Legalisation of documents by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs

In order to have the authenticity of a signature certified or a document authenticated, a foreign authority, company or private person may ask Finnish authorities for an official certification for documents executed in Finland.

Apostille Certificate
A certificate may be legalised at a local register office by the issuance of the so-called Apostille stamp in case the document has to be produced in a State Party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. Hague Apostille Convention (The Hague Conference on private international law, HccH)

An Apostille Certificate issued by a Finnish notary public suffices as certification in case the State in which the document has to be produced is a Party to the Hague Apostille Convention. No other measure of legalisation of documents is required. For more information, please contact your local register office.

Local register offices

As to States other than those Parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, the legalisation procedure of documents has three stages. First, the notary public certifies the document or the signature. The original document issued by a state authority can be signed by its official. Next the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Consular Services/Legalisations) certifies the signature of the notary public or an official. Last, the Mission of the State in question certifies the legalisation certification issued by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Charges (certification)

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs charges a 20 euro fee per certification. At the most, six (6) documents may be certified while one waits.

You can pay

by a bank card or to the ministry's bank account: Nordea FI3616603000106974 (Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland) Notice. Take the receipt of the payment with you. overseas: Account holder:

Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland P.O.Box 176 FI-00023 Government FINLAND Bank: Nordea Bank Finland Plc Aleksanterinkatu 36 FIN-00020 NORDEA Finland Account: IBAN FI3616603000106974 SWIFT address NDEAFIHH

Contact information (MFA /Customer service)

Visiting address: Merikasarminkatu 5 D 00160 Helsinki Customer service Tel. +358-9-16005 Customer service is open from 9-12 am Mon-Fri. Postal address: Ministry for Foreign Affairs Consular Services Passport and Visa Unit KPA-20 P.O. Box 423 00023 Government, Finland

Documents are returned cash on delivery. Enclose the receipt of the payment, if you already paid to the ministry's bank account.