Ukraine is a member of the Hague Convention of 1961, which allows the country to issue apostilles for documents intended for use in other countries that are also signatories of the Hague Convention.
Steps to Obtain an Apostille in Ukraine:
- Prepare Your Document:
- The document you want to apostille must be an official or public document issued by a Ukrainian authority. These documents can include birth certificates, marriage certificates, academic diplomas, notarial acts, court documents, and other official records.
- If your document is not in Ukrainian, it may need to be translated into Ukrainian or the language required by the destination country.
- Notarization (if necessary):
- If your document is a private document (such as a contract or an agreement), it will need to be notarized by a Ukrainian notary before it can be apostilled.
- Submit the Document to the Relevant Authority:
- In Ukraine, the authority responsible for issuing apostilles is the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
- Apostilles are applied by the Ministry’s Department of Legalization or regional departments of the Ministry of Justice in each oblast (region) or district.
- Required Documents for Apostille:
- The original document that you want to have apostilled.
- A valid ID (e.g., passport or Ukrainian national ID card).
- If a third party (e.g., a lawyer or representative) is submitting the document, you may need to provide a notarized power of attorney or written authorization.
- Apostille Process:
- After the document is submitted, the Ministry of Justice will verify its authenticity and apply the apostille. The apostille is a certificate or stamp attached to the document to confirm its authenticity for use in other Hague Convention countries.
- Fees:
- The fee for obtaining an apostille in Ukraine is typically around UAH 250 to UAH 500 (Ukrainian Hryvnia), but the exact fee may vary depending on the type of document and processing time.
- Receiving the Apostilled Document:
- Once the apostille is applied, you can either pick up the apostilled document in person or arrange for it to be mailed to you, depending on the method you choose when submitting the document.
Important Notes:
- Translation: If your document is in a language other than Ukrainian, you may need to have it translated into Ukrainian or the language required by the destination country before you can submit it for apostille.
- Hague Convention Countries: The apostille is valid only for countries that are members of the Hague Convention. For use in a non-Hague Convention country, you will need to go through the consular legalization process.
- Legalization vs. Apostille: For countries that are not part of the Hague Convention, you will need to go through consular legalization, which involves getting the document authenticated by the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used.
By following these steps, your document from Ukraine will be properly apostilled and recognized in other Hague Convention countries.