Alla Flat · Notary #224143 · Bar #49324 · 18 years of practice
Reviewed by Adv. Alla Flat · updated 2026-05-15

Apostille in Israel

An apostille is a certificate added to a public document so it can be used in another country that is party to the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961. In Israel, two competent authorities issue apostilles, and the right one depends on which kind of document you have.

Which apostille you need

• 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's certification. These include 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.

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.

How the process works

1. You bring the document to the office, or send a clear copy by WhatsApp or email so we can confirm which apostille channel applies.
2. If the document needs a notarised translation first, that step is done in the office.
3. The document is submitted to the competent authority — the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Magistrate Court, as required.
4. The apostilled document is collected from the authority and returned to you in person, by courier, or by registered mail.

Processing time depends on the authority and on the document. We will tell you the realistic range when we see the document.

Common destinations

Israel issues apostilles for any country that is a 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, Turkey, 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.

Full country table with typical processing times and per-country notes →

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.

Reach out

The fastest path is WhatsApp. Send a clear photo or scan of the document, the destination country, and the deadline if you have one.