Journal
Articles on document translation
We break down apostilles, legalization, and country-specific requirements — based on real orders.
Articles: 16
Apostille or consular legalisation: how not to get it wrong
An apostille is not right for every country — we go through when it is exactly what you need and when there is no getting past the consulate.
The apostille went on a copy when it was needed on the original
A real mistake dissected: an apostille placed on a notarised copy of a birth certificate instead of the original — and how it cost the client a month and a second set of state fees.
Case study: an apostille on a diploma in one day before the application deadline
What urgent diploma apostille looks like when there are 48 hours left before a foreign university closes its intake — and what in that chain cannot be sped up.
Double apostille: when the stamp is needed both on the original and on the translation
Some countries require an apostille twice — on the source document and on the notarised translation. We explain the logic, the order of steps, and how to tell whether this is your case.
Apostille on civil-registry documents: who affixes it and why applications are refused
Certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, and name change — which authority apostilles them, how long it takes, and why applications come back. We go through the common grounds for refusal.
Apostille on an electronic police record: a case study
The record was issued as a PDF with an electronic signature, but the foreign authority requires an apostille on paper. We go through two working ways to get one from the other.