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The Hague Apostille Convention (1961) is the international treaty that established the apostille system for document authentication between member countries.
In depth
The Hague Apostille Convention (formally the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents) is the international treaty that established the apostille system. It abolished the requirement of diplomatic or consular legalization for public documents originating in one member country and destined for use in another.
As of 2025, 126 countries are parties to the Convention, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, all EU member states, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Latin America. Notable non-parties include China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and several Middle Eastern and African countries.
For CBD cases, the Convention means that documents issued in one member country can be used in another member country with just an apostille — no need for the multi-step legalization process required for non-member countries.
Related terms
An apostille is a certification that authenticates the origin of a public document for use in another country that is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.
Legalization is the multi-step process of authenticating a document for use in a country that is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.
A sworn translator is a translator who has been officially authorized by a court or government to produce certified translations accepted by legal authorities.
A certified translation is a translation that has been certified by a sworn translator as accurate and complete, accepted by legal authorities for CBD applications.
A traduction assermentée is the French term for a sworn/certified translation, produced by a translator approved by the French Court of Cassation.
Notarization is the act of a notary public certifying a document or witnessing a signature, often required before apostille in CBD cases.