Member Countries That Belong to the Hague Apostille Treaty
The Hague Apostille Treaty, officially called the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, is an international agreement that makes it easier to use official documents in foreign countries. The treaty was created in 1961 to replace the long and complicated legalization process that required multiple government and embassy approvals.
Today, more than 120 countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. If both the issuing country and the receiving country are members, a single apostille certificate is enough to confirm the authenticity of a document. This saves time, reduces costs, and simplifies international transactions.
This article explains how the treaty works and provides a complete list of Hague Apostille Treaty countries.
What Is the Hague Apostille Treaty?
The Hague Apostille Treaty allows public documents issued in one member country to be accepted in another member country with only one certification step. This certification is called an apostille.
Common documents that require apostilles include:
Birth certificates
Marriage certificates
Diplomas and transcripts
Power of attorney documents
Court records
Business registration papers
Without the treaty, documents usually need extra verification from embassies or consulates. With the Apostille Convention, those steps are removed as long as both countries belong to the agreement.
Why Hague Apostille Countries Matter
Knowing which countries belong to the Hague Apostille Treaty is important if you plan to:
Study abroad
Work overseas
Apply for visas or residency
Get married internationally
Register a foreign business
Handle international legal matters
If your destination country is a treaty member, your document only needs an apostille from the issuing authority. If the destination country is not a member, full legalization through embassies is usually required.
Complete List of Hague Apostille Treaty Countries
Below is the current list of countries and territories that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.
A
Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan
B
Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burundi
C
Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, China (Hong Kong and Macao SARs), Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic
D
Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic
E
Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia
F
Fiji, Finland, France
G
Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana
H
Honduras, Hungary
I
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy
J
Jamaica, Japan
K
Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea
L
Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
M
Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco
N
Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue, Norway
O–P
Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal
R
Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation
S
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland
T
Tajikistan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey
U
Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan
V
Vanuatu, Venezuela
How the Apostille Process Works
The apostille process is simple compared to traditional legalization. In most countries, the steps include:
Obtain a certified copy of your document if required.
Submit the document to the authorized apostille office.
Pay the processing fee.
Receive the apostille certificate attached to your document.
Once issued, the apostille is recognized by all Hague Apostille Treaty countries.
Important Things to Know
An apostille does not verify the content of a document. It only confirms that the signature, stamp, or seal is authentic. Some countries and institutions also require apostilles to be recent, usually within three to six months.
Always confirm the document requirements of the receiving country before applying for an apostille.
Conclusion
The Hague Apostille Treaty plays a major role in simplifying international document use. By allowing member countries to recognize apostilled documents without embassy legalization, the treaty saves time, reduces paperwork, and lowers costs for individuals and businesses.
If you plan to use documents abroad, always check whether your destination is one of the Hague Apostille Convention member countries. Knowing this information early can help you avoid delays and ensure your documents are accepted without problems.
