Apostille vs. Embassy Legalization: What’s the Difference?

How do you know whether you require an apostille or an embassy legalization process? Perhaps you need both? Under the Hague Convention of 1961, it’s one or the other (though, whether foreign authorities honor this is whole other subject).

Prior to the Hague Convention of 1961, all documents being used outside its origin country had to undergo an extensive, time-consuming, and expensive embassy legalization process. What is the embassy legalization process? It is a multi-step process for your documents to be considered valid in another country.

After the Hague Convention of 1961 came into effect, any signatory countries abolished the need for this process and require a single-step authentication process known as an Apostille. Here in the states, the apostille is issued by the individual state that the document originates from (the US Department of State, if it’s a federally recognized document only).

For example, if you are submitting a birth certificate for Spain, an Apostille must be sufficient because they are a signatory member of the Hague Convention. However, if you are submitting said birth certificate to a non-member country of the Convention, you may need to complete the legalization process.

In 2026, still there are countries that are not part of this Hague Convention. These countries still require the multi-step embassy legalization process; the state authentication from the issuing state of the document being authenticated, the US Department of State authentication, and lastly, the embassy seal.

Still unsure of whether you require an apostille or embassy legalization procedure done? Feel free to contact us for a free evaluation of your documents, and for an affordable rate and time quote for the due legalization of your documents.