Attesting Irish Documents (FAQs)

Yes - Ireland is a member of the Apostille Convention.

Irish documents can be legalized for use abroad with an Apostille Stamp from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs when destined for other signatory countries without additional certification by the destination country.

When Irish documents are required for non-apostille countries, such as United Arab Emirates - Taiwan - Malaysia - Thailand - Zambia - Qatar they need additional authentication by the embassy of the destination country.

For further information see:
Ireland Apostille Services

For document issued in Northern Ireland, please see:
UK Apostille Services

Submission within the European Union
Certain Irish documents do not require Apostilles when they are presented to authorities of other European Union countries (the receiving authority should accept the original or a certified copy).

When applying for certain public documents, a multilingual standard form may be requested to accompany the original. A multilingual standard form must always be issued and signed by an Irish authority, providing a translation aid designed to help the receiving authority to understand a public document which is in a language not accepted by the receiving EU country.
See: EU Multilingual standard forms

Irish documents not requiring Apostilles include birth, death, marriage certificates, absence of a criminal record (a clean criminal record of an Irish citizen), certificates of nationality and residence:
See: Regulation (EU) 2016/1191

Other Irish documents, including academic certificates, still require Apostille certification and certified translation to be valid in other EU countries.

Authentications and Apostilles from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs are issued for official documents, including:

• Irish civil status certificates (birth, death, marriage and civil partnerships)
• Garda Police Certificates
• School Leaving Certificates
• College and university diplomas and course transcripts
• Certificates of Incorporation and Letters of Good Standing issued by the Companies Registration Office
• Divorce decrees
• Certificates of Origin, Health Certificates, Certificates of Free Sale and GMP Compliance
• Other documents certified by an Irish notary or solicitor.

To confirm whether your document is eligible for apostille authentication in Ireland, please contact us and we’ll check your document free of charge. For further information about our Irish apostille services and for assistance obtaining official copies of Irish documents, see:
Ireland Apostille Services

Apostilles for Irish Civil Status Certificates, including Irish birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage and civil partnership certificates are obtained from the Department of Foreign Affairs. The original paper certificate is required, issued by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Submission within the European Union
Irish certificates of civil status (marriage, death and birth certificates) do not require an Apostille stamp when required for submission in another Member State of the European Union. For further information, see:
Regulation (EU) 2016/1191

Irish Police Certificates are issued by the Garda. Certificates are issued for submission to foreign consular authorities and when required for foreign visas. Police Certificates can be obtained from the Garda station where the applicant resides, or formerly resided. To be valid for an Apostille Stamp or Authentication, a paper certificate is required with a wet ink stamp and original signature.

Irish Certificates of Incorporation can be authenticated with an Apostille stamp from the Department of Foreign Affairs. Certified copies of business documents can be obtained from the Companies Registration Office

Apostilles on Irish documents are normally obtained in 2-3 business days

Yes - an original birth, death or marriage certificate is required, issued by the Health Service Executive

Yes - An original paper Garda Police Certificate is required with a wet ink stamp and original signature.

Apostilles for Irish College and University degree certificates and course transcripts are obtained from the Department of Foreign Affairs. Apostilles can be applied to original certificates or certified copies of diplomas issued by Irish colleges registered on the Irish Register of Qualifications

Apostilles for Irish School Leaving Certificates (original or notarized copy) and School Reports (notarized copy) can be obtained from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

A Power of Attorney must be sworn before notary in Ireland. An Apostille can then be obtained from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.

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Irish birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates can be ordered online from the Health Service Executive

Certified copies of Irish passports and other identity documents can be made by a notary or solicitor and then authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Irish University Degree Certificates need to be authenticated by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and then by the embassy of Qatar in London. The Embassy will require a diploma, transcripts and cover letter from the university (each document must be legalized separately by the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland).

The transcripts must list all the modules or subjects studied in each year, their value and the grades achieved. The university confirmation letter must state the location of studies, start and end date of studies, whether studies were full or part-time and whether studies were based on distance or on-site learning. In most cases, the Qatar embassy will not attest degrees based on distance or online learning.

Irish college and university degrees required for submission to the authorities of the United Arab Emirates need to be authenticated by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and then attested by the UAE embassy in Dublin.

Irish college and university degrees required for submission to the authorities of Vietnam need to be authenticated by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and then attested by the Vietnamese embassy in London.

Irish college and university degrees required for submission to the authorities of Saudi Arabia can be authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. Since Saudi Arabia joined the Apostille Convention, attestation by the Saudi Embassy and Cultural Bureau is no longer required.

Irish college and university degrees required for submission to the authorities of China can be authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. Since China a joined the Apostille Convention, attestation by the Chinese Embassy is no longer required.

Apostilles are not required when submitting Irish certificates of marital status to the authorities of another Member State of the European Union.

A multilingual standard form may be requested to accompany the original. A multilingual standard form must always be issued and signed by an Irish authority, providing a translation aid designed to help the receiving authority understand the certificate when in a language not accepted by the receiving EU country.

EU Member States are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden
See: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 (EU GDPR)

Apostilles are not required when submitting Irish Criminal Record Certificates to another Member State of the European Union when the certificate is issued to an Irish national and when the criminal record is clean (no convictions). In other cases, the recipient Member State may require an Apostille.

EU Member States are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
See: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 (EU GDPR)

Apostilles are not required when submitting Irish birth, death and marriage certificates to the authorities of another Member State of the European Union. A multilingual standard form may be requested to accompany the original. A multilingual standard form must always be issued and signed by an Irish authority, providing a translation aid designed to help the receiving authority understand the certificate when in a language not accepted by the receiving EU country.

EU Member States are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden
See: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 (EU GDPR)

A Garda Police Certificate is valid for 12 months. However, some requesting authorities will require a certificate that has issued in the last 3 or 6 months.

Only Irish public documents can be authenticated with an Apostille. The Department of Foreign Affairs may refuse to authenticate any documents without an appropriate Irish link. All documents must be created in Ireland or show an explicit Irish connection – i.e. full Irish address / CRO company number / Irish government issued identification information.

Garda Police Certificates can be authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Department of Foreign Affairs. An original paper Police Certificate is required with a wet ink stamp from the issuing Garda station and original signature. The certificate must be no more than 12 months old.

Apostille stamps issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs on or after 01 January 2013 can be verified online:
Verify an Irish Apostille Stamp

A Letter of Good Standing confirms that an Irish company has been in continuous existence since incorporation, is not in liquidation or subject to an administration order, and that no action is being taken to strike the company off the Irish register.

Letters of Good Standing are available from the Companies Registration Office and can be authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the