Apostille and notarised translation: what you need to know

In almost every procedure for foreign nationals, Armenian authorities accept foreign documents only after they have been legalised and translated into Armenian. Here is how it works.

What an apostille is

An apostille is a special stamp or certificate by which a competent authority of the country that issued a document confirms the authenticity of the signature and seal on it. It is used between countries that are party to the Hague Apostille Convention.

If the issuing country is not a party to the convention, consular legalisation is usually required instead — a longer chain of certifications that ends at a consulate.

Important: the apostille is added in the country where the document was issued. Armenian authorities cannot apostille, for example, a Russian or US birth certificate.

The right order

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia (citizenship section), the order is:

• first, the apostille or consular legalisation of the original;
• then, the translation into Armenian;
• if the translation was made by a sworn translator abroad, that translation must also be apostilled.

A translation made before the apostille does not cover the apostille itself — it will have to be translated again.

Notarised translation

Many procedures explicitly require a notarised translation into Armenian. For example, according to official sources:

• for residence status — a notarised translation of the passport;
• for IE and LLC registration by foreign nationals — a passport with a notarised translation;
• for a public services number for a foreign national without status — a passport with a notarised translation.

Format requirements for translations made in Armenia may differ between authorities — check them in advance.

Common mistakes

• The translation was made before the apostille, so the apostille is left untranslated.
• Names in the translation are spelled differently from the passport or other documents.
• The apostille was placed on a copy when the authority expects the original (or vice versa).
• An old document no longer matches current details (a surname change without a supporting document).

What it costs

Apostille, translation and notarisation are not Armenian state fees; they are costs in the issuing country and with translators and notaries. They depend on the country, the number of pages and urgency. If you go through a procedure with our help, we agree these costs with you in advance.

How to proceed

• Make a complete list of documents for your procedure.
• For each foreign document, decide whether it needs an apostille or legalisation.
• Get the apostille in the issuing country, then the translation.
• Check that names are spelled consistently across all translations.

Requirements may change and depend on the specific authority. Before filing, check official sources such as mfa.am and migration.mia.gov.am.