Uruguay is a member of the Hague Convention of 1961, which means it can issue apostilles for documents intended for use in other countries that are also signatories of the Hague Convention.

Steps to Obtain an Apostille in Uruguay:

1. Prepare Your Document:
   • The document you wish to apostille must be an official or public document issued by an Uruguayan authority. This includes documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, academic diplomas, notarial acts, court documents, and more.
   • If your document is not in Spanish, it may need to be translated into Spanish or the language required by the country where it will be used.
2. Notarization (if necessary):
   • If your document is a private document (such as a contract), it may need to be notarized by a notary public in Uruguay before it can be apostilled.
3. Submit the Document to the Relevant Authority:
   • In Uruguay, the authority responsible for issuing apostilles is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores).
   • The Ministry handles the apostille process through its Legalization Department.
4. Required Documents for Apostille:
   • The original document that you want to have apostilled.
   • A valid identification (e.g., passport or Uruguayan national ID).
   • If a third party (e.g., a lawyer or representative) is submitting the document, a notarized power of attorney or written authorization may be required.
5. Apostille Process:
   • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will verify the authenticity of the document and apply the apostille. The apostille is a certificate or stamp attached to the document, confirming its validity for use in other Hague Convention countries.
6. Fees:
   • The fee for obtaining an apostille in Uruguay is typically around UYU 500 to UYU 1,000 (Uruguayan Pesos) per document. The exact fee may vary depending on the document type and processing time.
7. Receiving the Apostilled Document:
   • Once the apostille has been applied, you can either pick up the apostilled document in person at the Ministry or arrange for it to be mailed to you.

Important Notes:

• Translation: If your document is in a language other than Spanish, it may need to be translated into Spanish or the required language before submission for an apostille.
• Hague Convention Countries: The apostille is only valid in countries that are members of the Hague Convention. For use in a non-Hague Convention country, you will need to go through consular legalization.
• Legalization vs. Apostille: For countries outside the Hague Convention, you will need to go through consular legalization, which involves getting the document authenticated at the embassy or consulate of the destination country.

By following these steps, your document from Uruguay will be properly apostilled and recognized in other Hague Convention countries.