Does Belarus need an apostille?

In the Republic of Belarus from the fall of 2018, documents issued in Ukraine are accepted only on condition of their apostilization, ie affixing an apostille.

The apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, the competence of the person who signed the document, as well as the authenticity of the seal with which the document was sealed.

The Ministry of Justice emphasizes that from September 2018 there are new rules for the application of Art. 13 of the Convention on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family and Criminal Matters, signed in January 1993. Previously, Belarus accepted documents of individuals and legal entities as issued in Ukraine without apostille.

After 2018, documents submitted by legal entities or individuals of Ukraine on the territory of the Republic of Belarus must not only be made and certified by a person who has the appropriate authority or institution in the approved form within their qualifications and stamped, but also have an apostille according to the Convention, which abolishes the need for legalization of foreign official documents (1961). This condition, based on Art. 13 of the Convention may not be complied with if the documents are sent by bodies and institutions of justice in the framework of professional legal assistance in criminal, civil, family matters on the basis of the same Convention.

In view of this, the Ministry of Justice informed the organizations of state power of Ukraine about the application of mirror principles regarding the acceptance of documents issued in Belarus and provided to the Ukrainian Party by legal entities and individuals of Belarus. Therefore, the documents that must be presented in Ukraine by Belarusian legal entities and individuals must not only be drawn up in accordance with all forms, but also be apostilled.