Who issues the apostille?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus issues apostilles for Belarusian divorce certificates, just as it does for other civil registry documents. An apostille verifies the signature and seal on the document, which is then accepted in countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention without consular legalisation. A Belarusian document cannot be apostilled abroad.
Why it is needed abroad
Most often, to remarry. Before registering a marriage, the USC in Poland or the Standesamt in Germany checks that your previous marriage has ended and requests a divorce document with an apostille and translation. Another common reason is a surname change: the same document is needed to restore your premarital surname in local documents. It is also useful when renewing a residence card if your marital status has changed, and in maintenance and custody disputes.
Certificate or court judgment
In Belarus, a marriage is dissolved either at a civil registry office or through a court. After court proceedings, the civil registry office still registers the divorce and issues a certificate. The certificate is sufficient for most institutions abroad. However, a court or USC may also request the court judgment, for example if it settles matters concerning children. Tell us where you are submitting your documents and we will advise whether the second document is needed and arrange apostilles for both.
Is a translation needed?
Almost always, yes. Institutions in Poland accept translations by a sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły); in Germany, they accept translations certified by a sworn translator (beeidigter Übersetzer). Both the document and the apostille must be translated. You can order a sworn translation through our partner as part of the same order.
If you do not have the certificate
Divorce certificates are often lost: you receive one once and rarely take it out. That is not a problem: a Belarusian civil registry office can issue a replacement certificate on a current form, with an apostille arranged straight away. You do not need to travel.
Timeframes and what to prepare
An apostille is usually ready in 7–14 working days, or 5 with urgent service. A replacement certificate takes longer; we will give you an exact date in your quote. We send a scan as soon as it is ready and the original by courier in 2–5 working days. For a quote, we need a photo of the certificate (or details of the divorce if you do not have it), the country where you are submitting it and the date you need it by.