FAQ
Apostille & Notarization FAQ
Work with licensed Notary Public professionals handling documents for 120+ countries – fast, structured, and cost-efficient for businesses and individuals
An apostille is an official certificate issued by a government authority that authenticates a document for use in another country. It is recognised in all Hague Convention countries. Without an apostille, foreign authorities may not accept your documents.
A Notary Public is a government-appointed official who verifies identities, certifies signatures, and authenticates legal documents. In Sweden, a Notary Public can also issue apostilles on Swedish authority documents.
Notarisation is required when a document needs to be legally recognised abroad. Common cases include powers of attorney, company documents, passport copies, and personal identification documents used in foreign legal or business proceedings.
You need a valid government-issued photo ID such as a passport or national ID card, and the original document that requires notarisation. For video meetings, you show these on camera.
Yes. In most cases NotaryDirect handles the full process within 24 hours. Urgent same-day handling is available depending on document type and country requirements.
Most documents require originals for notarisation. Certified copies can be made of originals during the notarisation process. Contact us at info@notarydirect.se if you are unsure about your specific document.
Yes. Remote notarisation via video meeting is legally valid and widely accepted internationally. The notary public verifies your identity and witnesses the signing process through the video call.
Payment is made online before or after the meeting. The fixed price is 75 EUR per service — 75 EUR for notarisation and 75 EUR for apostille, so 150 EUR if you need both. No hidden fees. Volume pricing is available for businesses with regular needs.
Express handling means your documents are processed as a priority on the same day. Contact us directly at info@notarydirect.se to arrange express service.
Yes. NotaryDirect works with law firms, corporate service providers, fund administrators, immigration consultants and other businesses that regularly need notarisation and apostille for their clients.
Yes. We serve clients in 120+ countries remotely via video meeting. As long as you have a valid ID and a stable internet connection, you can use our service from anywhere in the world.
Yes. Expats living abroad can use NotaryDirect remotely via video meeting without needing to travel or visit a consulate. We handle documents from any country for use in all Hague Convention countries.
After booking you will receive a confirmation with a video meeting link and instructions. The notary public will join the call, verify your identity, and complete the notarisation. You receive your documents digitally or by post.
All personal data is handled in accordance with GDPR. Your information is never shared with third parties and is only used for the purpose of completing your notarisation service.
Yes. You can cancel or reschedule your meeting by contacting us at info@notarydirect.se. We ask for at least 24 hours notice where possible.
Notarisation is the act of a notary public verifying identity, witnessing a signature, or certifying a copy as authentic. An apostille is a separate certificate issued afterward that confirms the notarisation itself is valid for use in another Hague Convention country.
An apostille is a simplified, single-step certification used between countries that are both members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Legalisation is a more complex, multi-step process, typically involving notarisation, government departments, and embassy or consular authentication, required when the destination country is not a Hague Convention member.
You can check the official Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) status table, which lists every contracting party to the Apostille Convention and the date it took effect for that country. This is the authoritative source for confirming Hague Convention membership. See https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41
No. Foreign authority documents must first be notarised as a certified copy before an apostille can be issued. Civil documents such as powers of attorney or passport copies follow the same rule: notarisation first, then apostille.
You don't need to travel. Notary Direct acts as your single point of contact, wherever you are: send your documents digitally, verify your identity by video call, and the notarisation is completed by a Swedish Notarius Publicus and couriered to you worldwide – typically within 24 hours.
If the destination country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (more than 120 countries, including the entire EU, the UK, the USA, and more), an apostille is sufficient. For non-member countries, full legalisation is required instead: certification, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and the destination country's embassy. Tell us the destination and we confirm which route applies – before you pay.
Your signature is certified by a Notarius Publicus, and the document receives an apostille so it's valid in the destination country. With Notary Direct the practical steps – identity verification, signing, certification, apostille and courier – are coordinated in one case, typically within 24 hours, wherever you are in the world.
Yes – documents in English are handled routinely; English is the working language of most of our cases. For documents in other languages, contact us first and we confirm what's possible, including arranging notarised translations where needed.
A fixed 75 EUR per service — 75 EUR for notarisation and 75 EUR for apostille. If your case needs both, the total is 150 EUR, regardless of where in the world you are. Courier delivery of physical originals is quoted separately by destination and always confirmed before payment. No hidden fees.
No – an apostille itself has no expiry date. However, many receiving institutions require the underlying document to be recently issued, commonly within three to six months. Before ordering, check the recipient's requirements – or send them to us and we'll confirm what you need.
The most common reasons: the wrong type of certification for the purpose, missing signatures, an underlying document that's too old, a translation not properly attached to the original and apostille, or using an apostille where full legalisation was required (or vice versa). The safest route: send us the receiving party's requirements before ordering, and we confirm the correct execution.
Yes. A notarial act performed in one Hague Convention country, completed with an apostille, is valid in all other member states – more than 130 countries. There is no legal basis for treating a foreign notarisation differently from a domestic one. This is why many international clients choose the fastest available jurisdiction – such as Sweden, where notarisation and apostille happen in one step.
Often, yes – it depends on the receiving country and institution. The order matters: apostille first, then the translation, attached to the original and apostille as one bundle. Loose translations are a common cause of rejection. Tell us the destination and we advise on the correct sequence, including arranging notarised translations where needed.
Embassy and consulate notarisation appointments often have waiting times of weeks or months, and consular legalisation can add further delay. The alternative: remote notarisation in a jurisdiction whose notarial acts carry an apostille valid in 130+ countries – you verify your identity by video call, the apostille is issued in the same step, and the original is couriered to you, typically within 24 hours. Read our full guide
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