Apostille Ireland (Dublin, Cork)
Apostille on Irish documents is issued by a single authority — the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland (Department of Foreign Affairs, DFA), Authentication Section of the Consular Division in Dublin. We obtain Irish documents and an apostille remotely: preparation and certification by a solicitor or notary public, submission to the DFA, translation, and courier delivery to any country.
What is an Irish apostille?
An Irish apostille — is a stamp of a prescribed form, the content and purpose of which are defined by the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961. It confirms the authenticity of the signature of the official and the seal of the institution that issued the document.
Ireland ratified the Convention, and the apostille has been in effect in the country since March 9, 1999. Documents issued before this date can be apostilled (the Convention does not set restrictions based on the document’s issuance date), but if the old form raises doubts with the authority, it is more practical to order a duplicate certificate of the modern format.
The Irish apostille is issued in English with the mandatory French title «Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)».
Who issues the apostille in Ireland?
Only the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) — Authentications Section, Consular Division. Neither a solicitor, nor a notary, nor a private company issues the apostille: they only prepare and certify the document before submission to the DFA.
- Dublin — Authentications Section, Consular Division, Department of Foreign Affairs, 80 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, D02 VY53; phone +353 1 408 2174 (weekdays 9:30–12:30);
- in-person submission / drop-off — in Dublin and Cork on weekdays approximately from 9:00 to 16:00; completed documents are returned by registered mail;
- by mail — by registered mail to the Authentications Section (processing time longer due to mailing);
- official service page — ireland.ie — Authentications and Apostilles.
When submitting at the counter, the target processing time is about 30 minutes, but no more than 5 documents are accepted per submission. Large packages are submitted as drop-off and processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Deadlines and cost of apostille in Ireland (current as of 2026)
| Type of Submission | DFA Fee | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Apostille / Authentication – Standard Document | €40 per stamp | at counter – approximately 30 minutes (up to 5 documents); by mail/drop-off – several business days + postage |
| Documents directly related to the export of goods | €10 per document | same |
| International adoption dossier | €100 per package | as agreed with the section |
Payment: by card at the counter or by Irish postal order / bank draft payable to ‘Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’. Cash, checks and AMEX cards are not accepted – this is a common reason for returning postal applications from abroad. Solicitor/notary fees, obtaining the documents themselves, translation and courier are paid separately.
Procedure: what needs to be done before submission to DFA
- Public documents (birth, marriage, death certificates from the General Register Office, Garda Vetting / Police Certificate, Companies Registration Office extracts, diplomas) are submitted in original with a ‘live’ signature and seal – DFA verifies the signature against samples in its database.
- Private documents (powers of attorney, statements, affidavits, copies, corporate resolutions, translations) are first certified by a practicing solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths or Notary Public – the apostille confirms the signature of that specialist.
- Diplomas and educational documents usually require prior confirmation from the educational institution (registrar’s signature known to DFA) or notarization.
- Only after this is the document submitted to DFA – in person, drop-off or by mail.
Is there an electronic apostille (e-Apostille) in Ireland?
No. Currently, DFA works only with paper documents: electronic signatures and digital extracts are not accepted for apostille, and the apostille itself is issued as a physical stamp/certificate. This is a fundamental difference between Ireland and countries with e-Apostille — the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal.
Practical conclusion: if an Irish authority has issued you a document in electronic form with a digital signature, a paper copy (or a paper copy certified by a solicitor/notary) will be required for the apostille. We take this into account and order the required form of the document in advance.
Text of the Irish apostille
English (original)
APOSTILLE
(Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)
1. Country: Ireland
This public document
2. has been signed by ___________________________
3. acting in the capacity of ________________
4. bears the seal / stamp of ________________
Certified
5. at Dublin 6. the __________________
7. by the Department of Foreign Affairs
8. No ____________________
9. Seal / stamp ________________ 10. Signature ________________
Translation of the Irish apostille into Russian
APOSTILLE (Hague Convention of 5 October 1961)
1. Country: Ireland
This public document
2. has been signed by __________________ (surname, given name)
3. acting in the capacity of _________________ (position)
4. bears the seal / stamp of ________________
Certified
5. at Dublin 6. the __________________
7. by the Department of Foreign Affairs
8. No ____________________
9. Seal / stamp ________________ 10. Signature ________________
Is an apostille required for Irish documents for EU countries?
Ireland is a European Union country, so Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 applies: for certain civil status documents (birth, death, marriage, marital status, residence, criminal record) when presented in another EU country, an apostille is not required — the original is sufficient, if necessary with a multilingual standard form attachment.
An apostille is still needed if the Irish document goes outside the EU — to the United Kingdom, Moldova, Ukraine, Turkey, USA, China and other countries of the Convention. For countries outside the Convention, consular legalization is required: DFA + consulate of the destination country.
Can I get an apostille at the Irish consulate?
According to the Hague Convention, an apostille on Irish documents cannot be obtained at the Irish consulate abroad — only at the DFA within the country. Irish embassies and consulates perform notarial acts (certifying copies, signatures), but do not issue apostilles — this does not depend on the country where the mission is located.
Frequently asked questions about apostille in Ireland
Do I need to go to Ireland?
No. We obtain the document (including a duplicate certificate from the General Register Office or a criminal record check), arrange certification by a solicitor/notary, submit to the DFA and send the result by courier.
Can I get an apostille on a copy instead of the original?
Yes, if the copy is certified by an Irish solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, or notary. A simple photocopy without such certification is not accepted.
How long is the Irish apostille valid?
Indefinitely — the Convention does not set an expiration period. The limitation on «freshness» applies to the document itself (e.g., a criminal record certificate no older than 3–6 months per the requesting authority’s requirement).
Is the translation apostilled?
Yes, if the translation is certified by a solicitor or notary in Ireland — the apostille will confirm the certifier’s signature. But more often it is correct to apostille the document first, and then have the translation (with the apostille) done according to the rules of the destination country.
Order an apostille for Irish documents
GRO certificates, criminal record checks, diplomas, CRO extracts, powers of attorney and corporate documents — we obtain and apostille without your trip to Dublin, with translation and delivery.
Phone / WhatsApp / Viber / Telegram: +373 67 666 333 · write to WhatsApp · Order an apostille · contact form · contacts
See also: Apostille countries · What is an apostille · When an apostille is not needed
Sources (official)
ireland.ie — Authentications and Apostilles (fees, submission channels) · HCCH — table of participants of the 1961 Convention (entry into force for Ireland — 09.03.1999). Data verified in July 2026; DFA fees confirmed upon order.
Apostille in other European countries
Apostille United Kingdom · Apostille Portugal · Apostille France · Apostille Spain · Apostille Czech Republic · Apostille Poland · Apostille Belgium · Apostille Germany · Apostille Croatia · Apostille Slovakia · Apostille Serbia
BUSINESS LIGA SRL · apostille.expert · +373 67 666 333 — material verified and published in full.