What is an Apostille and when do I need one?

An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document. It is issued by a country that is party to the Apostille Convention to be used in another country which is also a party to the Convention.On 14 May 2019, the Philippines became a party to the Apostille Convention. Authentication is still required for all Philippine documents to be used abroad, but this time with an Apostille instead of an Authentication Certificate (“red ribbon”) as proof of authentication.

After authentication (Apostillization) by DFA-OCA, as Competent Authority, there is no more need for authentication (legalization) by the Embassies or Consulates except for non-Apostille countries and those that objected to the Philippine accession.

The Apostille Convention only applies if both the country where the public document was issued and the country where the public document is to be used are parties to the Convention. For the updated list of all “Apostille Countries,” please visit this link.

Like in non-Apostille countries, the Philippine Apostille cannot be readily used in Austria, Finland, Germany and Greece (Apostille countries that objected to the Philippine accession). Documents from and to such countries will require legalization by the concerned Embassy or Consulate.

If your public document is to be used in a country where the Apostille Convention does not apply, you should contact the Embassy or Consulate of the country where you intend to use the document in order to find out what your options are. This usually means that you need to present your documents to the said country’s Embassy or Consulate in the Philippines for its authentication/legalization. You may also ask the intended recipient of your document whether an Apostille is necessary in your particular case.

The Philippine Apostille applies to the same types of documents that were subject to authentication by the DFA prior to the effectivity of the Apostille Convention in the Philippines. Moreover, Apostilles are strictly for the use of public documents abroad. Thus, if your document is to be used in the Philippines, it cannot be submitted to the DFA for authentication/Apostillization. (https://ift.tt/3zYQtQ3)