público subjacente, podem ser verificadas em:
https://apostil.org.br
Utilize este QR Code para verificar a autenticidade desta Apostila e de sua assinatura eletrônica. Uma cópia do documento público subjacente também está disponível na mesma página.
Translation of the Brazilian Apostille into English
BRAZIL APOSTILLE
(Convention de La Haye of 5 October 1961)
- Country:
FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF BRAZIL
This public document:
2. Has been signed by: Leonardo Damião Ferreira
3. Acting in the capacity of: Clerk
4. Bears the seal/stamp of: Official of the Civil Registry Office of the 5th Subdistrict Santa Efigênia, São Paulo – SP
Certified:
5. At: SÃO PAULO
6. The: 13/06/2022
7. By: Carlos Eduardo Rodrigues
8. Nº: 1067_________-22
9. Seal/Stamp:
10. Signature: Electronic Signature
Type of Document: Birth Certificate
Name of holder: EMILY __________ VIEIRA
Code: 106___-22
CRC: 8ACB_____
This Apostille was electronically signed in accordance with Law nº 11.419/2006.
Any questions about this Apostille may be directed to the Ombudsman of the CNJ: ___
Note:
This Apostille certifies only the signature, the capacity of the person signing it, and where appropriate, the seal or stamp which the public document bears. It does not certify the content of the document for which it was issued.
The authenticity of this Apostille and its electronic signature, along with the underlying public document, may be verified at:
https://apostil.org.br
Please use this QR Code to check the authenticity of this Apostille and its electronic signature. A copy of the underlying public document is also accessible from the same page.
Translation of the Brazilian Apostille into Russian
BRAZIL APOSTILLE
(Hague Convention of 5 October 1961)
- Country:
FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF BRAZIL
This public document:
2. Has been signed by: Leonardo Damião Ferreira
3. Acting in the capacity of: Clerk
4. Bears the seal/stamp of: Official of the Civil Registry Office of the 5th Subdistrict Santa Efigênia, São Paulo – SP
Certified:
5. At: SÃO PAULO
6. The: 13/06/2022
7. By: Carlos Eduardo Rodrigues
8. No.: 1067_________-22
9. Seal/Stamp:
10. Signature: Electronic Signature
Type of Document: Birth Certificate
Name of holder: EMILY __________ VIEIRA
Code: 106___-22
CRC: 8ACB_____
This Apostille was electronically signed in accordance with Law nº 11.419/2006.
Any questions about this Apostille may be directed to the Ombudsman of the CNJ: ___
Note:
This Apostille certifies only the signature, the capacity of the person signing it, and where appropriate, the seal or stamp which the public document bears. It does not certify the content of the document for which it was issued.
The authenticity of this Apostille and its electronic signature, along with the underlying public document, may be verified at:
https://apostil.org.br
Please use this QR Code to check the authenticity of this Apostille and its electronic signature. A copy of the underlying public document is also accessible from the same page.
Notes:
- The Apostille certifies only the authenticity of the signature, the capacity of the signer, and the presence of a seal or stamp. It does not certify the content of the document.
- The authenticity of the Apostille and its electronic signature can be verified on the official website (apostil.org.br) using the QR code provided on the document.
What documents are subject to apostille? — In Brazil, court documents, administrative acts, notarized deeds, documents confirming records in public registries, as well as educational documents (diplomas, certificates) are subject to apostille. Commercial and customs documents, as well as diplomatic and consular acts, are not subject to apostille.
What documents are not subject to apostille? — Diplomatic and consular acts, customs documents, and documents related to commercial transactions are not subject to apostille.
Validity of the Apostille — The Apostille has no expiration date; however, the applicability of the document depends on the validity of the document itself. It is recommended to clarify the requirements of the receiving party before use.
Why is an Apostille needed if Brazilian documents already have a seal and signature?
An Apostille is not used to confirm the authenticity of documents from Brazil but to certify the signatures and seals of officials. In Brazil, government institutions such as ministries, departments, archives, and civil registries employ many officials whose signatures and seals are regularly changed. This makes verifying the authenticity of documents a challenging task, especially for foreign officials who need to accept these documents.
To simplify the verification process and prevent forgeries, a system was created to certify all signatures and seals by a limited number of authorized individuals. This facilitates the work of foreign authorities, speeds up document processing abroad, and reduces waiting times for applicants. The Apostille system allows officials responsible for issuing it to verify the authenticity of signatures, seals, letterheads, and document contents using an internal database.
Employees with access to such signature and sample databases are also registered in a special registry. This registry includes a limited number of signatures, which are shared with other partner states or verified using international tools.
There are two main approaches to confirming the authenticity of documents: The first, and most reliable, is legalization. A document is first signed and certified by the official who issued it, then by a ministry employee (usually the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and the final signature is certified by the consulate of the country to which the document is being submitted. This process relies on verifying the chain of signatures and seals through three institutions.
The second method is based on simplification and greater trust between countries. This is the Apostille — a special stamp established by the Hague Convention of 1961. The Apostille eliminates the step of legalization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and significantly speeds up the recognition of a document from one country in the territory of another.
Why Apostille documents if Brazilian documents can be checked online?
Online document verification systems are a modern solution that allows for quick confirmation of their authenticity. However, such systems are still under development and require significant improvements to ensure reliability and full functionality.
When governments and society are fully prepared to implement online verification systems, the need for an Apostille may disappear. Nevertheless, until this technology becomes universally available and flawless, the Apostille continues to play a crucial role.
Even with online verification, many officials will still need access to such systems. This again raises questions about the relevance of signatures, frequent changes in officials, and the risk of abuse. In this context, the Apostille serves as a universal tool that guarantees international recognition of document authenticity regardless of local verification systems.