Apostille Kazakhstan 🇰🇿

What is a Kazakh apostille?

The Kazakh apostille has the following text:

This apostille only certifies the authenticity of the signature, the title/authority of the signer, and the authenticity of the seal or stamp on the document and does not attest to the content of the document to which it is affixed.

This means that the official who apostilles the documents is only responsible for the authenticity of the signature of the official who signed the document before him. For example, the head of the civil registry office signed the birth certificate and affixed the seal. The official responsible for affixing the apostille checks the authenticity of the signature according to the provided samples. And if the signatures match, he applies (affixes, attaches) the apostille.

The justice departments of the regions, the cities of Nur-Sultan, Almaty, and Shymkent must provide signature samples and seal prints to be sure of the authenticity of the documents that undergo the apostillation procedure.

Text of the Kazakh apostille

APOSTILLE

(Convention de la Hay e du 5 octobre 1961)

1. Ел: Қазакстан Республикасы
   Country, Country
2. Осы ресми Құжатқа
   Le present acte public, This public document
3. қол койды
   was signed by
4. ретінде
   acting in the capacity of
5. мөрімен мөртаңбасымен бекітілді
   is affixed with the seal of, bears the seal stamp of Куәландырылды, Attested, Certified
6. күні
   on, at le, the
7. кіммен
8. sous №
9. Мөр мөртаңба 10. Қолы
   Seal, stamp, Seal stamp Signature

How long is the apostille from Kazakhstan valid?

The apostille does not have an expiration date until a new apostille format is adopted. However, since its adoption, the form of the apostille has not changed. Only the procedure in the apostille countries has changed.

Another matter is if foreign authorities have time constraints on documents. Some countries only accept “recent” documents. And accordingly, you need to affix a new apostille. A certificate of no criminal record definitely has an expiration date. And if you put an apostille on a certificate that will soon expire – you risk losing money. However, if you try to put an apostille on an expired certificate, they will simply refuse.

Do you need an apostille for Kazakhstan?

It all depends on which country you want to submit documents to Kazakh authorities from. If these countries are part of the Minsk Convention (on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family, and criminal matters), then by the rules of this convention – it’s not needed. However, there are cases when government bodies request an apostille on documents regardless of whether the country is part of the Minsk Convention or not. Therefore, you should find out in advance from the authorities where you will be submitting the documents.

If the country is part of the apostille (from which you provide documents), then an apostille is needed. And it is not affixed in Kazakhstan but in the country of origin of the document.

Why do you need an apostille if Kazakh documents already have an official’s seal and signature?

In Kazakhstan, many officials work in ministries, departments, state agencies, archives, and civil registry offices. At the same time, officials change periodically, meaning their signatures can change. To ensure the truthfulness and authenticity of a document, to avoid forgeries, it is necessary to check whether the official’s signature corresponds to samples of his signature and whether he is the one who signed the said document.

Checking signatures and seals on such a large number of documents and officials is very complicated. This is especially difficult for foreign officials accepting documents abroad. To facilitate this task, a system was introduced to verify all signatures and seals by a few people. Such a system reduces the time for reviewing documents abroad and the waiting time for applicants. It is easier for local officials responsible for the apostille to verify signatures, seals, and documents within such a system.

Employees with access to the internal database of signatures, seals, and document samples are also included in a special registry with their signatures. However, this registry is limited to ten signatures, samples of which are forwarded to partner countries or are easily verified in other ways.

There are two verification procedures. The first and most reliable is the legalization of documents. In this case, the official issuing the documents signs them, then the document is authenticated by a ministry worker, and the last signature is checked and certified by the consulate of the country to which the documents are to be submitted. Verification is based on the current database (list) of signatures in a chain of three departments (institutions, state bodies).

The second procedure, based on greater trust and bypassing one department (usually the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), is the apostille. An apostille is a special stamp of a set pattern, which greatly simplifies the procedure for recognizing documents of one state on the territory of another.

Why affix an apostille if Kazakh documents can be checked online?

Online document verification systems are a new solution for verifying document authenticity, but these systems are still in testing mode and require refinement.

When governments and society are ready to use such systems, an apostille will likely no longer be needed.

Nevertheless, many officials will have access to these systems, which again raises the question of a large number of signatures and their current relevance.

Is it possible to affix an apostille at the Consulate of Kazakhstan?

According to the Hague Apostille Convention, the apostille stamp cannot be obtained at the consulate. And this is independent of the country where the consulate is located, whether it’s Ukraine, Italy, Germany, and so on.

Is there an electronic apostille – E-apostille in Kazakhstan?

In Kazakhstan, an electronic apostille project has been launched as part of the state service “Apostilling of official documents.”

To receive the service online, it’s necessary to clarify the possibility of accepting electronic documents in foreign countries.

How can you verify an electronic apostille?

The apostille can be checked on the “electronic government” portal in the “Verification of the apostille stamp in the Electronic Register” tab.