Schmidt & Schmidt covers the full spectrum of legalization services for documents issued in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan joined the Hague Convention on the Simplified Authentication of Documents on 25 July 2011; the Convention entered into force on 15 April 2012.

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 Uzbekistan 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.

However, some states of the Hague Convention, including Belgium, Germany, Greece, Austria have objected to Uzbekistan's accession to 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 Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan, the designated authorities responsible for issuing Apostille are:

• The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, along with the departments of justice of the regions and Tashkent city, are responsible for issuing Apostilles on official documents that originate from justice authorities and civil registry offices.
• The Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan, on the other hand, handles documents originating from courts.
• The Prosecutor General's Office is responsible for official documents that come from the prosecution, investigation, and inquiry authorities.
• The State Testing Center under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in turn, is in charge of documents from education and science authorities.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for dealing with all other official documents not covered by the authorities mentioned.

The authorities will carefully examine the document to verify if the signatures, stamps, or seals align with their own records. If they are confirmed to be authentic, the document will be legalized by affixing an 'apostille' (an officially stamped certificate).

The apostille in Uzbekistan is a square stamp in Uzbek 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

Only original documents or notarized copies issued by public authorities of Uzbekistan can be apostillized.

Requirements for the documents:

The apostille can be exclusively issued for the original document. Therefore, the underlying document must be presented in good condition, with all stamps and signatures clear and readable. Furthermore, it should not contain alien markings or labels.

Specific aspects and document requirements for the apostille in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is among the 120 countries that recognize and issue apostilles in accordance with the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. The apostille serves as a confirmation of the official status of a document.

The apostille process can vary depending on the sender and recipient country, but typically to obtain an apostille for a document in Uzbekistan, you must go through the following steps:

• Obtaining the original document to be apostilled;
• Verification of the signature on the document by the authorized body;
• Issuance of an apostille on a document by an authorized body;
• Submission of the document together with the apostille in the recipient country.

This process can be time-consuming, especially if it includes multiple documents and different countries. To ensure a smooth and accurate apostille process, it is recommended to seek guidance from specialists familiar with the requirements and procedures. Their expertise can help avoid delays and errors in obtaining documents apostille.

Document requirements that might apply:

• The original official document to be certified, which should be no older than three months.
• The appropriate application form, either for authentication or apostille.
• An identification document, such as a driving license, basic resident registration card, passport, or residence card.
• A stamped, self-addressed envelope or a Letter Pack, if opting for mail delivery.
• If applying through a representative, a power of attorney is required.

The apostille is issued in a uniform format. In Uzbekistan, it has the form of a printed sticker with a handwritten signature of an official, an official seal, and a hologram.

In cases where apostles 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 Uzbek educational documents for use abroad

For educational documents issued in Uzbekistan, 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 an authentication process through legalization.

When it comes to the authentication of diplomas and similar educational documents in Uzbekistan, the applicants will usually need to do so through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the case of Uzbekistan, there will likely be an additional step - legalizing the documents through the State Testing Center under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Even when the target country is a party to the Hague Convention, there are cases where legalization of educational documents might still be necessary. In these situations, authentication becomes essential. Before submitting, it's advisable to consult with the respective agency in the destination country, the Embassy/Consulate (-General), or seek professional help.

Such an approach ensures that educational documents possess the necessary legal authority, allowing them to be recognized and used across various countries. While these are general procedures, the exact requirements may vary, so it is advisable to confirm the specific steps with the relevant authorities.

Recognition of the authenticity of public documents

Documents from countries with which Uzbekistan has agreements for exemption from legalization are not required to undergo any form of legalization procedures. Currently, Uzbekistan is a signatory to:

• Convention of 1 March 1954 on civil procedure;
• Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents;
• Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction;
• Convention on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family and criminal cases (Kishinev, 7th of October 2002).

Consular legalization of Uzbekistan 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.

This procedure is required when the destination country does not recognize or accept the apostille certification. One needs to submit the original document, along with any required copies or supporting materials, to the respective consular office. The consular officials will review the document, verify its authenticity, and affix their seal or stamp to certify its validity.

The consular legalization process may require additional steps like obtaining translations of the document into the language of the destination country or providing additional supporting documentation as requested by the consular office.

It is up to the diplomatic mission to decide about the authentication procedure. The specific requirements and procedures for consular legalization may vary depending on the regulations of the destination country.

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.