Schmidt & Schmidt covers the full spectrum of legalization services for documents issued in Denmark.
Denmark joined the Hague Convention on the Simplified Authentication of Documents on 30 October 2006; the Convention entered into force on 29 December 2006.
The apostille, or the “Hague apostille” is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document (e.g., a birth, marriage or death certificate, a judgment, an extract of a register or a notarial attestation). It confirms the authenticity of the signature and the authority of an official who signed the public document.
Documents issued in Denmark are certified with an apostille in accordance with the Hague Convention of 1961 are recognized in all Member States of the Hague Convention and do not require any other form of certification, such as consular legalization, which considerably reduces the costs and time required for the certification of documents. So far, more than 120 states have joined the Convention.
The apostille is not sufficient for use in the states that are not party to the Hague Convention. In this case, consular legalization applies to a public document.
Designated Competent Apostille Authorities in Denmark
In Denmark, the responsibility for issuing apostilles lies with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Regarding the fees, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs charges a fee of 195 Danish Kroner (DKK) for each apostille issuance.
It's important to be aware of the official representative who is responsible for the acknowledgment of signatures and issuance of apostilles, as the process can get quite complex. Please check for the relevant information on the Danish government website or consult competent service providers.
The apostille in Denmark is a square stamp in Danish with the obligatory heading "Apostille" and a reference to the 1961 Hague Convention in French (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961). The apostille certificate’s sides will be at least 9 centimeters long.
Types of documents
| Can be apostillized | Cannot be apostillized |
|---|---|
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Specific aspects and document requirements for the apostille in Denmark
To secure an apostille for your documents in Denmark, it's crucial to ensure that your documents fulfill the required criteria. The following prerequisites may be applicable:
- The original hard copy of the document you intend to have legalized, or a copy thereof.
- A completed Order Form (available in PDF or Word format).
- Proof of online payment.
- A prepaid return envelope, if you prefer not to collect the documents in person or opt for our shipping service.
When seeking an apostille for a document in Denmark, the following conditions usually will need to be met:
- The document should bear the original stamp of the issuing authority, with the authority's name clearly visible.
- The document must include the signature and printed name of the individual who applied for the stamp.
- The position or official title of the person who stamped the document should also be indicated.
Keep in mind that obtaining an apostille may take considerable time, so it's advisable to prepare well in advance if you need to legalize documents with an apostille for use in a foreign country.
The apostille is issued in a uniform format. In Denmark, it has the form of a printed sticker with a handwritten signature of an official, an official seal, and a hologram.
In cases where apostilles are not recognized, holders of foreign documents will need to legalize them instead. However, If the country of destination of the document recognizes and issues apostilles, then legalization is unnecessary.
Legalization of Danish educational documents for use abroad
For educational documents issued in Denmark, such as school reports, university degree certificates, transcripts of records, enrollment certificates, and other school or university certificates, to be recognized and valid abroad, they must undergo a certification process through legalization.
Different types of transcripts or certificates have specific guidelines for legalization. If your document is not in Danish, it must be translated into the language of the destination country by a sworn translator.
To acquire legalization for your educational documents in Denmark, you might need to follow these steps:
- Ensure Document Authenticity: Retrieve the original diploma from the educational institution. Ensure the diploma bears a physical/wet signature and stamp. Scanned or copied signatures are not eligible for legalisation.
- Request a True Copy: If the original document lacks a physical/wet signature, contact the issuing educational institution. Request a true copy of the diploma with a physical/wet signature on all its pages.
- Signature Verification: If the person's signature is not on record, contact the school or university administration. This step aims to authenticate the signature, and the document should clearly state the signatory's name and position.
Please note that the above process and requirements can be subject to change based on prevailing regulations and policies.
Recognition of the authenticity of public documents within the EU
Denmark has concluded bilateral agreements with Belgium, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, and Switzerland, according to which certain documents are exempt from any certification if they are sealed by the responsible administrative authorities.
Regulation on public documents (EU) 2016/1191 of 6 July 2016
Furthermore, Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 of 6 July 2016 on public documents simplifies the circulation of certain public documents that must be presented in an EU Member State and have been issued in another EU Member State, thus exempting public documents from the confirmation of authenticity with the Apostille with the aim of reducing administrative burden and costs for citizens.
Consular legalization of Danish documents for use abroad
Consular legalization is the process of authenticating or certifying a legal document so a foreign country's legal system will recognize it as with full legal effect that is carried out by the diplomatic or consular mission of the country in which the document is to be used.
Consular legalization is more complex, time-consuming and costly than the simpler apostille procedure. Whereas apostille is usually issued within one step, consular legalization requires several pre-certifications before a public document can be certified at the embassy or consulate of the destination country in Spain.
It is a common requirement that the document has to be translated into the official language of the destination country before submission to the embassy. It is up to the diplomatic mission to decide about the authentication procedure.
The main differences between an apostille and consular legalization of documents
The common feature between apostille and consular legalization is that they authenticate an official document for presentation to institutions in another country. However, they have many differences.
| Apostille | Consular legalization | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal effect | Can be used in all countries that are party to the Hague Convention on the Simplified Legalization of Documents. | Use between States one or both of which is not a member of the Hague Convention, or where one of the contracting States has protested the accession of the other. |
| Difficulty | Moderate. To obtain an apostille, contact the competent apostille authority of the state of origin of the document. | High. For consular legalization, various inland authorities and a diplomatic mission of the state of destination must be involved. |
| Pre-certification | Usually not required. | Is obligatory. |
| Attestation at the state of destination embassy in the state of origin of the document | No need to contact the Consulate of the country of destination. | Is the final step of legalization. |
Apostille and consular legalization in all cities of Denmark
Schmidt & Schmidt provides apostille and consular legalization services for public documents originating from all regions across Denmark. We handle the entire process, from document review to obtaining the necessary certifications, ensuring that your documents are valid and recognized internationally. With our reliable services, you can confidently use your Denmarkn public documents abroad.
Procurement of documents from Denmark
If the important documents are lost or damaged, or current copies of the documents are needed, the re-issue of the documents is required. It is not unusual for people outside Denmark to encounter difficulties with obtaining new documents when abroad. Our consultants will help you procure new documents from Denmark remotely, and we can arrange for your documents to be sent by courier anywhere in the world.
Certified translation of documents from Denmark
Copies and transcripts of civil status documents can be translated into any language by a sworn translator in Denmark or the translation can be done in the country of destination. We offer certified translations of civil status documents with further certification. The cost of the work is calculated according to the volume of the document in question.
Does the translation have to be apostillized?
Any foreign document issued in one country and used in another country must be legalized for use abroad. Therefore, the authenticity of a certified translation from Denmark needs to be certified by an apostille. Consequently, many authorities may not accept certified translations from Denmark if the translation has not been properly authenticated in Denmark for use abroad. To avoid this confusion, translations should better be made in the state of the destination of the document.
