In order to live in Poland, study, build a career and run a business, you need appropriate documents. In order for them to be legally valid in another country, they need to be legalized. The easiest way to preserve your rights and status when moving is apostilization. Let's find out what it is and how to do it in this article.What is an apostille and what does it look like?
Apostille is a stamp that confirms the authenticity of the signature and the document, its legality and possibility of use in Poland.
It takes the form of a rectangular seal containing such information:
- the country where the apostille was obtained;
- position and full name of the person who certified it;
- name of the organization;
- contact information of the institution;
- date, serial number and signature of the authorized person who legalized the document.
Apostille in Poland is usually filled in Polish, but in the header it is standardly written in French “Apostille”.
What documents do you put an apostille on?
Not all business documents need apostilization. Apostille is required for:
- birth, marriage or divorce certificates;
- certificates and diplomas;
- certificates of academic leave;
- certificates of absence of criminal record;
- judicial acts and judgments;
- notarial acts;
- powers of attorney (general, for the sale of real estate);
- certificates and statements issued by executive authorities.
For employment in Poland it is necessary to certify:
- diploma;
- diploma supplement;
- a certificate of internship and/or qualification exam.
No apostille is required for documents issued solely for internal use or which have no international value.
Stages of obtaining
An apostille is affixed by the authority that issued the original document. For example, a diploma is certified by the Ministry of Education.
How to get an apostille in Poland:
- Prepare original or notarized copies.
- Pay the state duty.
- Send a request to the office.
- Wait for readiness.
If there is no need for additional verification, it can be received on the day of the request. Otherwise, it may take up to 15 days.
Term of validity of an apostille
The Hague Convention regulates legalization issues. It does not specify a clear term of validity of an apostille. It is generally accepted that it is valid for as long as the document itself.
It is worth considering the requirements for some business papers:
|
Validity of a certificate of no criminal record |
From 1 to 3 months |
|
Bank statement |
Up to 6 months |
|
Birth, marriage, divorce certificate |
3-6 months before the submission deadline (duplicates must be obtained) |
The organization that accepts business documents has the right to impose validity requirements only for the acts themselves, but not for the apostille.
If you need to go through the apostilization procedure, contact APD specialists. You will receive comprehensive legal support and assistance at every stage of document processing.