An
apostille is the equivalent of an international notarial seal. Any document which bears an apostille is legally valid for use in all countries party to the Hague Convention of 1961 on the legalization of documents. This includes both the United States and Russia.
To obtain an apostille on documents notarized in the United States (including civil records), you must apply to the Secretary of State in the state in which the document was notarized. The Secretary of State's office will verify the notary public's or other
notarizing official's signature by placing an apostille on the document.
To obtain an apostille on
Russian civil documents, go to the ZAGS office at 10 Griboyedova St. (near metro Chistiye Prudy) in
Moscow or local ZAGS offices in other cities. To obtain an apostille on Russian educational documents, go to the Ministry of Education (33 Shabolovka St., Rm. 114, 1st floor, tel. 236-5067). To obtain an apostille on documents notarized by Russian notaries bring them to the office of the local representative of the Ministry of Justice, Legal Consulting Office (15 New Arbat, 21st floor, tel. 291-5385 or 3rd Staromonyetniy Pereulok, building 2, 3rd floor). Certain Russian notaries public offer to notarize a document as well as obtain an apostille stamp on it from the Ministry of Justice.
The U.S. Embassy in
Moscow cannot place an apostille on documents issued or notarized in the United States. Various Russian officials sometimes erroneously advise people to go to the American Embassy to get an official Embassy "stamp" on documents for use in Russia. The Embassy is not empowered under U.S., Russian, or international law to perform this function. Therefore, the Embassy cannot legally accommodate such requests. To legalize U.S. documents for use in Russia, you should follow the instructions given above for obtaining an apostille. Russian documents which must be notarized for use in Russia should be executed before Russian notaries public.
Please see the
Department of State's webpage on Judicial Assistance for further information on apostilles, document legalization, and the international treaties governing vital records.
Please see the Department of State's webpage on Judicial Assistance for further information on apostilles, document legalization, and the international treaties governing vital records.