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Legalisation of documents

For a country that has not signed the Hague Convention, the apostille is not enough: the document must be legalised. We certify your deeds and guide you through this multi-step process.

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What it involves

Authenticating your deeds
for international use

Legalisation is the procedure that attests to the authenticity of a French public document so that it is recognised in a country that has not acceded to the Hague Convention. It confirms the capacity of the signatory and the validity of the seal affixed to the deed.

Unlike the apostille, legalisation involves a chain of validations, generally by the competent French authority and then by the consular authorities of the recipient country. The notary prepares and certifies the deed beforehand so that the file is admissible at each step.

How it works

Real estate law

Verification of the country of destination and the legalisation channel
Prior notarial certification of the document
Compilation and review of the legalisation file
Guidance to the successive competent authorities
Follow-up through to obtaining the legalised document

Frequently asked questions

What you
need to know

When the recipient country has not signed the Hague Convention. In that case, the apostille is not recognised and the document must follow the legalisation channel. We check the rule applicable to your country.

Generally yes, because it involves several successive validations. Careful preparation of the file beforehand helps avoid rejections and limit delays.

The notary draws up or certifies the deed to be legalised and compiles a file that complies with the requirements of the authorities. They then guide you through the procedures with the administrations concerned.

Often, the recipient country requires a sworn translation, sometimes legalised as well. We specify the translation needs according to your file.

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