Apply for an apostille online: the easy digital way

Anyone who wants to use a document abroad – such as a power of attorney, a partnership agreement or a certificate – often needs an apostille as international proof of authenticity. For decades, getting one meant paper documents, post and visits to the authorities. Today it is easier: yes, an apostille can be applied for online, provided the underlying document has first been notarised digitally.

In this article, we explain how the process works, what the legal basis is and how modern platforms such as notarity make it considerably simpler.

What is an apostille – and why is it important?

The apostille is a certificate of authentication based on the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents of 5 October 1961. It confirms:

• the authenticity of the signature,
• the capacity in which the signatory has acted, and
• where applicable, the authenticity of the seal or stamp.

Art. 3(1) of the Hague Convention: “The only formality that may be required in order to certify the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted and, where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which it bears, is the addition of the certificate described in Article 4.” (Hague Apostille Convention, German Federal Law Gazette 1965 II p. 875)

An apostille is required in particular when documents are to be used in another contracting state of the Hague Convention – for example when setting up a company, for international powers of attorney, in residence procedures or for the recognition of educational certificates.

The German Federal Foreign Office describes it as “a simplified form of authenticating public documents for international legal transactions”.

The traditional way: applying for an apostille “offline” (Austria)

In Austria, the apostille process is still paper-based and takes place in several steps:

• Notarisation or official certification: The document must first be notarised by a notary or certified by a public authority.
• Submission to the competent authority: Depending on the document, a different authority is responsible – e.g. the regional court (Landesgericht) for notarial documents, the higher regional court (Oberlandesgericht) for court documents, or the provincial government or the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) for administrative documents (BMEIA – Apostille and legalisation).
• Fees and processing time: The costs are usually between €15 and €30, and processing generally takes a few working days.
• Collection or delivery: The apostilled document can be collected in person or sent by post.

This process is legally recognised, but it is time-consuming and involves physical original documents.

The digital way: applying for an apostille online with remote online notarisation

As legal processes become increasingly digital, notarisations can now be carried out entirely online. This is based on remote online notarisation (RON) – a procedure in which the notarisation takes place with video identification, without the need for an in-person notary appointment.

Via notarity, the entire process can be handled digitally:

• Documents are uploaded online and notarised with legal effect during a video appointment.
• Directly afterwards, an apostille can be applied for – without visits to the authorities or submitting documents by post.
• The apostille is usually issued very quickly: the apostilled document is generally available digitally shortly after the online appointment. On request, a physical copy can also be sent to any address.

This digitises and significantly speeds up the entire process – from signing and notarisation through to the apostille.

You can find more information about the process here: notarity – apostille service

Step by step: how the digital process works

1. Book an appointment: Arrange a suitable notary appointment online – usually within a few hours or on the same day.
2. Upload your document: Upload the document to be notarised directly to the platform.
3. Identity check: Your identity is verified securely and digitally.
4. Online notary appointment: A certified notary carries out the notarisation via the notarity platform.
5. Add the apostille straight away: You can apply for the apostille when booking your appointment, so no separate application is needed.

Receiving the apostilled document: The document is issued digitally with an apostille within a few minutes of the notary appointment and is available for download. On request, a physical copy can also be sent.

Legal basis and limits

The principles of international apostille law also apply to the digital procedure:

• Validity: The apostille must always be issued by the competent authority of the issuing state (Hague Apostille Convention).
• Recognition: Not all states currently accept electronic apostilles (“e-Apostilles”). As a rule, however, this is the case in all contracting states of the Hague Convention.

Document types: Only certain types of document can be notarised and apostilled digitally.

Advantages of the online apostille at a glance

Conclusion: applying for an apostille online – easier than ever

Yes – today an apostille can be applied for entirely online. The prerequisite is that the document has first been notarised digitally. With solutions such as notarity, every step – from the identity check and the digital notary appointment to the issuing of the apostille – can be completed online, with legal certainty and in far less time.

The result: internationally valid documents without paperwork, without visits to the authorities and often within a few minutes.