E-apostille. Apostille online
Electronic apostille is a special procedure for signing an apostille presented on a digital medium in a file format with a digital signature. The essence of the apostille does not change. The content of the apostille remains the same. However, the risks of its forgery are significantly reduced. Any seal and signature on paper can be forged.
Digital signature is not visible to the naked eye on a printed electronic apostille. However, when opening the file on a computer or smartphone, a message about the presence of a digital signature will appear. You can view whose signature it is in the open program. However, this does not guarantee that the signature belongs to the responsible official. Any person can sign any document with their digital signature. Therefore, to verify an apostille, there are e-registers for quick online verification of the apostille.
One of the first countries to introduce the electronic apostille was the Republic of Moldova in 2013. Moreover, it became the only option for an apostille in that country.
The electronic apostille is being considered by the Hague Conference on Private International Law as part of the development of uniform rules under the e-App program.
An electronic apostille can be either a scanned document or one issued (generated) by electronic means, without a paper medium.
If the electronic apostille is simply a scanned apostille, then such an apostille must be provided on paper with a wet Apostille stamp. The electronic form of such an apostille is used only for its online verification — by the presence of this apostille on the official government website.To date, fourteen Contracting Parties have submitted their solutions for the e-App electronic application and discussed topics such as the electronic application as an e-government solution, coordination between government authorities in the implementation process, the gradual implementation of e-App components, and the future of document authentication in light of new technologies. (Source – https://assets.hcch.net/docs/af309929-bc6c-4a38-ae7b-ddf5ec3ddb94.pdf).
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