MFA Explains Apostille Procedure for Ukrainians Abroad: Key Guidelines

The Consular Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has issued detailed guidance on the procedure for obtaining an apostille on official documents, as well as practical instructions for Ukrainian citizens residing abroad.

Who Can Issue an Apostille

The MFA emphasized that Ukrainian embassies and consulates are not authorized to issue apostilles. This procedure can only be carried out within Ukraine by designated authorities, depending on the type of document:

• Ministry of Justice of Ukraine — civil status documents (birth, marriage, divorce, death), court decisions, notarized documents, and archival extracts;
• Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine — diplomas, certificates, and other educational documents;
• Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine — criminal record certificates;
• State Tax Service of Ukraine — documents confirming income and tax residency;
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine — all other types of documents.

What to Do If You Are Abroad

For Ukrainians staying outside the country, the MFA предлагает several options to obtain an apostille:

• send documents by post to the Ministry of Justice or its territorial offices;
• authorize a relative or trusted person in Ukraine to submit documents for apostille;
• issue a power of attorney at a Ukrainian embassy or consulate to obtain duplicate documents and have them apostilled;
• request the embassy or consulate to obtain the required document already bearing an apostille.

Apostille vs Legalization

The MFA explained that an apostille and consular legalization are two different methods of certifying documents. An apostille is used in countries that are parties to the 1961 Hague Convention (more than 129 countries, including the United States, Canada, Türkiye, and most European states).

If a country is not a party to the Convention, documents must undergo consular legalization instead.

Important Exceptions

The Ministry also noted that Ukraine has bilateral agreements with certain countries under which official documents may be recognized without an apostille or legalization, provided they are accompanied by a notarized translation.

Such countries include Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, the Baltic states, Georgia, and others.

The MFA advises citizens to уточнювати specific requirements with the relevant Ukrainian embassy or consulate in each individual case.