The Convention, abolishing the requirement of consular legalization for foreign public documents came into force for Ukraine on December 22, 2003.

The present Convention shall apply to public documents which have been executed in the territory of one contracting State and which have to be produced in the territory of another contracting State. Special certification called “Apostille” (hereinafter - apostille) is affixed to these documents.

Documents completed with an apostille certification must be submitted directly to a member nation to the Convention without any further action or certification (consular legalization).

The present Convention shall not apply to:

a) documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents;

b) administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations.

According to the Instruction of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of 18/01/2003 # 61 “On Authorization for Apostille certification for public documents” an apostille for the documents issued in Ukraine is placed by:

• the Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sport of Ukraine – for public documents issued by the educational institutions, state bodies, enterprises, offices and organizations in the field of education and science.
• the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine – for documents issued by the judicial bodies and courts and also for the documents issued by the public notaries in Ukraine.
• the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine – for all other types of documents.

Аpostille is placed to:

• documents issued by a state court of Ukraine;
• for the documents issued by the prosecutors’ offices, judicial bodies of Ukraine;
• administrative documents;
• for the documents on education and academic status;
• documents executed before a notary public;
• official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private capacity, such as official certificates recording the registration of a document or the fact that it was in existence on a certain date and official and notarial authentications of signatures.

The updated information on the list of Member-states to the Convention is placed at the web-site of the Hague Conference on International Private Law http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=conventions.status&cid=41#nonmem

Consular fees for apostille certification shall be paid directly in the bank office located in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, upon documents subjects to legalization have been handed in:

• 51 UAHfor documents of private persons;
• 85 UAH for documents of legal entities.

Please apply for the information on apostille certification to:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:

Postal address:2, Velyka Zhytomyrska str., Kyiv, 01018

E-mail: [email protected],

Phone/fax:+38(044) 238-16-69

Web: www.mfa.gov.ua

INSTRUCTION FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF DOCUMENTS BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF UKRAINE

1. The Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine pursuant to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), the Consular Statute of Ukraine, approved by Decree of the President of Ukraine 127/94, conducts legalization of documents issued by official bodies of Ukraine directed for circulation abroad.

2. The Department of Consular Service legalizes the following documents:

• original public documents of new Ukrainian sample, issued by authorities registering acts of civil state, certified by regional Department of the Ministry of Justice in the region (oblast') of their issuance; Department of Justice in the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea; Municipal Departments of Justice in Kyiv and Sevastopol; Central and Livoberezhnyi Authorities registering acts of civil state.
• original documents of education (diplomas, certificates of degree etc.) of international sample shall be legalized if the application letter of the Higher Educational Institution issuing such document is provided. This letter should be certified by the Ministry supervising such Institution.
• copies, translations and other documents, certified or issued by State notaries. These documents should be certified by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

Upon legalization by the Department of Consular Service, public documents should be certified by diplomatic mission or consular post of the State wherein they will be used.

3. Publicdocuments, executed in a foreign State,could be legalized by the Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine after being certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State (or other body authorized to certify the documents designated for use abroad) from which they emanate and by a Consular Post of such State, representing this State in Ukraine.

4. Documents belonging to natural persons (citizens) shall be accepted for legalization only if a passport or any other document identifying person is provided; as far as the legalization of documents certifying marital status is concerned, a national passport is required. When handing in documents for legalization belonging to or written out for another person, an applicant should present notaries letter of attorney issued by the owner of these documents. A letter of attorney, issued by competent bodies of foreign State should be certified in Ukrainian Consulate in this State.

5. Documents of legal entities shall be accepted if the application letter on a letterhead with a requisite and a seal of the enterprise is provided. Such application letter must contain: a list of documents, purpose for legalization of documents, information about a person authorized to hand in documents. Where necessary the Department of Consular Service may require other (additional) documents to ascertain the facts indicated in documents subject to legalization.

6. All citizens handing in their documents for consular legalization shall fill in an application form.

7. Consular fees for legalization shall be paid directly in the bank office located in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, upon documents subjects to legalization have been handed in:

51 UAHfor documents of private persons;

170 UAHfor documents of legal entities.

8. Inthe case of legalization on urgent procedure the double consular fee is to be paid.

9. The Division ofobtaining documents and documents authenticationof the Department of Consular Service is open during all working days:

reception hours–9.00-12.00;

obtaining documents hours–16.00-17.00 (Friday–16.00-16.30);

Address of Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 2, Velyka Zhytomyrska St., Kyiv, 01018;

Telephone number for other inquiries: +38 (044) 238-16-69;

Fax: +38 (044) 238-16-69

10. The rules of consular legalization in foreign Consular Posts based in Ukraine may be obtained only in these Consular Posts.