What is the difference between notarization and an apostille?

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.

What is the difference between an apostille and legalisation?

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.

How do I know if my country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention?

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 HCCH status table: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41

Can a document issued by a foreign authority be apostilled directly?

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.

Apostille for Residency Application

Residency applications submitted to foreign immigration authorities almost always require apostilled Swedish civil status documents — typically a birth certificate, marriage certificate, police clearance, and sometimes proof of income or qualifications. The apostille is what allows the receiving country to trust that the document was genuinely issued by a Swedish authority. Without it, the application is usually rejected as incomplete. For Hague Convention countries the apostille is sufficient; for others, full embassy legalisation is required. Many of these documents must be notarised as certified copies by a Swedish Notary Public before the apostille can be issued.

How NotaryDirect handles this

NotaryDirect coordinates the full process remotely via video meeting with a Swedish Notary Public. The notarisation and, where applicable, the apostille are completed the same day. No office visit and no travel required.

Handled remotely via video meeting — no physical presence required
Same-day notarisation and apostille
Flat fee: 75 EUR per document
Documents accepted in 120+ countries worldwide
Government-appointed Swedish Notary Public partners

See our FAQ or read the full apostille guide for more detail.

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How NotaryDirect handles this

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between notarization and an apostille?

What is the difference between an apostille and legalisation?

How do I know if my country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention?

Can a document issued by a foreign authority be apostilled directly?