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Publication date: 25.04.2024
I am studying in the third year of the State University of Economics and Technology.I specialize in contractual, economic and corporate law, in particular, I provide consultations and write articles.
Consular legalization of documents in Ukraine is of great importance for their use abroad, especially in countries that are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Here are some features and significance of consular legalization of documents in Ukraine:
Confirmation of authenticity: Consular legalization confirms the authenticity of a signature or seal on a document, which is important for its recognition and use abroad.
Necessity for use abroad: Some countries require consular legalization for documents issued in Ukraine, for example, for education, marriage or birth documents, for use in official business abroad.
Confirmation of compliance with internal country regulations: Some countries require consular legalization of documents to ensure that they comply with the regulations and standards of that country.
Diplomatic importance: Consular legalization also has diplomatic importance as it confirms that the document has been verified and recognized by the relevant government authority.
Fraud protection: Consular legalization helps prevent falsification of documents and fraud as it verifies their authenticity.
In general, consular legalization of documents is an important procedure for their recognition and use abroad, ensuring the legal validity and reliability of documents in an international context. It is also worth considering that the following documents are not subject to legalization in the consular service: those that contradict the legislation of Ukraine, or may harm its interests or defame the honor and dignity of citizens; originals or copies of passports, employment records, military registration documents, weapons permits, driver's license; those issued by officials who exceeded their authority.
Consular legalization procedure:
Consular legalization of documents in Ukraine is carried out by the Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA). This procedure is necessary for the use of Ukrainian documents abroad, in countries that are not parties to the Hague Apostille Convention.
The main steps of consular legalization of documents in Ukraine usually look like this:
Apostille or signature verification: If the country in which the document will be used is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the apostille of documents procedure may apply. Otherwise, you need to check the signature or seal.
Submission of documents to the consulate: Documents are submitted to the relevant consular representation at the place of residence or registration. in addition to documents, natural persons must also submit an identity document and a corresponding application for legalization. As for legal entities, a letter of application for legalization is submitted.
Payment of legalization: Together with the submission of documents, the applicant must pay the consular fee.
Verification and legalization: After submitting documents to the consulate, their authenticity is verified and legalization is performed by applying a special stamp or seal. It is important to consider that for successful legalization, the document itself must meet the following requirements: documents containing two or more sheets are stitched, numbered and sealed with a signature and seal; the text of the documents must be properly complex and contain no damage, signatures and seals must be clear, documents must be issued with the participation of state authorities or local self-government bodies.
Obtaining ready documents: After completing the legalization procedure, documents can be obtained in person or through the postal service, depending on the conditions of the consulate.
It is also necessary to take into account that each country may have its own requirements and procedures for the use of legalized documents, so it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the requirements of the country in which the document will be used in advance.
Consular legalization with the help of a lawyer:
Legalization of documents at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the consulate requires a rather complex approach to the analysis of legislative requirements and the determination of the package of documents that are necessary for this, and therefore the services of a lawyer are important. The lawyer will determine the best way to carry out legalization, which requirements are stipulated by the law and all aspects that must be taken into account for successful legalization. Therefore, legalization of documents at the embassy with the help of a lawyer is highly desirable if the owner of documents wants to save time and money and get the desired result in the form of legalized documents.
