APOSTILLE

The apostille is a certified document with a stamp for legalization. This certifies the authenticity of the signatures and seal affixed to the document. A document issued by a state party to the Hague Convention must be legalized in order to serve the Bulgarian institutions.

A document issued by a country with which Bulgaria has a contract for legal assistance does not need an apostille. It is necessary for the document to be original, to be translated into Bulgarian and to certify the translation.

The affixing of an "apostille" on Bulgarian documents intended for abroad is carried out in one of the following ministries, depending on the type of document, namely:

For documents issued by the judiciary / criminal records, court decisions, notarized documents, etc./, the "apostille" is placed by the Ministry of Justice.

For educational documents intended for use abroad, the "apostille" is placed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Science.

For all other documents, the "apostille" is placed by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mandatory requisites of the apostille are:

· Name of the country issuing the apostille;

· Names of the persons who have signed the document, which is certified with the apostille;

· Position of the persons who signed the document;

· Name and seal of the institution that issued the document certified by the apostille;

· Name of the city in which the apostille is placed;

· Date of affixing the apostille;

· Name of the body that affixes the apostille;

· Apostille number;

· Seal of the institution that affixed the apostille.

· Signature of the official who affixed the apostille.