1. If a document is intended for use in a foreign country which has joined the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Documents , it must be authenticated with an apostille by sworn notaries of Latvia (www.latvijasnotars.lv, e-mail address: info@latvijasnotars.lv). A document bearing an apostille is valid for submission in the institutions of the relevant country without any other certification.
2. If a document is intended for use in a foreign country which has not joined the Hague Convention of Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Documents, it must be first authenticated by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia or the diplomatic/consular mission of Latvia in the relevant country and then legalised by the competent institutions of the relevant country (its Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the diplomatic/consular mission).
3. If a document is intended for use in Belgium, Denmark, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Ireland, or Italy, according to the Convention Abolishing the Legalization of Documents Between the Member States of the European Communities, neither legalisation nor authentication with an apostille is needed.
4. If a document is intended for use in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (except overseas territories), approval such as legalisation or apostille is not necessary for submission in authorities of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
It is possible to authenticate both an original document and its notarised copy or translation. Therefore, please check in advance whether an original document or a copy should be submitted to the respective institution of the foreign country and whether the translation of the document is needed.
It is possible to authenticate only a birth, marriage or death certificate of the new model. If you have only a document issued at the Civil Registry Office of the Latvian SSR, apply to the Civil Registry Department of the Ministry of Justice to obtain a document of the new model.