In an increasingly globalised modern world, the need for the legalisation of documents has never been greater. Today, many individuals travel abroad for various reasons such as higher education, employment opportunities, permanent relocation, international business, etc. One thing common in all of those reasons to travel is the verification of documents by concerned authorities.
The legalisation of documents ensures they are accepted as legal and authentic in foreign countries.
In this blog, we are going to learn all about document legalisation, its types, uses and more. Read on till the end for a detailed understanding of the topic.
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What is the Legalization of Documents?
Simply stated, the legalisation of documents refers to the official process of verifying a document’s authenticity making it suitable for use overseas.
It generally involves obtaining a stamp or sticker from various responsible government authorities in the home country as well as the foreign destination country. These stamps and stickers prove that the document(s) under consideration have been issued by a legitimate source and its content is accurate.
Documents legalization or documents attestation is often needed for educational, personal and commercial documents. The type of documents that may need to be legalised largely depends on the reason for international travel.
What are the Uses of Documents Legalization?
Candidates wishing to travel abroad need to legalize documents for a variety of reasons. Some of the important and common reasons to get documents legalization are as follows;
- Higher Education – Academic documents like degree certificates, transcripts etc., require legalization for admission to foreign universities.
- Employment – In the case of some jobs, overseas employers may demand the legalization of documents like experience certificates, educational documents, etc.
- Immigration – Various personal documents such as birth, marriage certificates, etc need to be legalized for officially immigrating to a foreign country.
- Business Transactions – Legalization of business documents is essential for international business transactions.
- Adoption and Family Law – Legalized documents are required in cases of international adoption or in any process that is strictly legal between families or relatives.
- Legal Proceedings – Many legal issues, especially inside a foreign nation, require legalized documents including court orders or affidavits as evidence.
- Property Transactions – Representations such as sale deeds, property agreements and power of attorney may be required to be legalized by certain foreign legal authorities in the home country to satisfy legal formalities in the destination country.
- Banking and Financial Matters – Legalization is needed for opening a bank account, getting credit, or managing financial investments in another state.
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Types of Documents That Are Legalized
Different types of documents need to be legalized depending on the reasons for the move, the destination country and so on. The various documents can be broadly categorised as follows;
Educational Documents
Often these documents are needed when going to study in a foreign country or when applying for a job in another country. Some of the common examples include:
- Diplomas
- Degrees
- Transcripts
- Academic certificates
Personal Documents
Various personal documents are usually required for immigration purposes, residence permits, family visas or any legal matters in a foreign nation. Common examples of personal documents include;
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Death certificates
- Police Clearance Certificate
Commercial Documents
International business organisations need the legalization of commercial documents for export/import operations, opening branches in a foreign country, litigation, etc. Common examples include:
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Invoices
- Power of attorney
- Board resolutions
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What are the Common Types of Documents Legalization?
Legalization is of two types depending on the destination country. The two primary types are as follows;
Apostille
An apostille is a means of document legalization that has been established by the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961. This process of verification is recognised by the countries that are the parties to the convention.
It aims at simplifying the procedure as documents apostilled in one country are accepted as legal and authentic in other member countries as well. Key features of apostille include:
- Single Certification – The apostille can be a sticker or a stamp in a document put by the appropriate authority of the issuing state and the Ministry of External Affairs.
- No Additional Legalization Needed – Once an apostille has been awarded the document can be freely used in the destination country without going through any further verification.
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Embassy Attestation
An Attestation is a longer legalization procedure required for countries which are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention. For attestation, documents are first authenticated by the issuing state in the home country, the Foreign Ministry and at the respective embassy or consulate of the destination country.
In some cases, documents have to be further attested once they are brough to the destination country by the responsible authorities. Key aspects of attestation include:
- Multi-Step Process – The document also has to be legalized by several levels of the authorities in the issuing country, state and national level and then it can be legalized by the destination country’s embassy.
- Specific to Non-Hague Countries – This process ensures that the document is recognised and accepted in countries that do not accept Apostille certification.
Who May Legalize Documents?
Even though individuals themselves can start the legalization process, it is better to do it with the help of a professional service provider.
This reduces the amount of time clients spend searching for ways to legalize their documents. Hiring a professional service provider like SEPL Documents Clearing LLC makes the whole process a lot smoother, easier and quicker.
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Conclusion
Documents legalization is a critical necessity for many global activities. Knowledge of its characteristics, different types and processes enables individuals and organisations to verify their documents correctly, thus avoiding possible setbacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What if my document is not legalized?
If a document is not legalized, it means that foreign authorities will not accept it as a genuine document. This sort of situation may result in things such as visa denial, inability to gain admission into a college/university, etc.
- How long does it take to legalize documents in Dubai?
The time taken to complete the legalization process depends on the type of document, the country of destination, etc. It may take anywhere from several days to several weeks.
- How can I get documents legalization in Dubai?
To get your educational, personal and commercial documents legalized in Dubai, you can contact SEPL Documents Clearing LLC – a registered service provider with years of industry experience.
- Do I need to get documents translated for legalization?
Translation requirements depend on the destination country and the language of the certificate. For example, English documents need not be translated however, documents in regional languages need to be translated to either English or other specified languages.
- What is the cost of documents legalization in Dubai?
The total cost depends on the type of legalization, the document type, destination country, etc. However, with SEPL Documents Clearing LLC you can be sure of getting the documents legalized at the best prices.