Updated 10.06.2026 · MFA and Magistrate Court
Apostille in Israel
Alla Flat · Notary #224143 · Bar #49324 · 18 years of practice
An apostille is a certificate added to a public document so it can be used in another country that is party to the Hague Convention of 1961. In Israel two competent authorities issue apostilles: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for public-registry documents) and the Magistrate Court (for documents that carry a notarial certification).
01 / 09 · Where
Where Israeli documents most often travel
Documents issued in Israel are most often legalised for use in Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and CIS countries, for citizenship, marriage, study, work, inheritance, and other official procedures.
02 / 09 · Channel
Which apostille you need
Two channels issue apostilles in Israel, and the right one depends on the document type:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs apostille is added to public-registry documents issued by Israeli authorities: birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates from the Ministry of Interior, school and university diplomas, court records issued by court clerks, and similar public records.
- Magistrate Court apostille is added to documents that already carry an Israeli notary certification: notarised translations, certified copies, affidavits, powers of attorney drafted by a notary, and similar notarial acts.
The two channels are not interchangeable. A notarised translation cannot receive an MFA apostille, and a Ministry of Interior certificate cannot receive a court apostille.
03 / 09 · Electronic
A third channel, e-apostille via gov.il
For Israeli-issued public documents that are available in digital form, there is a third channel: the electronic apostille via the gov.il portal. The document is submitted online and the apostille arrives as a PDF by email. No visit to the MFA, no courier, no notary.
If your document qualifies for this channel, I say so before any paid work. I do not handle it on your behalf, it is available to you directly and free of charge.
04 / 09 · What it proves
What the apostille proves
The apostille verifies the signature and seal on the underlying document. It does not certify the truth of the content, only that the document was lawfully issued by the named authority and that the signature is genuine.
05 / 09 · Government fee
Regulated government fee
Each apostille, whether from the MFA or from the Magistrate Court, costs ₪41 in government fee. This fee goes to the state and is fixed. On top of it, my work is billed separately: preparing the document, the trip to the authority, returning the finished document. I confirm the exact total before starting.
The electronic apostille via the gov.il portal is free when the document qualifies for that channel.
06 / 09 · Process
How the process works
- Hand over the document. Bring the document to the office or send a clear photo by WhatsApp or email so we can confirm which apostille channel applies.
- Notarised translation (if required). If the document needs a notarised translation first, that step is done in the office before submission.
- Submit to the competent authority. The document is submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for state-issued documents) or the Magistrate Court (for documents that carry a notarial certification).
- Collect the apostilled document. The apostilled document is collected from the authority and returned to you in person, by courier, or by registered mail.
07 / 09 · Destinations
Common destinations
The Israeli apostille is valid in any country that is party to the Hague Apostille Convention. The convention has more than one hundred member states, including all of the European Union, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Moldova, China, and many others.
For countries that are not party to the convention, a different legalisation chain is required, usually involving the destination embassy in Israel. Ask before sending any documents.
08 / 09 · Basis
Legal basis
- Hague Apostille Convention 1961, the basis for apostille recognition abroad.
- Israeli Notaries Law 1976, the framework for notarial acts in Israel.
09 / 09 · Questions
Frequently asked questions
- Does the original document have to be in Hebrew?
- For an MFA apostille, the document must be the original issued by the competent Israeli authority. For a court apostille on a notarised translation, the underlying translation must be prepared and certified by a notary first.
- Can you apostille a foreign document?
- No. The Israeli apostille only applies to documents issued or certified in Israel. Foreign documents must be apostilled in the country that issued them.
- Do I need an appointment?
- We work by appointment. WhatsApp is the fastest way to coordinate timing.
- Is translation always required?
- Not always. Many destinations accept the original Hebrew document plus the apostille. If the receiving authority asks for a translation, we will prepare a notarised translation and apostille that as a separate document.
- What about the e-apostille via gov.il?
- It is a separate third channel, for Israeli-issued public documents available in digital form. Submitted online, the apostille arrives as a PDF by email, free of charge. If your document qualifies, I say so before any paid work. I do not handle that channel on your behalf.
- What is the apostille fee?
- The government fee is ₪41 per document, fixed. My work preparing the document, the trip to the authority, and the return is billed separately. I confirm the full amount before starting.
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“The Israeli apostille only applies to documents issued or certified in Israel. Foreign documents must be apostilled in the country that issued them.”
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