Legalization and Apostille: Two Routes to Recognizing a Foreign Document
Presenting a document issued abroad in Georgia often requires its external certification, and the law recognizes two routes for it. Article 3 of the Law of Georgia on Civil Acts defines both concepts: legalization is the confirmation, by a state organ of due competence, of the authenticity of the signature on a document, of the authority of the signatory, and of the authenticity of the seal or stamp; apostille certification is the same confirmation, but in a simplified procedure — on the basis of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.
The difference is practical: between states parties to the Hague Convention, the apostille is a single, simplified form of confirming the authenticity of a document, while legalization is the full, multi-stage procedure — beginning with the organs of the issuing country and ending with the foreign department of the receiving state. Which route your case requires is determined by the state that issued the document and by the legal act for which it is needed in Georgia.
When a Document Is Deemed Authentic in Georgia
Article 8 establishes that the following are deemed authentic in Georgia: the data in the database of civil acts and the documents confirming the registration of civil acts, including material and electronic copies of records confirmed by the registration organ, compiled in Georgia or by a consular post on the basis of the legislation in force at their compilation; and likewise the records of civil acts and confirming documents compiled and legalized, or certified by apostille, abroad on the basis of the legislation of another state, unless otherwise provided by this law or by an international treaty or agreement of Georgia.
The practical essence of this norm is that, for recognizing a foreign document before a Georgian organ, its legalization or apostille certification by the side of the country of issuance suffices — the receiving party is no longer charged with verifying each signature individually. A special rule exists for documents drawn up on the basis of religious rites, belonging to the period before the creation or restoration of authorized registration organs.