How Long Does the Apostille Last?

A common question we receive frequently is ‘how long does the apostille last. Apostille certificates do not have an expiry date. The apostille certificate will have a date of issue but they do not ‘run out’ or ‘expire'.

In most circumstances an apostille should be accepted at any time after issue. However, there are some circumstances when a recent apostille may be requested on a document. One example is a criminal record check. A potential employer or visa authority may request that your criminal record check and apostille are less than 3 or 6 months old. This is understandable as a check on your criminal record needs to be recently issued.

Another document that should be issued with an apostille in the last 3 to 6 months is the certificate of no impediment. This document relates to couples getting married. It confirms that there is nothing preventing the couple from marriage and is often requested for weddings in Italy and Greece.

We hear from many customers that have been asked for a recent apostille on birth certificates and academic documents. It may be argued that this is not necessary and an older apostille should be accepted as your birth and academic qualifications have not changed. However, many international government offices are bureaucratic in nature and may still insist on apostilles on all documents to be less than 3 or 6 months old. In these circumstances the simple solution is to obtain a new apostille as you are unlikely to change the operating procedure of a government office or international organisation.

We are pleased to provide the apostille in just a few days. If your apostille must be within a specific period of time, you do not need to worry about scheduling the apostille into your timeframe.