Schmidt & Schmidt covers the full spectrum of legalization services for documents issued in Macao.
Macao joined the Hague Convention on the Simplified Authentication of Documents on 6 December 1968, following the Portuguese extension; the Convention remained in force in Hong Kong after its respective transfer to China.
The apostille, or the “Hague apostille” is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document (e.g., a birth, marriage or death certificate, a judgment, an extract of a register or a notarial attestation). It confirms the authenticity of the signature and the authority of an official who signed the public document.
Documents issued in Macao are certified with an apostille in accordance with the Hague Convention of 1961 are recognized in all Member States of the Hague Convention and do not require any other form of certification, such as consular legalization, which considerably reduces the costs and time required for the certification of documents. So far, more than 120 states have joined the Convention.
The apostille is not sufficient for use in the states that are not party to the Hague Convention. In this case, consular legalization applies to a public document.
In Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), the designated competent authority for issuing apostilles is the Chief Executive, the Secretary for Administration and Justice and the Director of the Legal Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region, sometimes referred to as the Legal Affairs Bureau.
The authority will carefully examine the document to verify if the signatures, stamps, or seals align with their own records. If they are confirmed to be authentic, the document will be legalized by affixing an 'apostille' (an officially stamped certificate).
The apostille in Macao is a square stamp in Portuguese or Chinese with the obligatory heading "Apostille", and a reference to the 1961 Hague Convention in French (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961). The apostille certificate’s sides will be at least 9 centimeters long.
Macao is among the 120 countries that recognize and issue apostilles in accordance with the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. The apostille serves as a confirmation of the official status of a document.
The apostille process can vary depending on the sender and recipient country, but typically to obtain an apostille for a document in Macao, you must go through the following steps.
In-Person Applications:
Present your original Macao SAR Resident Identity Card (BIR). In case, where you do not have a BIR, you might need to:
For applications via relatives or third parties, you will need to provide:
This process can be time-consuming, especially if it includes multiple documents and different countries. To ensure a smooth and accurate apostille process, it is recommended to seek guidance from specialists familiar with the requirements and procedures. Their expertise can help avoid delays and errors in obtaining documents apostille.
Document requirements that might apply:
The apostille is issued in a uniform format. In Macao, it has the form of a printed sticker with a handwritten signature of an official, an official seal, and a hologram.
In cases where apostilles are not recognized, holders of foreign documents will need to legalize them instead. However, If the country of destination of the document recognizes and issues apostilles, then legalization is unnecessary.
If you require new original documents, the information here will help you.For educational documents issued in Macao, such as school reports, university degree certificates, transcripts of records, enrollment certificates, and other school or university certificates, to be recognized and valid abroad, they must undergo an authentication process through legalization.
In general, the procedure for legalizing educational documents from Macao will involve authentication by the Legal Affairs Bureau of Macao. The documents will also likely need to bear a stamp and signature of the relevant university, or be accredited by the responsible body.
Such an approach ensures that educational documents possess the necessary legal authority, allowing them to be recognized and used across various countries. While these are general procedures, the exact requirements may vary, so it is advisable to confirm the specific steps with the relevant authorities.
Macao is a part of the following agreements:
Consular legalization is the process of authenticating or certifying a legal document so a foreign country's legal system will recognize it as with full legal effect that is carried out by the diplomatic or consular mission of the country in which the document is to be used.
This procedure is required when the destination country does not recognize or accept the apostille certification. One needs to submit the original document, along with any required copies or supporting materials, to the respective consular office. The consular officials will review the document, verify its authenticity, and affix their seal or stamp to certify its validity.
The consular legalization process may require additional steps like obtaining translations of the document into the language of the destination country or providing additional supporting documentation as requested by the consular office.
It is up to the diplomatic mission to decide about the authentication procedure
The specific requirements and procedures for consular legalization may vary depending on the regulations of the destination country.
The common feature between apostille and consular legalization is that they authenticate an official document for presentation to institutions in another country. However, they have many differences.
| Apostille | Consular legalization | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal effect | Can be used in all countries that are party to the Hague Convention on the Simplified Legalization of Documents. | Use between States one or both of which is not a member of the Hague Convention, or where one of the contracting States has protested the accession of the other. |
| Difficulty | Moderate. To obtain an apostille, contact the competent apostille authority of the state of origin of the document. | High. For consular legalization, various inland authorities and a diplomatic mission of the state of destination must be involved. |
| Pre-certification | Usually not required. | Is obligatory. |
| Attestation at the state of destination embassy in the state of origin of the document | No need to contact the Consulate of the country of destination. | Is the final step of legalization. |
Schmidt & Schmidt provides apostille and consular legalization services for public documents originating from all regions across Macao. We handle the entire process, from document review to obtaining the necessary certifications, ensuring that your documents are valid and recognized internationally. With our reliable services, you can confidently use your Macao public documents abroad.
If the important documents are lost or damaged, or current copies of the documents are needed, the re-issue of the documents is required. It is not unusual for people outside Macao to encounter difficulties with obtaining new documents when abroad. Our consultants will help you procure new documents from Macao remotely, and we can arrange for your documents to be sent by courier anywhere in the world.
Copies and transcripts of civil status documents can be translated into any language by a sworn translator in Macao or the translation can be done in the country of destination. We offer certified translations of civil status documents with further certification. The cost of the work is calculated according to the volume of the document in question.
Any foreign document issued in one country and used in another country must be legalized for use abroad. Therefore, the authenticity of a certified translation from Macao needs to be certified by an apostille. Consequently, many authorities may not accept certified translations from Macao if the translation has not been properly authenticated in Macao for use abroad. To avoid this confusion, translations should better be made in the state of the destination of the document.
We offer a wide range of services and supplies related to the legalization of documents to suit all your needs. If you have a tight budget or need to have your documents legalized in record time, we can find a suitable solution. The deadline begins with the receipt of your documents.
incl. German VAT 19%
Price excl. VAT from 120€
Apostille and consular legalization for document from abroad
incl. German VAT 19%
Price excl. VAT from 140€
Certified translation of documents into foreign language
incl. German VAT 19%
Price excl. VAT from 60€
Express delivery of documents with apostille from abroad is charged separately according to the rates of delivery services.
Send us a request with a copy of your documents by email or via a special form on the website. We will examine your documents and let you know whether legalization is possible, as well as information on the costs and conditions of the procedure. We will need some time to complete the initial review. We will contact you as soon as we have all the necessary information.
It is not necessary to make an appointment or visit our office. Simply send us your documents by courier service and pay the amount due online. If necessary, we are always ready to answer further questions by e-mail or telephone.
The legalization of documents will take some time. Our experts work quickly and efficiently because they know their stuff well. As soon as the documents are ready, we will inform you.
As soon as the documents are legalized, we will send them to you by courier service worldwide. Our company also offers you translation services.
Я заказывал дубликат свидетельства о рождении из РФ с апостилем и переводом на замену старого времён СССР. Всё сделали очень быстро и качественно, прислали документы ко мне домой.
06 September 2024Kanada ve Hollanda'dan birçok resmi belge için noter ve apostil onaylarını Schmidt & Schmidt aracılığıyla aldik. Bilgesu Hanim işini çok iyi yapıyor. Her sorumuza vakit ayırıp detaylı cevap verdi. Tüm aşamaları takip etti ve bizimle irtibat halindeydi. İşlemler çok hızlı bir sekilde sorunsuz tamamlandı. Yardımlarınız için çok teşekkürler.
04 September 2024I really enjoy the service. It was easy to agree on all details online. I received all the documents translated and registered within a month. Thanks
What is an apostille? Why do I need an apostille? How do I get an apostille? - Our video will explain everything you need to know about the apostille. If you have a document that needs to be certified with an apostille for use abroad, Schmidt and Schmidt will assist you! We provide apostille services in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Legalization of a document is a process, which allows to legitimate the document issued in one country for its usage in another. It means, if you want to submit a document, issued in one country, to authorities in a target country, the document must primarily prove its authenticity. Legalization confirms the authority of the issuing official as well as an authenticity of his signature and seal. Legalization is needed for official non-commercial documents.
No, not always. In some cases, countries can make bi- or multilateral agreements that completely revoke legalization of documents for their recognition in the member countries. For example, a CIEC convention from 1976 or bilateral treaties between Germany and Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg, Austria and Switzerland.
When foreign documents have to be presented to local authorities, a certified translation is required. These documents therefore must be translated and signed by a sworn translator and then certified by a notary, court or any other authority.
We work with qualified sworn translators and offer you certified translations of various documents such as contracts, extracts from commercial registers, court decisions and certificates into various languages.
The certified translations we offer will be recognized in more than 100 countries.
It often happens that personal documents are lost or damaged. Current copies of these documents are also sometimes required. In this case it is necessary to obtain documents again. Our service allows you to obtain documents remotely in more than 100 countries around the world. We can also legalize documents and deliver them by courier anywhere in the world.
Duplicate birth, marriage, name change, divorce or death certificates may be required to register a marriage abroad, register a newborn child, obtain citizenship or inheritance, data to apply for a pension confirm opening bank accounts and handling other bureaucratic matters.
We ensure that our services are legally flawless and your documents will be accepted in the target country.
We include the cost of our services, government fees, and delivery in the price. You don't need to worry about additional expenses. Obtain an apostille or consular legalization of your documents without registration or subscription.
Stay informed on our latest news.
A conference entitled “Addressing International Private Law through the Lens of the Apostille Convention” was held in Thailand as part of the 62nd annual session of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO). This was reported on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
13 September 2024
The Ministry of International Relations (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores) of the Dominican Republic announced a temporary suspension of apostille and document legalization services, according to the local publication Listin Diario.
03 September 2024
The authority to certify documents with an apostille will be transferred from the courts of appeal to the notary chambers from January 1, 2025. This was reported by La Gazette Du Midi, citing the head of the Toulouse Notary Chamber, Hubert Letignier.
27 August 2024 
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry held a ceremony to mark the Islamic Republic's accession to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention), Radio Pakistan reported.
