Managing the apostille and legalisation chain means that we build your document’s route from Georgia to the destination country: notarial certification, certification of the accuracy of the translation, and then an apostille or legalisation matching that country’s requirements. The core message of this page is practical truth: not every country requires an apostille — for Russia the Minsk Convention corridor applies and the document is accepted without an apostille, while for Azerbaijan exactly an apostille is required. Below we also give the exact ladder of the state fee.
From Georgia to Russia — no apostille needed
The most common mistake lies in the Russia corridor: clients request apostilles on documents that travel to Russia under the Minsk Convention and will be accepted there without any additional formality. If your document is on exactly that corridor, the cost and time of an apostille are simply eliminated — it is enough to have the notarial certifications and, where needed, the notary’s certification of the accuracy of the translation, which is an action provided for by the list of notarial acts.
The Azerbaijan direction is the opposite: only an apostille works there — without it the document will not be accepted. For other countries the decision depends on whether the destination state is a party to the Apostille Convention: for convention states an apostille suffices, while for non-parties a full legalisation is required — through diplomatic or consular channels, a longer procedure. We verify this regime in advance for every document so that the chain is built correctly from the start.
The apostille authority and the state fee
In Georgia the apostille is placed by the Public Service Development Agency. The state fee is 30, 60, 120 or 150 GEL depending on the turnaround category of the service — faster issuance moves to a higher category — while the electronic apostille is fixed at 50 GEL. This ladder is the basis of our planning: we show which category delivers the document how quickly, and you choose between cost and deadline.
The form of the document submitted for the apostille is decisive: a notarially certified document, an extract from the public registry or another official paper — each requires its own preparation before the apostille. The apostille is kept in the language of the issued document, so for the destination country it usually needs to be accompanied by a certified translation — and the certification of the accuracy of a translation is an action provided for by the list of notarial acts. We determine this list in advance so that the submission to the apostille authority happens in a single visit and the returned package is immediately usable at its destination.
Foreign documents entering Georgia
The chain works in both directions: the notary accepts a document issued in another state if it is legalised or certified by an apostille, in the manner established by Georgian legislation. In other words, before a foreign document can be used in Georgia, its external formalities must be settled in advance — and that is precisely the step clients most often miss.
Moreover, where an international treaty or agreement concluded by or acceded to by Georgia establishes a procedure for performing notarial acts different from the statutory one, the notary is guided by the international treaty — this norm exists precisely because conventions, including the Minsk corridor, stand above the internal rules.
How we manage the entire chain
Our service covers every link of the chain: we determine the destination country’s requirements and convention regime; we arrange the notarial certifications and the certified translation; we prepare the papers for the apostille or legalisation; and we schedule the deadlines so that no link is planned on top of the previous one. In connection with notarial acts the notary also provides legal consultation and, at the parties’ request, drafts documents — we use this resource for your case as well.
Frequently asked questions about apostille and legalisation
Below are the most frequent questions on this topic, answered briefly.
Is an apostille needed for Russia?
No — the Minsk Convention corridor applies to Russia: a document leaving Georgia is accepted without an apostille, and that expense is eliminated.
What is the state fee for an apostille?
The fee is 30, 60, 120 or 150 GEL depending on the turnaround category of the service; the electronic apostille is 50 GEL.
Which authority places the apostille in Georgia?
The Public Service Development Agency. We prepare the documents so that the submission happens in a single visit.
How is a foreign document accepted in Georgia?
The notary accepts a document issued in another state if it is legalised or certified by an apostille, in the manner established by Georgian legislation. An international treaty may also establish a different procedure.
How We Help on Legal.ge
On Legal.ge we plan the complete international route of your documents: we verify the destination country’s regime — apostille, legalisation or the Minsk corridor — prepare the notarial and translation stages and calculate the fee ladder in advance. Contact us — and your document will be accepted at its destination on first submission.