To obtain an apostille for documents in Slovakia, you need to follow the process established under the Hague Convention of 1961, of which Slovakia is a member. This means that documents issued in Slovakia can be apostilled for use in other countries that are also signatories of the Hague Convention.

Steps to Obtain an Apostille in Slovakia:

1. Prepare Your Document:
   • The document you want to apostille must be an official or public document issued by a Slovak authority. Examples include birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, academic diplomas, notarial acts, and court documents.
   • If the document is not in Slovak, you may need to have it translated into Slovak or the language required by the country where it will be used.
2. Notarization (if necessary):
   • If the document is a private document (e.g., a contract), it may need to be notarized by a notary public in Slovakia before it can be apostilled.
3. Submit the Document to the Relevant Authority:
   • In Slovakia, the authority responsible for issuing apostilles is the Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic.
   • Apostilles are processed by the Department of Legalization at the Ministry of Justice. This department handles the legalization of documents and applies the apostille certification.
4. Required Documents for Apostille:
   • The original document that you want to be apostilled.
   • A valid ID (e.g., passport or national ID card).
   • If someone else (e.g., a lawyer or representative) is submitting the document on your behalf, you may need to provide a notarized power of attorney or written authorization.
5. Apostille Process:
   • Once the document is submitted, the Ministry of Justice will verify the document’s authenticity and apply the apostille. This will typically be a stamp or certificate attached to the document that confirms its authenticity for use in other Hague Convention countries.
6. Fees:
   • The fee for obtaining an apostille in Slovakia is generally affordable, and the cost depends on the type of document and processing time. The typical fee is around €5 to €15 per document.
7. Receiving the Apostilled Document:
   • Once the apostille has been applied, you can either pick up the apostilled document in person or arrange for it to be mailed to you, depending on the submission method and your preferences.

Important Notes:

• Translation: If the document is in a language other than Slovak, it may need to be translated into Slovak or the destination country’s required language before it can be apostilled.
• Hague Convention Countries: The apostille is only valid for countries that are members of the Hague Convention. If the document is intended for use in a non-Hague Convention country, you will need to go through consular legalization at the relevant embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used.
• Legalization vs. Apostille: If the document needs to be used in a country that is not a member of the Hague Convention, you will need to go through consular legalization. This involves getting the document authenticated by the embassy or consulate of the destination country.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your document from Slovakia will be legally recognized for use in other countries that accept apostilled documents under the Hague Convention.