Georgia is a party to the Hague Convention, so Georgian documents bearing an apostille are accepted in all member countries without additional consular legalization.
Which Documents Can Be Apostilled in Georgia
In Georgia, an apostille is placed on documents issued by Georgian authorities: extracts from the company and entrepreneur registries, notarial acts and agreements, court rulings and certificates, birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates, and diplomas and academic transcripts from state educational institutions.
One important point: if your document was issued in another country, you must have it apostilled there, not in Georgia. Georgian authorities have no power to certify foreign documents.
Common Mistakes
One of the most frequent errors is trying to apostille a translation. An apostille is placed on the original (or a notarized copy of the original), and the translation is certified by a notary separately. The receiving party gets two documents: the original with the apostille and the notarized translation.
Another mistake is confusing an apostille with a notarized copy. A notarized copy confirms that the paper matches the original, but it does not give the document legal force abroad. For use in foreign institutions, an apostille is required.
When an Apostille Is Not Enough
If the country where you plan to use the document is not a party to the Hague Convention, an apostille has no legal force there. In that case, consular legalization applies: the document is first certified by the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the consulate of the receiving country in Georgia. The list of countries outside the convention should be verified with current sources, as membership changes over time.
How to Get an Apostille in Georgia
Apostilles are issued at the House of Justice (Sakteservisi). The procedure is straightforward: submit the original document at any House of Justice office and pay the state fee. Standard processing time is one business day. For urgent requests, an apostille can be issued on the day of application for an additional fee. The completed document is issued in person or can be handed to a representative acting under a power of attorney.
Do I need an apostille to open a company in Georgia?
It depends on the document. A foreign passport does not require an apostille; it is accepted as is. Foreign documents establishing signing authority, charter documents of a foreign founding company, and similar papers generally require an apostille and a notarized translation.
How long is an apostille valid?
The apostille itself has no expiry date. However, the receiving organization may require that the underlying document was issued within a certain period. For example, a company registry extract is often requested as "not older than three months" regardless of the apostille.
Can an apostille be placed on a notarized copy rather than the original?
Yes, in some cases an apostille can be placed on a notarized copy when the original cannot be transferred. Check the specific procedure at the House of Justice depending on the document type.
What if the receiving country is not in the Hague Convention?
Consular legalization is required. The document is first certified by the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the consulate or embassy of the receiving country in Georgia.