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Legalization or Apostille of a French Document for a Foreign Authority
Verified 03 September 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Legalization and Apostille: Rule changes in 2025
Published on 3 February 2023
The decree no. 2021-1205 of september 17, 2021 amends the rules for issuing the legalization and apostille of a public document drawn up by the French authorities.
The new rules will apply from 1er January 2025.
The information contained on this page remains current and will be modified on that date.
Do you need to have a French document authenticated for an application abroad? For example, a birth certificate for the conclusion of a marriage or a certificate of absence of a criminal record for the purpose of obtaining employment? In the European Union, some public documents are accepted without authentication formalities. For other documents or if the document is intended for another country, there are three possibilities: legalization, apostille, or waive formalities.
What applies to you ?
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For a European Union country
Certain French public documents intended for an authority of a country of the European Union are accepted without formalities of authentication. Multilingual forms may be attached to some of these documents to avoid the need for translation. Other documents must be apostilles unless a waiver agreement has been concluded between France and the country concerned.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Birth certificate
- Provisional birth certificate following the discovery of a newborn child or ward of the State without a known birth certificate or for which the secret of birth has been requested
- Declaration of Birth
- Supplementary judgment of birth certificate
- Notoriety certificate intended to remedy the impossibility of obtaining a full copy of the birth certificate in the context of a proposed marriage, issued by the notary or diplomatic or consular authority
- Act of notoriety intended to remedy the impossibility of obtaining shipments civil status documents whose originals have been destroyed or have disappeared as a result of an accident or acts of war
- Birth certificate of theOfpra: titleContent
- Prefect's certificate of origin to supplement the production of the birth certificate in the absence of a provisional birth certificate
- Judgment correcting the birth certificate
One multilingual form may be attached to the document to avoid the need for translation.
You must request the multilingual form from the issuing authority.
However, the receiving authority of the country may request a translation if necessary.
In this case, the translation must be done by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The certificate of life may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication.
One multilingual form may be attached to the document to avoid the need for translation.
You must request the multilingual form from the issuing authority.
However, the receiving authority of the country may request a translation if necessary.
In this case, the translation must be done by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Death certificate
- Transcript of the death certificate at the home of the deceased
- Deed of a lifeless child
- Birth certificate
- Transcript of the operative part of the plenary adoption judgment as birth certificate Article
- Judgment declaring death
- Judgment declaring absence
- Death or Birth certificate judgment
- Act of notoriety intended to make up for the impossibility of obtaining consignments of civil status documents whose originals have been destroyed or disappeared as a result of an accident or acts of war
- Judgment correcting the death certificate
- Endorsement “Death in Deportation”
- “Victim of terrorism” designation
- “Death for France”
- "Death for the service of the Nation"
- Certificate of Death of theOfpra: titleContent
One multilingual form may be attached to the document to avoid the need for translation.
You must request the multilingual form from the issuing authority.
However, the receiving authority of the country may request a translation if necessary.
In this case, the translation must be done by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Birth certificate
- Transcript of the operative part of the plenary adoption judgment serving as birth certificate
- Adoption judgment ruling on the name
- Transcript of the operative part of the simple adoption judgment
- Judgment revoking simple adoption
- Act of joint declaration of choice of name endorsed by the registrar
- Disagreement over the name reported to the registrar
- Notice of change of name before the registrar
- Name Change Order
- Decision to change the name of the registrar to conform to a foreigner civil status of the registrar
- Judgment on the name following a change of parentage
These documents must be translated by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Marriage certificate
- Birth certificate
- Act of notoriety intended to make up for the impossibility of obtaining consignments of civil status documents whose originals have been destroyed or disappeared as a result of an accident or acts of war
- Supplementary judgment on birth or marriage certificates
- Transcript of the operative part of the plenary adoption judgment serving as birth certificate
- Certificate of Civil Celebration of Marriage
- Certificate of ability to marry issued by the diplomatic or consular authority
- Notary's certificate of the existence of a marriage contract
- Judgment correcting the marriage certificate
- Certificate of marriage of theOfpra: titleContent
One multilingual form may be attached to the document to avoid the need for translation.
You must request the multilingual form from the issuing authority.
However, the receiving authority of the country may request a translation if necessary.
In this case, the translation must be done by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Deposit of the divorce agreement by mutual consent filed among the minutes of a notary
- Certificate of filing of divorce agreement by mutual consent
- Divorce judgment
- Judgment of legal separation
- Judgment annulling the marriage
- Supplementary judgment on birth or marriage certificates
One multilingual form may be attached to the following documents to avoid the need for translation:
- Divorce decision
- Decision on legal separation
- Supplementary judgment on birth or marriage certificates
You must request the multilingual form from the issuing authority.
However, the authority to which the document is submitted may request a translation if this is necessary for the process.
Other documents must be translated by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Supplementary judgment of birth certificate
- Convention of Civil partnerships: titleContent referred to by the registrar or diplomatic and consular officials (formerly the registrar of the court)
- Civil partnership Agreement by authentic instrument
- Receipt of registration of the Civil partnerships of the notary, registrar or, until 31 October 2017, the registrar of the court
- Certificate of non-Civil partnerships of the Central Civil Registry Service (SCEC)
- Birth certificate
- Transcript of the operative part of the plenary adoption judgment serving as birth certificate
- Death certificate
One multilingual form may be attached to the document to avoid the need for translation.
You must request the multilingual form from the issuing authority.
However, the receiving authority of the country may request a translation if necessary.
In this case, the translation must be done by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Birth certificate mentioning the dissolution or cancelation of a Civil partnerships: titleContent
- Receipt of registration of the dissolution of Civil partnerships of the notary, the registrar or, until October 31, 2017, the registrar of the court
- Judgment of legal separation
- Judgment annulling a Civil partnership
- Certificate of non-Civil partnerships of the Central Civil Registry Service (SCEC)
One multilingual form may be attached to the following documents to avoid the need for translation:
- Birth certificate
- Judgment of legal separation
- CERS Non-Civil partnership Certificate for a Foreign-Born Person
You must request the multilingual form from the issuing authority.
However, the authority to which the document is submitted may request a translation if this is necessary for the process.
Other documents must be translated by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Recognition given before a registrar
- Act of recognition drawn up by authentic instrument
- State possession certificate issued by the judge of the court of the place of birth or domicile
- Determination of civil status documents
- Judgment establishing or annulling filiation
Documents must be translated by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Transcript of the operative part of the plenary adoption judgment serving as birth certificate
- Supplementary judgment of birth certificate
- Adoption judgment
- Transcript of the operative part of the simple adoption judgment
- Judgment revoking simple adoption
- Adoption judgment by the Nation
Documents must be translated by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Certificate of residence for French people abroad
- Certificate of change of residence for French people abroad
One multilingual form may be attached to the document to avoid the need for translation.
You must request the multilingual form from the issuing authority.
However, the receiving authority of the country may request a translation if necessary.
In this case, the translation must be done by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
The following documents issued in France may be presented to an authority of a country of the European Union without formalities of authentication:
- Certificate of French nationality
- Amplification of the decree on naturalization or reintegration into French nationality
- Declaration of French nationality bearing the mention of registration
- Shipping a court decision accompanied by a certificate of non-appeal
- Birth certificate with a marginal mention of one of the above elements
Documents must be translated by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
Nil Bulletin 3 may be presented to an authority of a European Union country without an authentication formality.
One multilingual form may be attached to the document to avoid the need for translation.
You must request the multilingual form from the issuing authority.
However, the receiving authority of the country may request a translation if necessary.
In this case, the translation must be done by a sworn translator.
FYI
see the e-justice site for more information. You can also consult the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
Different rules apply to other public documents (e.g. a passport, an identity document) and issued documents private.
According to the agreements concluded between France and the country of destination of the European Union, these documents are exempt from formalities or shall be apostilles.
See the summary table of rules by country to check which rule applies to your document.
What is the purpose of the Apostille?
The Apostille is a simpler procedure than legalization for authenticating a document.
The apostille is used to attest to the following information:
- Authenticity of the signature
- Identity and functions of the signatory
- If necessary, the identity of the seal or stamp
Apostille model
In practice, the apostille is a stamp added to the document.
How do I apply?
General case
Submit your request to the court of appeal on which the signatory of the document depends (Apostille service) or the authority which has affixed a registration or certification mark.
The request can be made on form or on free paper.
Read the form's package leaflet before filling it out.
Attach a stamped envelope for the response to your request.
Extract from criminal record
Please contact the Court of Appeal of Rennes.
Opening hours of the Apostilles service:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:45 to 12:00
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:45pm to 5:00pm
The Apostilles service and its telephone line are closed to the public on Monday afternoon and Friday afternoon.
Telephone: 02.23.20.43.00
Email: apostilles.ca-rennes@justice.fr
The request can be made on form or on free paper.
Read the form's package leaflet before filling it out.
Attach a stamped envelope for the response to your request.
Certificate of non-appeal in cassation
Please contact the Paris Court of Appeal.
Opening hours of the Apostilles service: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (waiting time about 30 minutes) to 8, boulevard du palais 75001 Paris - Escalier G - Bureau 1G04
Telephone hotline: every day from 2pm to 4pm to 1.44.32.73.54
Request information by email: apostille.ca-paris@justice.fr
The request can be made on form or on free paper.
Read the form's package leaflet before filling it out.
Attach a stamped envelope for the response to your request.
FYI
see the ministry of foreign affairs website for more information.
The apostille is delivered for free.
Can a translation be apostilled?
To be apostilled, the translation must be presented with the original document.
The translation must meet the following conditions:
- The translation must be done by a sworn translator
- The signature of the sworn translator must be certified in town hall (free) or before a notary (paying)
For another country
To authenticate a French document intended for a foreign authority, the procedure varies according to the agreements concluded between France and the recipient country: legalization, apostille or exemption from formalities. To find out which procedure applies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs updates a summary of the rules by country.
What is the point of legalization?
The legalization of a French document intended for a foreign authority allows the following information to be attested:
- Authenticity of the signature
- Identity and functions of the signatory
- If necessary, identity of seal or stamp
A stamp shall be affixed to the document.
Legalization is necessary in some countries and for some documents.
See the summary table of rules by country.
What documents can be legalized?
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Civil status record
The civil registration document must be original and less than 3 months old.
It shall bear the official seal, the original signature and the name and duties of the signatory.
The document must be written in French or accompanied by a translation into French.
The translation must be done by a sworn translator.
Judicial Act
For example, it is a divorce judgment.
The document must be an original or a copy certified by the court which drew up the document.
The document must be written in French or accompanied by a translation into French.
The translation must be done by a sworn translator.
Deed notarized
The document must be an original or a copy certified by the notarial office which drew up the document.
The document must be written in French or accompanied by a translation into French.
The translation must be done by a sworn translator.
Administrative Act
It is an act drawn up by a French administration.
For example, a tax notice.
The document must be an original or a copy certified as original.
The document shall contain the following particulars:
- Name, handwritten signature, and duties of the signer
- Seal with Marianne of the administration
- Stamp of certification in the case of a certified copy
The document must be written in French or accompanied by a translation into French.
The translation must be done by a sworn translator.
Act under private seal
One private act is for example a certificate on honor, an acknowledgement of debts, a contract, an invoice, a letter of recommendation, a certificate of accommodation.
The name, first name and duties of the signatory of the document must be indicated in full, beside the signature.
The signature must be original and certified by a French public authority:
- Mayor or notary, in the presence of the signatory
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry in which the company is registered, if it is a commercial document
The document to be legalized must be written in French or accompanied by a translation into French.
The translation must be done by a sworn translator.
National identity card, passport, family booklet
The identity card, passport or family book must be a copy certified as original.
The document shall contain the following particulars:
- Certification stamp
- Name, handwritten signature, job title of the manager who certifies the copy
- Seal with Marianne of the administration
The document must be written in French or accompanied by a translation into French.
The translation must be done by a sworn translator.
Medical certificate
The medical certificate must be endorsed by the National Council of the Medical Association.
Who shall I contact
- National Council of the Medical Association
By mail
4 rue Léon Jost
75855 Paris Cedex 17
By telephone
01 53 89 32 00
Monday to Thursday from 8:30 am to 6 pm, and Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm.
The document must be written in French or accompanied by a translation into French.
The translation must be done by a sworn translator.
Certificate of French nationality
The certificate of french nationality must be an original or a duplicate drawn up by the court concerned.
Extract of criminal record (Bulletin No. 3)
Excerpt of criminal record (Bulletin No. 3) must be less than 6 months old, bear the official seal and the signature of the Ministry of Justice.
The online application for a criminal record extract (Bulletin No. 3) allows this format to be obtained.
Online application for a criminal record extract (bulletin n°3)
Decree published in the Official Journal
The decree published in OJ: titleContent must be endorsed by the Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information before being presented for legalization.
Who shall I contact
- Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Dila) - Legalization
By telephone
01 40 58 77 00
Price of a local call from a fixed station
By mail
DILA
26 Desaix Street
75727 Paris cedex 15
By email
infos@dila.gouv.fr
French Diploma
Document must be a copy certified as original.
Each page of the document must contain the following information:
- Certification stamp
- Name, first name, handwritten signature, date and position of the person responsible for certifying the copy
- Seal with Marianne of the administration
Kbis
The Kbis must be a signed original of less than 3 months from graft.
It is the Kbis received by mail, on a blue screen paper (and not the version downloadable on the Infograft website).
Please note
if you have another document to legalize, contact the legalizations office by email.
Who shall I contact
Can a translation be legalized?
In order to be legalized, the translation must meet the following conditions:
- The translation must be done by a sworn translator
- The signature of the sworn translator must be certified in town hall (free) or before a notary (paying)
The translation must be submitted with the original document.
How do I apply?
The process is done in 2 steps:
- Legalization of the French Act by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (Legalization Office)
- Legalization by the diplomatic or consular representation in France of the country in which the document is to be produced
In France
Who shall I contact
Abroad
Contact the embassy or consulate.
Warning
an ambassador or a consul may legalize an act private if the signatory of the document resides or stays temporarily in the consular district.
Who shall I contact
FYI
see the ministry of foreign affairs website for more information.
What's the price?
In France
Legalization costs €10 per document.
You can pay by check to the order of "Régie des legalizations (FDFA)" or by bank transfer.
Abroad
The procedure is not free.
Check with your consulate or embassy.
Who shall I contact
What is the purpose of the Apostille?
The Apostille is a simpler procedure than legalization for authenticating a document.
The apostille is used to attest to the following information:
- Authenticity of the signature
- Identity and functions of the signatory
- If necessary, the identity of the seal or stamp
Apostille model
In practice, the apostille is a stamp added to the document.
The apostille can be used for certain documents and in certain countries.
See the summary table of rules by country.
What documents can be apostilled?
The apostille concerns the public acts.
The document must be addressed to a foreign authority.
These include:
- Civil status document less than 3 months
- Notarial act: attestation, notoriety act...
- Administrative act: tax assessment, university degree...
- Judicial Act: judgment, no-appeal certificate, extract of criminal record...
- Official declaration mentioned on a private act : mention of registration, visa for certain date, certification of signature...
To be apostilled, the document must contain the following information:
- Signature of the authority
- Name and function of the signatory of the act
- Seal of authority
Can a translation be apostilled?
To be apostilled, the translation must be presented with the original document.
The translation must meet the following conditions:
- The translation must be done by a sworn translator
- The signature of the sworn translator must be certified in town hall (free) or before a notary (paying)
How do I apply?
General case
Submit your request to the court of appeal on which the signatory of the document depends (Apostille service) or the authority which has affixed a registration or certification mark.
The request can be made on form or on free paper.
Read the form's package leaflet before filling it out.
Attach a stamped envelope for the response to your request.
Extract from criminal record
Please contact the Court of Appeal of Rennes.
Opening hours of the Apostilles service:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:45 to 12:00
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:45pm to 5:00pm
The Apostilles service and its telephone line are closed to the public on Monday afternoon and Friday afternoon.
Telephone: 02.23.20.43.00
Email: apostilles.ca-rennes@justice.fr
The request can be made on form or on free paper.
Read the form's package leaflet before filling it out.
Attach a stamped envelope for the response to your request.
Certificate of non-appeal in cassation
Please contact the Paris Court of Appeal.
Opening hours of the Apostilles service: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (waiting time about 30 minutes) to 8, boulevard du palais 75001 Paris - Escalier G - Bureau 1G04
Telephone hotline: every day from 2pm to 4pm to 1.44.32.73.54
Request information by email: apostille.ca-paris@justice.fr
The request can be made on form or on free paper.
Read the form's package leaflet before filling it out.
Attach a stamped envelope for the response to your request.
FYI
see the ministry of foreign affairs website for more information.
Is the Apostille free?
Yes, the Apostille is delivered free of charge.
- Regulation (EU) 2016/1911 on the simplification of the conditions for the submission of certain public documents in the European Union
- Order No. 45-2590 of 2 November 1945 on the status of notaries
- Decree No. 65-67 of 22 January 1965 on the publication of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 abolishing the requirement for the legalization of foreigner public acts
- Decree No. 2007-1205 of 10 August 2007 on the powers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ambassadors to legalize acts
- Order of 3 September 2007 on the powers of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassadors and Heads of Consular Post in relation to the legalization of acts
- Legalization of a foreigner document for an approach in FranceService-Public.fr
- Legalization of signatureService-Public.fr
- Certified true copy of an administrative documentService-Public.fr
- Legalization of a French public document intended for a foreign authorityMinistry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
- Table on the current state of treaty law in legalization (PDF - 793.1 KB)Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
- Presentation of a European public document in an EU Member StateEuropean Commission
- Multilingual forms attached to public documents of a European State (EU)European Commission