Consular legalisation (also called attestation) is a chain of certifications. Each office confirms the signature or stamp of the office before it, until the embassy of the destination country adds the final stamp that its authorities will recognise.
The usual chain for a Palestinian document
- Issuing authority or notaryThe document is issued or certified by the competent ministry, university or court, or a notary public certifies a copy or signature.
- Ministry stamp where requiredSome documents first need the stamp of the issuing ministry, for example the Ministry of Higher Education for university degrees or the Ministry of Justice for court documents.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ExpatriatesThe Palestinian MOFA authenticates the previous signature.
- Embassy, consulate or representative officeThe mission of the destination country accredited for Palestine legalises the MOFA stamp.
- Certified translationDone before or after legalisation, depending on what the destination authority requires.
The order and the offices differ by document and by country. A degree for Saudi Arabia, a marriage certificate for Germany and a commercial invoice for Jordan each follow a different path. We confirm the route before we begin so nothing has to be redone.
Foreign documents for use in Palestine
Documents issued abroad generally need certification in the issuing country and legalisation by the Palestinian embassy there, followed by a certified Arabic translation. We coordinate with our network abroad so you do not have to travel.
Embassies set their own rules, fees and appointment systems, and they can change without notice. We track these changes for the countries our clients use most.
Legalisation by destination country
Europe and Türkiye
Americas
Embassy & consular legalisation – Cities
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between legalisation and apostille?
An apostille is a single certificate valid between Hague Convention members. Legalisation is a chain of stamps ending with the embassy of the destination country. Palestinian documents always use legalisation.
Do I need to be present at the embassy?
Usually not. Most legalisations can be done by our team on your behalf. Some embassies require a power of attorney or the applicant's presence for certain documents; we tell you in advance.
Can you legalise commercial documents?
Yes. We legalise invoices, certificates of origin, company registration documents and powers of attorney for business use, often with a chamber of commerce stamp first.