Hague Apostille Country List 2026

Quick answer: As of April 2026, 129 countries are Contracting Parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents issued in any of these countries only need a single apostille certificate to be legally recognised in the other 128 — no embassy attestation required. This page lists every current member country, the date the Convention entered into force for each, and the key exceptions you need to know before sending documents abroad.

Source of truth for this list: the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) status table for Convention No. 12, last updated 31 December 2025. If a country you need is not on this list, your document will require traditional embassy legalisation instead of an apostille — see the non-member section at the bottom of this page.

What Is an Apostille and Why It Matters

An apostille is an international authentication certificate issued under the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. The Convention replaced the old multi-step embassy legalisation process with a single certificate issued by a designated authority in the country where the document was issued.

When both the issuing country and the destination country are members of the Hague Convention, the apostille is normally the only authentication needed. No embassy stamp, no consular attestation, no additional legalisation fee. One stamp, accepted across the Convention’s member states — subject to bilateral exceptions where one country has formally objected to another’s accession (see the critical exceptions section below).

If either country is not a member, the document must go through the full embassy attestation chain instead — typically Notary → State Home Department / HRD / Chamber of Commerce → Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country → Embassy or Consulate of the destination country.

Complete List of 129 Hague Apostille Member Countries (Updated April 2026)

The table below lists every Contracting Party to the Apostille Convention, organised alphabetically, with the date the Convention entered into force for each country. Countries marked with a future date have acceded to the Convention but it has not yet taken effect. Viet Nam became the 129th Contracting Party when it deposited its instrument of accession on 31 December 2025; the Convention will officially enter into force for Viet Nam on 11 September 2026.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

Recent and Upcoming Members (2023–2026)

• China — joined 7 November 2023 (includes mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, and Macao SAR)
• Canada — joined 11 January 2024
• Rwanda — joined 5 June 2024
• Bangladesh — joined 30 March 2025
• Algeria — accedes 9 July 2026 (pending entry into force)
• Viet Nam — accedes 11 September 2026 (pending entry into force)
• Thailand — Cabinet approved accession on 9 December 2025; instrument of accession not yet deposited with the Netherlands depositary, so the Convention is not yet in force for Thailand

Hague Apostille Countries by Region

Europe (46 countries)

Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

Americas (33 countries)

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Asia (23 countries)

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, China (incl. Hong Kong, Macao), Georgia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam (pending).

Africa (17 countries)

Algeria (pending), Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Eswatini, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia.

Oceania (10 countries)

Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu.

Countries NOT in the Hague Apostille Convention — Embassy Attestation Required

If your document is going to any of the countries below, an apostille is not accepted. These countries require full embassy or consular legalisation. Always verify current requirements with the destination country’s embassy before starting the process.

Major non-member countries requiring embassy attestation:

• United Arab Emirates (UAE) — requires MOFA attestation after embassy legalisation
• Qatar — full embassy attestation chain required
• Kuwait — full embassy attestation chain required
• Egypt — full embassy attestation chain required
• Jordan — full embassy attestation chain required
• Lebanon — expressed interest in accession but not yet a member
• Iran — expressed interest in accession but not yet a member
• Malaysia — expressed interest in accession but not yet a member
• Thailand — Cabinet approved accession in December 2025 but instrument not yet deposited; current consular legalisation rules still apply
• Taiwan — not a party to the Convention; documents must be legalised through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECC/TECO)
• Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Ethiopia — all require full embassy attestation
• Most Central African and West African countries — generally require embassy legalisation

For documents going to any of these destinations, the process is longer: State / Home Department authentication → Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country → Embassy or Consulate of the destination country in the issuing country → (sometimes) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the destination country after arrival.

Critical Exception: Germany’s Objection to Indian Apostilles

A crucial detail for those sending documents from India to Germany: under Article 12 of the Convention, the Federal Republic of Germany lodged an objection to India’s accession. This means the Apostille Convention is not in force between Germany and India, and an Indian MEA apostille is not accepted by German authorities.

As a result, Indian documents intended for use in Germany must still undergo a formal verification procedure carried out by the German Embassy or Consulate General in India. According to the official information sheet published by the German Missions in India, the cost of verification of Indian documents is currently INR 45,000 per application (irrespective of the number of documents submitted), and the average processing time is several weeks. You should always confirm the specific requirements with the German authority requesting your documents before starting the process.

This pattern of objection is not unique to India. Germany has also objected to the accession of several other countries — including Pakistan, the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Rwanda, Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco — meaning the Convention does not apply between Germany and those states either. Similarly, India has objected to China’s accession, so a Chinese apostille is not accepted in India and a Chinese embassy legalisation route must be used instead. Always verify bilateral acceptance between the issuing and receiving country before relying on an apostille alone.

How to Get an Apostille on a Document

The authority that issues an apostille depends on where the document was issued. Each member country has designated one or more Competent Authorities. Below are the most common ones for documents originating from India and other major jurisdictions.

India

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India is the sole Competent Authority for issuing apostilles on Indian-issued public documents. Before reaching the MEA, documents must first be authenticated by the relevant State authority — State Home Department for personal documents, State HRD or Education Department for educational documents, or Chamber of Commerce for commercial documents. SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) attestation in New Delhi is also accepted by the MEA as a state-level alternative for many document types.

United Kingdom

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office is the UK Competent Authority.

United States

Apostilles on state-issued documents are issued by the Secretary of State’s office of the state where the document was issued. Apostilles on federal documents are issued by the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C.

Canada

Canada joined the Apostille Convention on 11 January 2024. Apostilles are issued by Global Affairs Canada for federally issued documents and by designated provincial authorities in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan for documents from those provinces. Documents from other provinces and territories are handled centrally by Global Affairs Canada.

Other countries

Each member country’s designated Competent Authority is listed on the HCCH official website. For most European countries this is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a specific legalisation office. For federal systems, it may be state or provincial.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many countries are in the Hague Apostille Convention in 2026?

As of April 2026, there are 129 Contracting Parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Viet Nam deposited its instrument of accession on 31 December 2025 and will officially become the 129th member with effect from 11 September 2026. Algeria is also scheduled to join with effect from 9 July 2026. Thailand’s Cabinet approved accession on 9 December 2025 but the instrument of accession has not yet been deposited.

Is the UAE a Hague Apostille country?

No. The United Arab Emirates is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents going to the UAE require full embassy attestation, followed by attestation from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) after the document arrives in the UAE.

Does Saudi Arabia accept apostilles?

Yes. Saudi Arabia joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 7 December 2022. Documents from any other member country can be apostilled and used in Saudi Arabia without embassy attestation. Note that some Saudi government authorities and employers may still request additional verification through traditional channels during the transition period.

Is China part of the Apostille Convention?

Yes. China acceded to the Apostille Convention on 7 November 2023. This includes mainland China as well as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region. Before November 2023, only Hong Kong and Macao were covered (as they inherited the Convention from the United Kingdom and Portugal respectively). However, India has objected to China’s accession, so Chinese apostilles are not accepted in India.

Can I use an Indian apostille for documents going to Germany?

No. Germany has lodged an objection under Article 12 to India’s accession to the Convention. As a result, the Apostille Convention is not in force between India and Germany, and Indian documents for use in Germany must go through the German diplomatic mission’s verification procedure instead. The current verification fee is INR 45,000 per application.

Is Taiwan in the Hague Apostille Convention?

No. Taiwan is not a party to the Convention. Documents intended for use in Taiwan must be legalised through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECC) or Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in the issuing country. Taiwan does not accept apostilles.

Is the United States a Hague Apostille country?

Yes. The United States has been a member since 15 October 1981. Apostilles on state-issued documents are issued by the Secretary of State of the relevant U.S. state. Apostilles on federal documents are issued by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.

Is Canada a Hague Apostille country?

Yes. Canada joined the Apostille Convention on 11 January 2024. Before this date, Canadian documents required authentication by Global Affairs Canada followed by consular legalisation at the destination country’s embassy. Canadian apostilles are now issued by Global Affairs Canada and designated provincial authorities (Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan all have their own Competent Authorities).

How long is an apostille valid?

An apostille has no expiration date under the Convention itself. However, some destination authorities may require that the apostille (or the underlying document) was issued within a certain recent period — commonly 3 or 6 months. Always check the specific requirements of the receiving authority before submission.

Can I use an apostille to send documents to a non-member country?

No. An apostille is only valid between Hague Convention member countries. If your destination country is not a member, you must go through the full embassy legalisation process instead.

What is the difference between an apostille and embassy attestation?

An apostille is a single certificate issued by a Competent Authority in the document’s country of origin that is automatically recognised in the other Hague member countries (subject to bilateral objections). Embassy attestation is a multi-step process involving the issuing country’s foreign ministry and the destination country’s embassy, required when either country is not a Hague member or when one country has objected to the other’s accession.

Need an Apostille or Embassy Attestation?

AttestationMEA handles end-to-end apostille and embassy attestation for Indian-issued documents destined for any of the 129 Hague member countries — as well as full embassy legalisation for non-member destinations like the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Taiwan, and Egypt, and the special verification route required for Germany. AttestationMEA coordinates State authority, MEA, and Embassy processing across all document types including degree certificates, birth certificates, marriage certificates, PCC, and commercial documents.

Contact us: +91 99626 50280  |  sales@attestationmea.com