ADIS-9

General notes about the legalization of documents from and to foreign countries:

On the 30th of April 2001 for the Republic of Bulgaria the Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents drew up in Hague on 5 October 1961 came into force.

Notes about the convention application:

1. According to the Convention there is a unified manner to legalize a special category of documents (public acts) intended to be used abroad – through affixing or attaching to the public act a special certification “apostille” The “apostille” represents legalization of the document by the competent authority in the country where it has been issued. The documents certified with “apostille” are free of any following forms of certification and legalization by other local authorities in the country of issue as well as by the diplomatic or consular representation of the country party to the Convention on which territory they have to be presented.  

2. In case the documents have not been or can not be certified with an “apostille” they have to be certified according to the prevailing procedure – by the Ministry of foreign affairs of the issuing country and then legalized by the Bulgarian diplomatic of consular representation in that country or accredited for it. 

3. The documents possessing the “apostille” are recognized and effective in each one of the States parties to the Convention. They do not need legalization by the diplomatic of consular representation of the State in which the document will be presented. 

4. If there is a bilateral treaty for legal assistance between Bulgaria and another country party to the Convention, abolishing the legalization of the documents, the regime of the bilateral treaty will be applied according to the types of documents mentioned in it.  

5. For documents issued by or intended to be used in countries that are not parties to the Convention the prevailing procedure will apply:

- Foreign documents have to be certified by the Ministry of foreign affairs of the issuing country and then legalized by the Bulgarian diplomatic of consular representation in that country or accredited for it.

- Bulgarian documents have to be certified with an “apostille” by the authorized institution or by some other form of certification (legalization) by the Ministry of foreign affairs and then legalized by the diplomatic of consular representation of the country in which they have to be presented.  

6. Important! To be certified by the Ministry of foreign affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria concerning the translator’s signature the translations of Bulgarian and foreign documents shall be made only by Bulgarian translation companies having signed a contract with the Ministry of foreign affaires. The translations shall be presented according to the respective requirements mentioned in these contracts.