Consular legalisation of Russian documents
For countries that are not party to the Hague Convention and have no treaty on legal assistance with Russia, an apostille is not recognised: the document goes through a longer chain of certifications known as consular legalisation.
Consular legalisation confirms the authenticity of a Russian document for a country that is not party to the 1961 Hague Convention. Instead of a single stamp the document passes through several certifications in sequence, each confirming the signature on the one before: a notary certifies the copy or the translation, the territorial body of the Ministry of Justice confirms the notary's signature, the Consular Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the signature of the Ministry of Justice official, and finally the destination country's consulate in Moscow certifies the document for use on its own territory.
The chain of legalisation
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01
Notary
Certifies a copy of the document or the translator's signature on the translation. This is the first and obligatory step for documents not issued directly by a state authority.
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02
Territorial body of the Ministry of Justice
Confirms that the notary who signed does in fact hold that office.
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03
Consular Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Confirms the authenticity of the signature and seal of the Ministry of Justice official.
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04
Consulate of the destination country in Moscow
The final step: the consulate certifies the document for use in its own country. The requirements and the fee at this stage are set by the consulate itself.
Fees and timescales by stage
| Stage | Fee | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Notary | At the notary's own rate; there is no single rate across the country | Usually 1 working day |
| Territorial body of the Ministry of Justice | Set by the regulations of the particular office; check locally | Depends on the region and the workload of the office |
| Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs | RUB 350 per document | 6–8 working days depending on how it is submitted |
| Consulate of the destination country | Set by the consulate, usually in its own currency | Set by the consulate |
Which countries require consular legalisation
Legalisation is required for countries that have neither the Hague Convention nor a treaty on legal assistance with Russia. Among the common destinations these are, as at the date checked, the UAE, Egypt, Qatar and Kuwait, none of which is party to the Hague Convention. The list changes: China moved from legalisation to the apostille on 7 November 2023 and Canada on 11 January 2024 on acceding to the convention. Before starting the chain, check the country table: the simpler apostille route may already apply.
Work out the route for your document
The document, the region where it was issued, the destination country. The step-by-step chain with authorities, fees and timescales appears at once.