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Article about a new apostille (electronic)

Trying to simplify the procedure of documents preparation and legalization of document  for abroad, from November 20, 2015 Ministry of Justice of Ukraine introduced a new procedure - the electronic apostille of documents.

Despite the relative remoteness of the introduction of a new apostille the Internet has not settled down yet the clients’ opinions concerning the state innovation. Besides the information on the news resources there are no information in the Internet. And this is despite the storm of negativity, which has risen around this procedure.

In practice the electronic apostille appeared to be not so electronic, and the procedure itself for many people only became more complicated...but first things first.

External differences between a new and old apostille

Before the order registration for the apostille affixing in MinJust many our clients ask to show them the sample of a new stamp. Besides the affixing procedure, it has also changed externally.

What are the differences between the electronic apostille and the old sample:

ChangesOld apostilleNew apostille
Affixing placeOn the reverse side of the document originalIs sewed as a separate sheet to the original
Apostille formatstampPrinted form
Presence of “wet seals”YesNo
Presence of protective electronic elementsNoQR-code
Possibility to quickly verify authenticityNoYes

On what documents the electronic apostille is affixed?

The list of documents, which are subject to the electronic apostille, has not changed. Ministry of Justice still certifies:

  • Documents from Civilian Registry Offices: certificates, different extracts;
  • Notarial documents: statement, permission for trip, Power of attorney;
  • Judgment;
  • Documents translations certified by MinJust, which require the notarization (the second apostille).

 IMPORTANT! Now it is not necessary to put the stamp of regional or city administration of Justice before the certificate submission for apostille.

Where you can get and how much time will take the apostillization?

Before innovations it was possible to affix the apostille on documents in Ministry of Justice only in Kiev in Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

Now it is possible to pass the procedure in any department of Civilian Registry Office notwithstanding the place of registration or residence. Before launching a new procedure told that it would be possible to track via the Internet the document readiness, as well as get an apostille to email, after that print it out independently. In practice, there is nothing "electronic" in a new apostille, except the mark – the sticker with the security elements and the QR-code for the verification of authentication.

According to Ministry of Justice promises - a new stamp can be obtained in no more than 24 hours. In practice, once a lot of nuances arise out and the period of 24 hours is transformed into 1-2 weeks.

Verification of authenticity through the Internet

The only thing, which a new apostille is not deprived of, is the protective elements and the mobility of authentication verification. Under the stamp the mark is glued, which contains the QR-code, with which you can quickly check the document authenticity.

If the company or the third-party people were engaged in the apostillization, the first thing you shall do is to verify the stamp sewed to your document. It will be vexing to realize that you were deceived when you are abroad. So, where you should start...

With the help of mobile device you can read the QR-code from the mark under the apostille through any program on the recognition of QR-codes (you can go directly to www.apostille.minjust.gov.ua/). After this you navigate on the page of the website of Ministry of Justice with the verification form.

If you have already got your document with apostille – for the verification fill out the form following our recommendations:

Click on "Verify", after this you should see the scan of the apostille stamp from your document. If you have succeeded - Congratulations, you can use the document in the desired country with no problems!

Advantages and defects of the electronic apostille

Working in the field of documents legalization for a long time, we have never faced before like kind of disorganization of such serious state agency as Ministry of Justice. And although the first word in the title is "Advantages" there are much more defects in the electronic apostille, therefore, it is very difficult to call successful the project of a new apostille.

Speed of apostillization

The first thing you may face in Civilian Registry Office upon the documents submission for apostille - is the uncertainty in the deadlines. The problem is that in the state structure all over Ukraine there is a problem with the availability of marks, without which the apostille will be invalid abroad.

It is difficult to say exactly what civilian registry office has these marks, and what doesn’t. If not today, then tomorrow the situation may cardinally change – the marks fly like hotcakes. The tensest situation is in Kiev, of course, because the majority of intermediary companies, which are engaged in the apostille affixing, are located just in the capital.

The documents of some our clients are kept in civilian registry office at the average of about 7-10 days, some documents have been waiting the marks up to 3 weeks. And some offices accept the documents for apostille only 1 day per a week (according to our client about Borispol Civilian Registry Office). It is very sad, but the only thing we can do – is to daily "guard" in civilian registry office the arrival of new marks and hope that the documents of all our clients will be issued with apostilles as soon as possible.

Urgently the electronic apostille MinJust of Ukraine

We have more than 100 partners throughout Ukraine and, unfortunately, we cannot definitely say, what city has the marks, and what doesn’t. We carried out the experiment: we call in more than 20 translation bureaus in all regions and clarified at them, how in practice it is possible to affix the apostille on the "most popular document" - birth certificate. The result surprised us - more than 78% of questioned companies reported that they cannot guarantee any specific deadlines of apostillization, because the situation with the marks is not the best.

Therefore, if you urgently need the apostille, then the only wise solution for you would be to call in regional translation bureau and to clarify if the civilian registry office, in which they submit documents for apostille, has the marks and within what terms they can apostille the document with guarantee.

Consultations on the procedure of documents registration for a certain country

The second problem is that the employees of civilian registry office, upon the independent application in the state structure, won’t advise you how to correctly affix the apostille for the necessary country. Within their competence is to put the stamp itself, unfortunately, they won’t give you all other consultations. Therefore, if you do not know how the apostillization procedure for a particular county is carried out, the self-pass of such an important procedure - it is not the best choice.

When applying in such specialized translation bureau as Jur Klee, you do not need to worry about the correctness of documents preparation. Over 5 years we are dealing with the documents apostillization, every day through us pass about 100 documents for the apostille affixing, and this is, for a moment, more than 100 000 documents for the period of the company existence. The experience speaks for itself, therefore, with the apostille affixing, in this case, it is better to apply to Jur Klee and not worry about the correctness of documents preparation.

Decentralization of apostille

The real advantage for all people, who need the apostille, is now that it is not necessary to go to Kiev and to stand in long queues for it. The situation has changed in the root- it is possible to affix the apostille in any regional civilian registry office. What is the true that the stamp affixing instead of previously declared 24 hours will take 2-4 working days (according to the bill, only 2 days are spent for the document examination), and this is on the condition of the marks availability.

Let’s summarize on a new procedure

The introduction of the electronic apostille service - this is, of course, a huge step toward on the way to simplify the procedure of documents apostillization and to minimize bureaucratic moments. However, at the moment, we cannot say that the service is working as it was initially announced by the Ministry.

Clarify the possibility of quick apostille affixing in our translation bureau!

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