en 
The Hague Apostille: What It Is, When You Need It, and How to Get It Fast
Have you ever been asked for “an apostilled document” and your first thought was “apostilled… meaning what, exactly?” You’re not alone. The apostille is the step many clients hear about for the very first time right when they’re facing a deadline at an institution abroad — and missing it can block a job application file, a university enrolment or a residency procedure.
In our previous article we clarified the difference between certified and notarized translations. Today, as promised, we go one step further and explain in plain language what the Hague Apostille is, when you need it, and how to obtain it without losing entire days queuing at counters.
What is the Hague Apostille?
The apostille is an official certification, in the form of a stamp or a certificate attached to a document, which confirms its authenticity so that it can be recognized in another country. It was introduced by the Hague Convention of 1961, to which Romania and more than 120 other states are parties.
In practice, the apostille tells the authorities abroad: “this document was issued by a genuine authority in Romania, and the signature and stamp on it are authentic.” Without an apostille, a Romanian birth certificate, diploma or power of attorney generally has no official value in another country that is a signatory to the Convention.
Important: the apostille does not certify the content of the document — it certifies the authenticity of the signature, the capacity of the signatory and the stamp on the document.
When do you need an apostille?
You need an apostille when a document issued in Romania is to be used in a state that is a signatory to the Hague Convention (or the other way around: a foreign apostilled document to be used in Romania). The most common situations:
- Employment abroad — diplomas, certificates, criminal record certificates
- Studying abroad — baccalaureate and university diplomas, academic transcripts
- Marriage or civil status matters in another country — birth certificates, certificates of no impediment
- Residency, citizenship, visas — criminal records, civil status certificates
- International business — powers of attorney, articles of incorporation, company certificates
- Vehicle registration or cross-border legal procedures
If the destination country is not a signatory to the Hague Convention, an apostille is not enough — superlegalization is required, a more complex procedure involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy of the respective country. The good news: we handle that as well.
Where do you get an apostille? It depends on the type of document
This is where most of the confusion arises, because there is no single counter for apostilles. The competent authority differs depending on the nature of the document:
| Type of document | Who applies the apostille |
|---|---|
| Administrative documents (birth and marriage certificates, criminal records, original diplomas) | The Prefect’s Institution (Prefecture) |
| Notarial deeds and notarized translations (powers of attorney, declarations, certified copies) | The Chamber of Public Notaries |
| Court judgments and documents issued by courts | The Tribunal |
| Documents for non-signatory states (superlegalization) | Ministry of Justice / Ministry of Foreign Affairs + embassies |
The essential point: if you need an apostilled translation, the order of the steps matters. As a rule, the complete chain looks like this:
1. Apostille on the original document (at the Prefecture, for example) → 2. Certified translation of the document together with its apostille → 3. Notarization of the translation → 4. Apostille on the notarized translation (at the Chamber of Notaries).
Yes, sometimes two apostilles are required — one on the original and one on the translation. Requirements vary from country to country and from institution to institution, which is why it’s worth checking exactly what is being requested before setting off.
Common apostille mistakes
- Apostilling the translation but not the original (or the other way around) — the institution abroad rejects your file.
- Doing the steps in the wrong order — translating before apostilling the original, so the apostille doesn’t appear in the translation. You have to redo everything.
- Going to the wrong institution — the Prefecture does not apostille notarial deeds, and the Chamber of Notaries does not apostille original birth certificates.
- Not checking whether the destination country is a Hague Convention signatory — and finding out too late that what you actually needed was superlegalization.
- Leaving the procedure to the last minute — each institution has its own schedule and processing times, and waiting times grow during busy periods.
How Viatrad Agency can help
At Viatrad Agency, a certified technical translation agency based in Bacău, we manage the entire chain — from translation to apostille — so you don’t have to run between the translator, the notary, the Prefecture and the Tribunal:
- Apostille and superlegalization for any document or translation, from any of the competent authorities in the country (Chamber of Notaries, Prefecture, Ministry of Justice, Tribunal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the embassies in Bucharest
- Certified and notarized translations in over 55 languages, carried out by translators authorized by the Romanian Ministry of Justice
- Free consultation: tell us which country and which institution the document is going to, and we’ll tell you exactly which steps are needed — not one more, not one less
- Available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, ISO-certified services and over 10 years of experience
- Full confidentiality and electronic archiving of translated documents for 10 years
Do you have a document that needs to go abroad? Send us the document and its destination, and we’ll tell you free of charge which certifications are required and the exact cost. Write to us at office@viatrad.ro or call 0743 608 602 / 0758 623 155.
