Apostille or a sworn translation is an international certificate, comparable to notarisation in domestic law, suitable for presentation on the territory of countries that recognise this form of legalisation. Apostille stamp is placed on originals and copies of documents.
The notarised translation of documents (legalisation) of a company includes a number of specific formal procedures for making a document valid in another country. The fundamental rule of legalisation is that it shall only be performed by a sworn translator in an issuing or executing country.
The legalization of documents issued in one country is aimed at making them valid and appropriate for state bodies of another country.
A document issued in a foreign country without an apostille is invalid and the notary does not certify the translation of such documents.
Since 1 January 2010 all notaries whose names and data are at the following address: https://www.notar.ee/en/notaries/list.
A public document used in a State with which Estonia has concluded a legal assistance treaty does not need to be authenticated by an apostille.
A public document should be legalized if you wish to make use of it in a State not bound by the Convention on the Abolition of the Requirements for the Legalization of Foreign Official Documents, and in a State with which Estonia has not concluded a treaty on legal assistance.
Public documents issued in:
- Belgium
- Ireland
- Italy
- France
- Denmark
- Russia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Ukraine
- Poland
are accepted in Estonia without an apostille and must be notarized/certified only.
Documents, issued by countries that are not listed above and who are members of the Hague convention 5 October 1961 (CONVENTION ABOLISHING THE REQUIREMENT OF LEGALISATION FOR FOREIGN PUBLIC DOCUMENTS), must be apostilled to use them in Estonia. Other countries must go through the process of legalisation.
The package of documents consisting of whether non-apostilled/apostilled documents with sworn translations in English will allow you to apply for opening an account with a foreign bank for your Estonian company or carry out transactions on behalf of the Estonian company in other countries.
LKS Consult OÜ will help you with the sworn translations you may need. Additionally, we provide accounting services in Estonia. Please send your enquiry.