Who issues apostilles for court documents?
The main justice departments of the regional executive committees and the Minsk City Executive Committee, part of the Ministry of Justice system, issue apostilles for Belarusian court documents. An apostille verifies the court's signature and seal. The judgment is then accepted in countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention without consular legalisation. A Belarusian judgment cannot be apostilled abroad.
An apostille and recognition of a judgment are different things
An apostille authenticates a judgment as an official document that can be submitted abroad. Sometimes, however, the judgment must also be recognised by a court in your country of residence, for example to enforce maintenance or enter a divorce in the Polish register. This also requires the judgment with an apostille and translation. A local lawyer handles recognition; we prepare the Belarusian documents for them.
Which court documents are most often needed?
A divorce judgment, a judgment determining a child's place of residence, a maintenance order or judgment, an adoption judgment, and a judgment establishing facts, such as a family relationship. Sometimes a court certificate is needed rather than the text of the judgment itself. We will advise which is suitable for your institution.
Is a translation needed?
Almost always, yes. Poland requires a translation by a sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły), and Germany requires a certified translation. Court judgments often run to several pages, so the translation timeframe and price depend on the length. The judgment is translated together with the apostille.
Timeframes and what to prepare
An apostille is usually ready in 7–14 working days, or 5 with urgent service. If a new copy of the judgment must first be obtained from the court, it takes longer; we will give you an exact date in your quote. For a quote, send photos of the first and last pages of the judgment, or the court's name, case number and year. Tell us where you are submitting it.