Hague Apostille: what it is and which Romanian documents need one

It is an official stamp that verifies the authenticity of a document for use in another country that has signed the Hague Convention of 1961.

Most commonly the death certificate, but also notarial deeds, powers of attorney, or certified translations when they are used abroad — for repatriation or probate.

The Instituția Prefectului (Prefect's Office) of the county where the certificate was issued, because the death certificate is a civil-status record.

The Camera Notarilor Publici (Chamber of Public Notaries) that covers the area where the notary operated. The same body apostilles certified translations and notarized copies.

The Tribunalul (County Court). It also apostilles documents issued by bailiffs and by the Trade Register.

It is a lengthier procedure used for countries that are not party to the Hague Convention. The document passes through several authorities rather than receiving a single apostille stamp.

Only countries that have signed the Hague Convention. For all others, full legalisation is required. We verify what the destination country requires for each case.

It depends on the country. Sometimes the document is apostilled first and then translated; sometimes the translation itself must also be apostilled. We coordinate the correct order for each case.

At the Prefect's Office, usually one to two days, sometimes on the spot. For notarial documents through the Chamber of Public Notaries, the turnaround may be slightly longer.

You can submit in person or through an authorised representative. With a power of attorney, we handle submission and collection for you so you do not need to travel.

There is a small fee set by the issuing authority. Translations and coordination are quoted separately. We give you a clear breakdown in advance.

Often, yes. Many foreign authorities require an apostilled death certificate. We verify the exact requirements of the country involved in each repatriation.

Usually it is the civil-registry death certificate that is apostilled, not the medical one. We tell you exactly which document the foreign authority requires.

The apostille itself does not expire. However, some foreign authorities may require a recently issued underlying document. We check requirements before submission.

Yes. Powers of attorney and notarial declarations are apostilled through the Camera Notarilor Publici (Chamber of Public Notaries) for use in another country's probate proceedings.

The original document issued by the Romanian authority. For notarial deeds, the notarial original. We verify the required form before submission.

For civil-status records, the apostille is normally obtained from the Prefect's Office of the issuing county. We direct you to the competent institution.

We identify the correct authority for each document, prepare the files, coordinate translations, and — with a power of attorney — submit and collect everything.

Usually on the original document or a notarized copy. The required form depends on the type of document; we verify this before submission.

Yes, in any signatory state of the Hague Convention. The apostille confirms the document's authenticity for all those countries, not just one.

Yes. A criminal record certificate is an administrative document, so the apostille is placed on it by the Prefect's Office, as with civil-status records.

If the country is not party to the Hague Convention, the document goes through full legalisation. We verify the correct procedure for every case.

Yes. Educational diplomas are also apostilled through the Prefect's Office, after prior endorsement by the relevant ministry where required.