Who issues the apostille?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus issues apostilles for Belarusian death certificates, as it does for other civil registry documents. An apostille verifies the signature and seal on the document. The certificate is then accepted in countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention without consular legalisation. A Belarusian document cannot be apostilled abroad.
Inheritance abroad
If inheritance proceedings are opened in Poland, Germany or another EU country, the notary or court will request a death certificate with an apostille and translation. Documents proving a family relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate, are often also needed. You can obtain these through us in the same order, which is more convenient than ordering them individually.
Pensions, insurance and remarriage
Pension funds and insurance companies in Europe pay a survivor's pension or insurance benefit only on the basis of a verified document. To remarry, a widow or widower also needs their spouse's death certificate: the USC or Standesamt checks that the previous marriage has ended. The same document is suitable in all these cases: a certificate with an apostille and translation.
Is a translation needed?
Almost always, yes. Institutions in Poland accept translations by a sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły). Both the document and the apostille must be translated, otherwise the apostille will remain untranslated. You can arrange a sworn translation through our partner as part of the same order.
If you do not have the certificate
The original may have been left with relatives, lost or issued on an old form. In that case, it is more reliable to obtain a replacement death certificate from a Belarusian civil registry office: it is issued on a current form and apostilled straight away. You do not need to travel to Belarus. We will tell you what we need from you when we send your quote.
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 deliver the original by courier to any European country in 2–5 working days. For a quote, send a photo of the certificate if you have it, or the deceased's full name and the date and place of death. Tell us which country the document is for and why it is needed.