how to get an irish APOSTILLe

overview of irish apostille procedure

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​When would I need an Irish document apostilled?

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If you need to use Irish documents abroad, you may need to have them apostilled by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Department nor The Apostilles Group are unable to advise on whether a document needs to be apostilled. This is down to whomever the document is to be presented to.

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Who can authenticate documents?

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​The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can only apostille documents created in Ireland to be used in other countries.  All documents must either be created in Ireland or have an Irish link. The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reserves the right to refuse to apostille any documents which they deem not to have an Irish link.

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In the case of sworn documents, the person swearing the document before an Irish Notary Public or Solicitor must be resident in Ireland.

​Copies of foreign Passports, Driving Licences and ID Cards can only be apostilled if they have already been verified by the Irish Embassy in the respective country.

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All documents to be apostilled must bear an original signature, seal or stamp from an Irish practising public official or government department.

Remember...

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Authenticating a document doesn't mean that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is verifying that its contents are accurate or that the Department approves of its contents.

how we apostille/legalise documents

Documents the apostilles group can apostille

- Original certificates (e.g. birth, marriage, death)

- Company documents issued by the Companies Registration Office

- Documents signed by the Chambers of Commerce in Ireland

- Court documents, powers of attorney, and other notarial acts

- Educational certificates and qualifications recognised by the Department of Education

- Medical reports signed by a doctor who is registered with the Medical Council of Ireland

- Garda Clearance letters (they must be issued from the Superintendent's Office of the Garda station where you last lived in Ireland and bear an original stamp and signature of the Garda Síochána).

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Photocopies

The Apostilles Group can Apostille photocopies of certain documents so long as they have been certified by a practising Irish Solicitor or Notary Public. We can arrange this for £xxx. However, in the first instance, please confirm with the authority to whom the document is to be presented, that a certified copy will be acceptable.