(APOSTILLE)

WHAT IS THE APOSTILLE STAMP?

The Hague Stamp (Apostille) is the required, by the Hague Convention (5-10-1961), stamp that is to be affixed to public documents by the State which drew them up, in order to authenticate the signature and the capacity in which the signatory acted on the document and, where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp affixed to the document. The affixing of the Hague Stamp is a prerequisite for the acceptance of public documents between the acceding state and all other contracting states that did not object to it (see list of States which have acceded to the Convention).

Our country ratified the above Convention by Law 1497/1984 - National Gazette A' 188/27-11-1984.

In order to obtain the Hague Stamp, it is necessary to have a specimen signature of the person signing the public document, with the exception of documents bearing the advanced electronic signature (digital signature) FP1, in accordance with the provisions of articles 2 and 3 of Presidential Decree 150/2001 – National Gazette 125 A'/25-6-2001.

Public documents that are eligible for Apostilles in accordance with the Convention are:

• Documents originating from a public authority or a civil servant of a judicial body of the state, including documents originating from a public prosecutor's office, a court registrar or a court bailiff.

• Administrative documents.
• Notarial documents.
• Official certificates placed on private documents (certificates – endorsements – authentications)

When the documents are to be sent to a State that is not a member of the Hague Convention (Apostille) or to a State for which our country has raised objections, the procedure is to have the documents validated by the supervising Ministries and then by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Η Επισηµείωση προηγείται της Μετάφρασης

In the case of a translation of a document already bearing the Apostille stamp, affixing an Apostille stamp on the translation does not add any further evidential value to it. The Apostille stamp on a translation certifies the authenticity of the translator's signature and the capacity in which he/she acted and not the authenticity of the signature and the capacity in which the person signing the document acted. (Μinistry of Interior 36718/13-9-2013)

COMPETENT AUTHORITIES FOR THE AFFIXING OF THE HAGUE CONVENTION STAMP (APOSTILLE)

In accordance with the provisions of Article 280, paragraph 1. of Law 3852/2010, National Gazette 87/A'/7-6-2010 (of the founding law 2503/1997 - National Gazette 107 A') and Article 186 of this Law, as well as Law 1497/1984 - National Gazette A' 188/27-11-1984, which ratified the Hague Convention, the competent authorities for affixing Hague Convention's Stamp, as mentioned in article 3 in said Convention are:

• DECENTRALISED ADMINISTRATIONS

Τhe above affix Apostille stamps (a) to public administrative documents issued by the Services of General Interest of the counties that do not fall under the competence of counties, the county governor of which is elected by the citizens, (b) to documents issued by legal entities under public law, (c) to documents issued by local self-governing organisations of the first degree and (d) to documents issued by registries of vital records.

• REGIONS

The above affix Apostille stamps to documents issued by the departments of the region.

• COURTS OF FIRST INSTANCE

The above affix Apostille stamps to court documents of all kinds.