Legalisation of Documents

VHS Visa Center provides documents legalisation services.

A legalisation procedure has been established by law in order to make documents issued by any State valid abroad. The legislation consists in official confirmation of the authority of the person that has put his signature on the document, as well as the authenticity of the signature itself.

VHS Srl will provide you with all the necessary support in solving problems connected with legalisation of Italian documents for their further presentation abroad, including request of the necessary documents from the competent Italian authorities, putting apostille, translation made according to the requirements of the State of destination and legalisation in the relative Consular department, as well as problems connected with legalisation of documents issued abroad for their use in Italy.

Types of documents legalisation:

• Legalisation by Consular and Diplomatic missions

Consular legalisation is required for countries that haven’t signed the Hague Convention of 1961 which has introduced the Apostille procedure.

• Putting of an Apostille

In countries that have signed the Hague Convention of October 5th, 1961, concerning the abolishment of legalisation of foreign public documents, the need of legalisation of acts and documents issued by foreign authorities is substituted by another formality: putting of an Apostille.

Therefore, if the country of destination has signed this Convention it is not necessary to address the Consular mission for the legalisation, but it is necessary to address the local competent authorities assigned by each State and indicated for each country in the act of membership itself, in order to get an Apostille put on the document. This way, the document will be recognized by the country of destination.

• Legalisation of documents in Prefecture, Public Prosecutor’s Office or the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture.

*Besides the Hague Convention there are other conventions the allow to use documents without legalisation. Please check the list of valid conventions

How to know your documents require a legalisation?

It is necessary to verify it with the authority to which it is required to submit the document.

Please follow the link to proceed to the page of your interest:

• Legalisation of documents issued in Italy for the use abroad

• Legalisation of documents issued abroad for the use in Italy

Please feel free to contact us to obtain more detailed information