Apostille and sworn translation: in what order, where and at what cost

In short

• An apostille certifies that a public document is authentic (signature, capacity of the signatory, stamp). A sworn translation renders its content in another language. They are two different things, and you often need both.
• For a foreign document to be used in Italy, the order is: first the apostille on the original, in the country that issued the document, then the translation, which also translates the apostille.
• The apostille only works between countries that are party to the 1961 Hague Convention. For the others you need consular legalisation, which takes longer.
• Many civil status documents exchanged between European Union countries do not need an apostille, thanks to EU Regulation 2016/1191.
• For an Italian document to be used abroad, the apostille is affixed by the Prefettura (the State's local government office) or the Procura della Repubblica (the public prosecutor's office), depending on the type of document.

Apostille and sworn translation are the two terms that come up in almost every procedure involving a foreign document: citizenship, marriage, university enrolment, driving licence conversion, residence permit. The problem is that almost everyone discovers the apostille after having the document translated, and by then the translation has to be redone. This guide is here to avoid exactly that: to work out whether you need an apostille, who issues it, in what order to proceed and what each step costs.

What an apostille is, and what it is not

An apostille is a stamp or an attached sheet, following a standard model, that an authority designated by the State affixes to a public document. It was introduced by the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 "Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents", which Italy ratified with Law no. 1253 of 20 December 1966; for Italy, the Convention has been in force since 11 February 1978.

The apostille certifies three things: the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the signatory acted and, where there is one, the identity of the stamp. It says nothing about the content of the document and does not translate it. That is why:

• the apostille does not replace the translation: an apostilled Brazilian birth certificate is still a document in Portuguese, and an Italian office will still ask you for the translation;
• the translation does not replace the apostille: a perfect translation of a document without an apostille does not make the document authentic.

Before the Convention, every foreign document had to go through a chain of legalisations: the ministry of the issuing country, then the Italian consulate. For member countries, the apostille replaces this chain with a single step, carried out in the country that issued the document.

Apostille, consular legalisation or nothing: how to tell what you need

The starting rule is set out in Art. 33 of DPR 445/2000: signatures on documents drawn up by foreign authorities and to be used in Italy "are legalised by the Italian diplomatic or consular missions abroad". The same article, in paragraph 5, preserves "the exemptions from the obligation of legalisation and translation established by laws or international agreements". In practice, there are three situations.

1. The country is party to the Hague Convention: you need an apostille

This is the most common case. Besides almost all of Europe, members include the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, India, Russia, Ukraine, Morocco (since 2016), Tunisia (since 2018), China (since 7 November 2023) and Canada (since 11 January 2024). The list changes every year: always check the up-to-date status table of the Hague Conference before you start. In rare cases a State has objected to another State's accession: between those two countries the apostille is not valid, and legalisation applies again.

The apostille is requested from the authority designated by the country that issued the document: often the ministry of foreign affairs, sometimes the ministry of justice, a court or a notary. Italy cannot affix it to a foreign document, and neither can the Italian consulate.

2. The country is not a party: you need consular legalisation

If the issuing country has not joined the Convention, the document must be legalised: usually first by the local ministry of foreign affairs, then by the competent Italian embassy or consulate, by appointment and on presentation of the original. It is the longest and most expensive procedure, and processing times depend entirely on the consulate. Instructions are published on the website of each Italian mission and on the Farnesina (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) page on translation and legalisation of documents.

3. Exemption: you need neither

This is where the good news lies, and many people are unaware of it:

• EU Regulation 2016/1191. Since 16 February 2019, public documents issued by an EU country to prove birth, being alive, death, name, marriage, divorce, registered partnership, parenthood, adoption, residence, citizenship and absence of a criminal record are exempt from legalisation and apostille when they are submitted to the authorities of another EU country (text of the Regulation). For many of these documents there is also a multilingual standard form that can be attached and may make the translation unnecessary.
• Brussels Convention of 25 May 1987, ratified by Italy with Law 106/1990 and in force since 10 January 1991: it abolishes legalisation between the States that apply it, including France, Belgium, Denmark and Ireland (Prefettura fact sheet). It also covers documents that the EU Regulation does not, such as academic qualifications or notarial deeds.
• Vienna Convention of 8 September 1976 on multilingual extracts from civil status records, ratified by Italy with Law 870/1978: extracts of birth, marriage and death records issued on the multilingual form by member countries are exempt from legalisation and, as a rule, do not need translating, because the form shows the headings in several languages.
• Bilateral agreements between Italy and individual countries, which exempt certain categories of documents. There are many of them, with exceptions: if you think you are covered, ask the office that will receive the document for confirmation.

Be careful: an exemption from the apostille is not an exemption from translation. A French criminal record certificate does not need an apostille in Italy, but if it is in French and has no multilingual form, the office will still ask you for an Italian translation.

Foreign document to be used in Italy: apostille first, then translation

This is where the most money is lost. The correct order is:

• 1. Obtain the document in the issuing country, in the required form (often a "full copy", with all annotations, and recently issued).
• 2. Have the apostille (or legalisation) affixed to the original, again in the issuing country.
• 3. Have the document translated together with the apostille: the apostille is written in the language of the issuing country, and the Italian office wants to understand that too.
• 4. Submit in Italy the apostilled original together with the translation.

If you swap steps 2 and 3, the translation does not cover the apostille and has to be redone. We also point this out in our FAQ: if your document requires an apostille, obtain it before ordering the translation and upload it together with the document.

What translation does the Italian office accept?

Again, Art. 33 of DPR 445/2000, in paragraph 3, provides that documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by "a translation into Italian certified as conforming to the foreign text by the competent diplomatic or consular mission, or by an official translator". EU Regulation 2016/1191, in Art. 6, adds that a certified translation made by a person qualified under the law of a Member State is accepted in all Member States, for documents covered by the Regulation.

There are therefore several routes: a translation certified by the Italian consulate in the issuing country, a translation by a sworn translator, or an asseverazione (sworn declaration) before an Italian court. Which one your office accepts depends on the office and on the procedure. The differences between these forms are explained in the guide on sworn, asseverated, certified and legalised translation; you can find out when a PDF translation is enough in sworn translation in PDF: when it is enough.

Does the translator's signature need an apostille?

Usually not: the Italian office asks for the apostille on the original document, not on the translation. It can happen, however, that a body asks for the translator's signature to be legalised or apostilled as well, or for the translation to be certified as conforming to the original rather than to a scan. These are less frequent requests, handled case by case: if the body has already told you so, write to us from the contact page before ordering and we will tell you whether and how we can do it, with a quote.

Italian document to be used abroad: Prefettura or Procura

In the opposite direction, Italy affixes the apostille. There are two competent authorities, and going to the wrong counter costs you an appointment:

• Prefettura: administrative documents issued by municipalities and public bodies. For example, birth, marriage and death certificates and extracts, certificates of residence and of family status, citizenship certificates, many academic qualifications.
• Procura della Repubblica at the court: judicial and notarial documents. For example, judgments (divorce, adoption), powers of attorney and other notarial deeds, certified copies, and translations asseverated in court, which bear the signature of the court clerk who received the oath.

Both normally work by appointment. The Procura of Turin, for example, states that apostilles and legalisations are submitted "by appointment only", "do not require payment of fees" and documents "are collected on the same day set for the appointment" (Procura of Turin page). Procedures vary from office to office: check the website of the Prefettura or Procura in your province.

And what about the translation in this case?

For an Italian document to be used abroad, the translation rule is set by the destination country, not by Italy. Some countries have their own system of sworn translators and may require the translation to be done by a translator qualified in their territory; others accept a sworn translation made elsewhere, possibly apostilled in turn. Before ordering, ask the foreign body which form it accepts. For most civil status documents intended for another EU country, remember the multilingual form under Regulation 2016/1191: if your Comune (municipality) issues it with the certificate, you may need neither an apostille nor a translation.

How much it costs and how long it takes

Costs add up step by step, and it is worth estimating them all before you start.

Apostille on a foreign document

Costs and timing are set by the issuing country: in some countries the apostille is free and immediate, in others it is charged and takes days or weeks, sometimes with an appointment to book well in advance. The right information is on the website of that country's designated authority, which you can find in the Hague Conference table. Many countries also issue an electronic apostille (e-Apostille), which can be verified online: before choosing it, ask the Italian office whether it accepts it.

Consular legalisation

On top of the time taken by the local ministry comes the time taken by the Italian consulate, which depends on the mission's schedule. Any consular fees are published by the competent mission.

Apostille on an Italian document

Prefetture require a 16-euro revenue stamp (marca da bollo) for each apostille or legalisation, regardless of the number of pages; if the original document was issued exempt from stamp duty, with reference to the relevant rule, the apostille is exempt too. At the Procura the service involves no fees; for the stamp duty, follow the instructions of the office.

Translation

With Giuradoc, a sworn translation costs 30 € per page, with the same price for every document: for example the birth certificate, the criminal record certificate or the university degree. The apostille on the document is translated together with the document. For a full comparison of costs on the market, read how much a sworn translation costs.

The most common cases, document by document

Civil status records (birth, marriage, death)

These are the documents most often requested for citizenship, marriage, registration and family reunification. If they come from an EU country, first check the exemption under Regulation 2016/1191 and whether a multilingual form or multilingual extract exists. If they come from outside the EU, you need an apostille or legalisation and then the translation: sworn translation of a birth certificate, of a marriage certificate, of a death certificate.

Criminal record certificate (casellario giudiziale)

Required for citizenship, for many work visas and for some professional registrations. It is usually valid for a short time (often six months for citizenship applications), so the sequence of certificate, apostille and translation has to be completed quickly. All the steps for citizenship are in the guide to documents for Italian citizenship.

Academic qualifications

Foreign diplomas and transcripts, for university enrolment or professional recognition, must normally be apostilled or legalised on the original before translation. Universities and CIMEA (the Italian centre for the recognition of qualifications) specify case by case what they require: read your university's instructions before ordering the translation of your transcript.

Judgments and notarial deeds

A foreign divorce judgment to be registered with the Comune, or a power of attorney signed abroad to sell a property in Italy, follow the same rule: apostille in the issuing country, then translation. For a power of attorney, the apostille is affixed to the foreign notary's signature. Pages: judgment or court document and power of attorney or notarial deed.

Documents for a residence permit

For family-related permits, the Questura (police immigration office) and the Sportello unico (single immigration desk) often ask for apostilled and translated civil status records. The list by type of permit is in the guide to documents to translate for a residence permit.

The mistakes that cost time and money

• Translating before the apostille. The translation does not cover the apostille and has to be redone. It is by far the most common mistake.
• Requesting the apostille in the wrong country. Only the country that issued the document can issue the apostille. A Moroccan certificate is apostilled in Morocco, not in Italy and not at the Italian consulate.
• Apostilling a photocopy. The apostille goes on the original or on a certified copy issued by the competent authority, according to the country's rules.
• Apostilling a document that does not need it. Between EU countries, for many civil status documents, it is a waste of time and money: check Regulation 2016/1191 first.
• Using a document that is too old. Many offices want recent certificates. If months go by between issue and submission because of the apostille, the document may expire: plan your timing backwards from the date of your appointment.
• Leaving the apostille out of the scan. If you upload only the first page of the document and not the apostille sheet, the translation will be incomplete. Scan everything, including the back.
• Going to the wrong counter in Italy. Comune document: Prefettura. Judgment or notarial deed: Procura. If in doubt, phone first.
• Assuming the body accepts any form. Every office has its own practices: ask in writing which translation and which authentication it wants.

Where Giuradoc fits into this process

Giuradoc takes care of the translation step, and does it simply:

• you upload a scan or a legible photo of the document already apostilled, apostille included;
• a translator sworn before the competent courts of appeal translates the document and the apostille, signs and stamps the translation and certifies that it is faithful to the document received;
• you receive the PDF by email within 24-48 working hours;
• if the office also wants the translation on paper, add the paper copy by post (€15).

Two services are quote-based, because they depend on the document and the country: the translation certified against the original (you send us the original document and conformity is certified on it) and the apostille or legalisation. You will find them under additional services; to work out which solution you need, see the page which translation to choose.

One clarification: the standard translation is not an asseverazione before an Italian court. If your office has expressly asked you for that form, check with them: we can arrange it on quotation, so write to us before ordering. The combinations offered are Italian from and into English, Spanish, French, German, Romanian and Arabic, as well as between these six languages; for another language, write to us for a quote. For all the documents we translate, see the page our services or the most requested documents.

Frequently asked questions

Apostille first or translation first?

For a foreign document to be used in Italy, the apostille on the original in the issuing country comes first, then the translation, which also translates the apostille. For an Italian document to be used abroad, it depends on what the destination country requires: if it wants a translation asseverated in Italy, the apostille comes afterwards, on the asseverazione record; if it accepts the apostilled Italian document with a translation made locally, the apostille goes on the Italian document before it is translated.

Does an apostille expire?

The apostille itself has no expiry date. However, the document it is affixed to may expire for the purposes of your application: many offices only accept certificates issued in the last few months. In that case you need a new certificate, with a new apostille and a new translation.

Do documents from a European Union country need an apostille?

For many civil status, residence, citizenship and criminal record documents, no: EU Regulation 2016/1191 exempts them from legalisation and apostille between Member States. For other documents, such as academic qualifications or notarial deeds, the 1987 Brussels Convention may apply between the countries that apply it. In the remaining cases, the apostille is still required.

Can the Italian consulate put an apostille on a foreign document?

No. The apostille is issued only by the authority designated by the country that issued the document. The Italian consulate steps in with legalisation when the country is not party to the Hague Convention, and it can certify that a translation conforms.

Can Giuradoc also take care of the apostille?

Yes, on quotation, because timing and costs vary greatly from one country to another and from one document to another. Write to us from the contact page, stating the document, the country that issued it and the office it is intended for.

Is a PDF translation acceptable with an apostille too?

For most procedures, yes: the office receives the apostilled original and the translation. Some bodies ask for a paper copy or a translation certified against the original: in that case, add the paper copy or ask us for a quote. The topic is covered in detail in sworn translation in PDF: when it is enough and when you need the original.

Sources: Legge 20 dicembre 1966, n. 1253 (ratification of the 1961 Hague Convention); Hague Conference, Contracting Parties to the Apostille Convention; DPR 445/2000, art. 33; Regulation (EU) 2016/1191; Prefettura, 1987 Brussels Convention; Prefettura, 1976 Vienna Convention; Procura della Repubblica di Torino, apostilles and legalisations; Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, translation and legalisation of documents.