Legalisation of documents

students by a gazebo

Before a public document (like a diploma/certificate) can be used in a country other than the one where it was issued, the origin of the document must be authenticated. Certification of document authenticity (legalisation) means verification of signature and seal of a document. It should be remembered that certification of document authenticity is not a notarised act. 

Foreign public documents intended for use in Latvia

For the authorities of the Republic of Latvia to accept public documents issued in foreign countries, those documents should be legalised at the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Latvia in the respective country, or their authenticity should be certified with an Apostille in a competent institution of the foreign country, unless other procedures are in place between Latvia and the respective country.

1. If a document is issued in a foreign country which has joined the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Documents of 5 October 1961, its authenticity must be certified with an Apostille by the competent institution of the relevant country, and the document is valid for submission to Latvia’s institutions without any other certification.

2. If a document is issued in a foreign country which has not joined the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Documents of 5 October 1961, it must be legalised by diplomatic mission/consular/embassy of Latvia in the relevant country or by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, after their authentications by the competent institutions of the relevant country (the foreign ministry or a diplomatic/consular mission of the relevant country).

3. If a document is issued in the member states of the European Economic Zone and the Swiss Confederation, it does not required any additional authentications (legalisation or Apostille) for their use in Latvia.

USEFUL LINKS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia:https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en

List of Latvia's Embassies around the world: https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/latvias-embassies-and-consulates

Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents:
http://www.hcch.net/