Consular legalization: when you need it and how it works

You need consular legalization when a document issued in Georgia has to be presented in a country that is not a member of the 1961 Hague Convention. Examples include the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon. For member countries an apostille is enough.

How it differs from an apostille

An apostille is one certification that works in every member country. Legalization is a chain of stages, and a legalized document can be used only in the country whose diplomatic or consular office certified it. For another country the procedure starts again. You can check your case with the route checker.

The stages for a Georgian document

1. Public Service Development Agency. At the first stage it confirms the signature, the signatory's authority and the seal, if there is one.
2. Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the second stage it checks the signature and seal on the legalization stamp. The Agency runs this stage on a single-window basis.
3. Diplomatic or consular office of the receiving country. It certifies the document, which can then be used in that country. For some countries the accredited embassy is in a third country.

Some countries also ask for a stamp from their local foreign ministry. Check this with the recipient in advance.

Which documents qualify

You submit the original or a duly certified copy, or a letter from an administrative body confirming a copy is genuine. Anyone with an interest can apply, at the Agency's territorial offices and Public Service Halls.

The lists match those for an apostille. Documents from medical and educational institutions, courts and administrative bodies can be legalized, as can notarial acts. A notarized translation, a notarial act certifying a copy, a private company document, an identity document and a driving licence cannot. See the detailed list on the apostille page and the Agency's website.

When to translate

A notarized translation cannot itself be legalized, so legalization is done on the document, not on its translation. Whether a translation is needed in the receiving country's language, and at what stage, depends on the embassy. Some want it at the end with all the stamps, and others have their own rule. Start by checking with the embassy, because a step taken at the wrong stage can send the chain back to the beginning.

Timing

The overall time depends on the embassy. Our part, the translation and notarization, takes 1 working day, or 1-2 hours with express for orders received during working hours. Express cannot shorten state agency or embassy timelines.

A foreign document for use in Georgia

If a document was issued in a country outside the Convention, it is legalized there: first the competent local authority, usually the foreign ministry, then the Georgian embassy or consulate. This cannot be done from Georgia.

Georgian embassies normally ask for the original, and a translation alone is a reason for refusal. The application often starts on the consular portal. For example, the Embassy of Georgia in the UAE gives up to 10 working days for legalization, counted from when it receives the originals and copies. Requirements vary, so check the page of the relevant embassy. Once the document reaches Georgia, we translate it into Georgian and have it notarized.

How we help

Upload the document, or message us on WhatsApp or Viber at +995 500 09 11 68. Tell us the country and the recipient. We tell you which route applies and carry out the translation and notarization.

Frequently asked questions