Apostille on a certificate of advanced training

An apostille is a special stamp placed on official documents. The stamp certifies that the document is authentic and legal for use in other states. However, only countries party to the Hague Convention recognise this authentication. In other countries, consular legalisation of the official document will be required.

In addition, the apostille is only placed in the country where you received your document. If the certificate is Belarusian, it can be apostilled only in Belarus.

You can order the Apostille of the certificate of advanced training. Other documents issued in Belarus can also be apostilled. Exceptions are passport, work book, driving license, pension certificate. These documents are not apostilled, but a copy certified by a notary can be made.

Why is it needed?

A continuing education certificate is often required for employment abroad. You may need the certificate to prove your professional skills, to retrain or to have your diploma recognised.

An apostille will confirm:

The authenticity of the personal signature of the person who signed the document;
authenticity of the stamp, by which the document was certified.

Without a special stamp, the certificate of advanced training will not be considered authentic, which means it cannot be legally used in another country.

There are nuances

When you apply for apostille, consider the following nuances.

The signature of the person who issued the certificate must be live, not a facsimile (stamped) signature.
All seals on the certificate must be legible, without any blurring, scuff marks or other imperfections. Even a slight abrasion is often a reason to refuse a stamp.
The document must be free of errors, typos, notations, crossed-out and smudged corrections, as well as obliterated and scribbled words.
The initials, full name and signature must belong to the person who signed the paper.

If you find any of the above defects on the certificate, obtain a duplicate copy from the issuing authority.

How long does it take to obtain an apostille?

The time limit for affixing the stamp is two working days from the date of presentation of the document. However, a special check of the papers, requesting additional information and information from the organisations that issued the certificates will require more time.