Legalization

Legalization is the procedure by which a Romanian document becomes valid in a state that is not party to the Hague Convention and with which Romania has no exemption treaty. The document passes, in order, through the institution that certifies the issuer’s signature, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, as a rule, through the embassy or consulate of the destination state in Romania. Expert For You handles this entire chain.

In brief

• Legalization at the MFA is done on the day of submission (MFA).
• Notarial documents are first legalized at the Chamber of Public Notaries (CNPB).
• The MFA accepts submission through a representative, including on the basis of a service contract with a specialized firm.
• The destination embassy’s fees differ from state to state and change — we confirm them at the time of the quote.

For which countries you need legalization

The most frequent requests are for the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Vietnam and Thailand. Note: India, the Republic of Moldova, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Saudi Arabia and China accept the apostille — for them legalization is not needed. Always check the current status on HCCH or ask us.

The document’s route

1. The prior certification, depending on the document: study documents — ISJ or CNRED endorsement (see Authentication of study documents); notarial documents and legalized translations — Chamber of Public Notaries; court judgments — the court/Ministry of Justice.
2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Aleea Alexandru 24, Sector 1; public hours 10:00–12:00 and 13:00–15:00, Wednesdays until 17:00.
3. The embassy or consulate of the destination state in Romania, with its fees and hours.
4. The translation into the required language (e.g. Arabic or English for the UAE), before or after legalization, depending on the state’s requirements — see sworn and legalized translations.

Which documents we legalize

• Civil status documents: birth, marriage, death certificate, proof of name change
• criminal record and driving record;
• diplomas and transcripts, pre-university and university;
• legalized translations, powers of attorney, notarial declarations, legalized copies;
• court judgments;
• commercial documents for export (certificates of origin, invoices, registration certificates);
• documents issued by third states, for use in Romania.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between apostille and legalization?

The apostille is a single stamp, valid in all Hague Convention states. Legalization is a chain of certifications (specialist institution, MFA, embassy), required for states outside the Convention.

How much does legalization cost?

MFA: from 121 lei per document (VAT included). Chamber of Public Notaries: from 145.20 lei per document (VAT included). Consulates: the fee varies by country (requires prior verification).

How long does it take?

The MFA stage is completed on the day of submission. The total duration depends mainly on the embassy when a full service is requested.

Can I send the documents from abroad?

Yes. You send us the originals by courier and a power of attorney (a Romanian notarial one, from a Romanian consulate, or a foreign one that is apostilled/legalized).