A step-by-step guide for entrepreneurs and everything that has changed since 2019
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You need to use a Latvian document abroad. Do you know whether an apostille is required or whether a notarized copy is sufficient?
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Where to go for an apostille in 2025 – and why has the answer changed compared to what you may have heard before?
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What should you do if the country you are sending documents to is not a party to the Hague Convention?
A Latvian company entered into a contract with a partner in the UAE. The partner requested an extract from the Register of Enterprises with an apostille and an English translation. The company received the extract, but didn’t know where to go for an apostille. Three days were wasted trying to figure it out. The deal almost fell through due to the document’s expiration date.
This can be avoided if you know the procedure in advance.
What is an apostille and why is it needed?
An apostille is a special stamp (mark) that certifies the authenticity of a signature and seal on an official document. It allows a document issued in one country to be used in another without additional consular legalization.
An apostille is valid only between countries that have signed the 1961 Hague Convention “Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.” Currently, this includes over 120 countries, including all EU countries, the US, the UK, the UAE, China (with reservations), and most post-Soviet states.
Who issues apostilles in Latvia? An important change since 2019.
Until July 1, 2019, apostilles in Latvia were issued only by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This meant that all residents of the country had to travel to Riga.
Since July 1, 2019, sworn notaries across Latvia, in more than 30 cities, have been issuing apostilles on Latvian public documents. Apostilles are issued exclusively electronically. The processing time is typically one business day if the document’s issuing signature is included in the signature specimen database.
What documents can be apostilled?
An apostille is only issued on public documents—that is, documents issued or certified by government agencies. These include: birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates; extracts from the Register of Enterprises; court decisions and arbitration awards certified by a notary or court; notarized documents; and educational documents issued by state educational institutions.
Important: An apostille cannot be placed on a document issued by a private individual or organization. If you need to certify a contract between two companies, a notary first certifies the signatures, then an apostille is placed on the notarized document.
Step-by-step instructions
Step one: determine whether an apostille is required. Find out the host country’s requirements—whether an apostille is required or a notarized copy is sufficient. You can find out from the host organization or the embassy of the destination country.
Step two: Obtain the original document. An apostille requires the original document or a notarized copy.
Step three: Contact a sworn notary. Bring the original document and proof of identity. The notary will check the signature against the database and issue an apostille. The fee is based on the notary’s fee, usually a few dozen euros.
Step four: Translation. If a document needs to be translated, it is performed by a translator and typically requires notarization of the translator’s signature. In most countries, unofficial translations are not accepted.
Step five: Check the expiration date. Many documents have an expiration date. An extract from the Register of Enterprises is generally accepted no older than three or six months. Check this in advance.
If the country is not a party to the Hague Convention
In this case, an apostille is not valid. Full consular legalization is required: notarization of the document, then certification by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then certification by the consulate of the destination country. The procedure takes significantly longer—allow at least two to three weeks.
Apostille on an arbitration court decision
If you need to enforce a Riga Arbitration Court decision abroad and the country requires an apostille on court documents, first contact a notary to have a copy of the decision notarized, then contact the same notary to have the apostille affixed.
Checklist
Check the host country’s requirements to see if an apostille is required.
Obtain a current original document
Contact a sworn notary in any city in Latvia
Order a translation with a notarized signature of the translator
Check the validity of the document of the receiving party’s requirement
For non-parties to the Hague Convention - Ministry of Foreign Affairs + consulate
An apostille isn’t difficult. The difficult part is not knowing you need one when your documents are already expired.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.