Does an Apostille certify the contents of my document?

No. Under the Hague Apostille Convention, the Apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document acted, and (where appropriate) the identity of the seal or stamp; it does not certify the truth of the content.

How do I verify whether the issuing country is a party to the Apostille Convention?

Use the official HCCH status table for the Apostille Convention. It shows whether a country is a Contracting Party and the entry-into-force date (and any relevant notes).

What if the issuing country is NOT a party to the Apostille Convention?

In most cases you must follow a legalisation / superlegalisation chain (successive authentications) required by the issuing country and accepted by Romanian authorities. The exact chain depends on the document and the country.

Do I need an Apostille for public documents exchanged within the EU?

Often not for certain categories of public documents, because Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 simplifies formalities and supports multilingual standard forms in many situations. You must check whether your document type and purpose fall within the Regulation’s scope.

Who can produce an ‘authorised’ or ‘notarised/legalised’ translation in Romania?

In practice, translations for courts/notaries are made by a translator/interpreter authorised by the Romanian Ministry of Justice; the translator’s signature can then be legalised by a Romanian notary public or by a Romanian diplomatic mission/consular office (as applicable).

Can I legalise the translator’s signature if I only have a simple scan/copy of the foreign document?

Typically no. Official conditions for consular legalisation of a translator’s signature require that the document to be translated be presented in an acceptable form (commonly original or certified/notarised copy), not a simple copy.

What is the recommended order: apostille/legalisation vs translation?

A common best practice is: (1) obtain the document in an acceptable form (original/certified copy), (2) apply the Apostille or complete the legalisation chain in the issuing state, (3) translate in Romania through an authorised translator, (4) legalise the translator’s signature (notary/consulate), then prepare filing sets for court/notary.

What are the most frequent reasons Romanian institutions reject foreign documents?

Common issues include: wrong regime (apostille used where it does not apply), apostille/legalisation applied to an unacceptable form of the document, missing annexes/pages, unauthorised or non-legalised translations, and identity-data inconsistencies (names/dates) across documents.

Apostille vs Superlegalisation in Romania: step-by-step + authorised translations (complete guide)

SEO Title: Apostille vs Superlegalisation in Romania: step-by-step + authorised translations (complete guide)
Meta description: Definitive guide for foreign documents used in Romania: Apostille vs superlegalisation, how to check Apostille Convention status, EU public-document simplifications, practical workflow for legalisation and authorised translations, checklist and rejection fixes.
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1) First decision: do you need an Apostille, a legalisation chain, or no formalities?

In practice, you’ll usually fall into one of these routes: (A) EU public documents covered by Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 (often no Apostille and possible multilingual standard forms), (B) the issuing country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (Apostille), or (C) the issuing country is not a party (legalisation/superlegalisation chain).

(A) EU route (Regulation (EU) 2016/1191): for certain categories of public documents presented between EU Member States, the Apostille requirement is removed and multilingual standard forms can be used as translation support. See EUR-Lex – Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 and the EU e-Justice Portal – public documents forms.
(B) Apostille route (Hague Apostille Convention 1961): if the issuing country is a Contracting Party, the standard authentication is an Apostille issued by the country’s designated Competent Authority. See HCCH – Apostille Convention (full text) and HCCH – Apostille Section.
(C) Superlegalisation / legalisation chain: if the issuing country is not a Contracting Party, you will typically need a chain of authentications (requirements vary by country and document). For Romanian-side procedural pointers, see Romanian MFA (MAE) – legalisations and Romanian Ministry of Justice – superlegalisation procedure.

2) Apostille vs superlegalisation: the practical difference (no jargon)

Apostille is a simplified authentication method between states that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Under the Convention, the Apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing acted, and (where appropriate) the identity of the seal/stamp on the document (not the document’s content). See HCCH – Convention text.

Superlegalisation (a legalisation “chain”) is the alternative when the Apostille route does not apply. The document is authenticated through successive steps (which may involve authorities in the issuing country and, depending on the route, diplomatic/consular steps). General Romanian-side guidance and logistics are described by MAE and the Ministry of Justice.

3) When the Apostille Convention applies & how to verify the issuing country (2-minute check)

Open the official HCCH status table for the Apostille Convention.
Find the issuing country and confirm it is listed as a Contracting Party.
Check the entry-into-force date and any notes (territorial extensions, special remarks).
If the country is not listed (or the Convention is not in force for the relevant context), plan for a legalisation/superlegalisation chain.

For deeper practical explanations (including document categories and Apostille mechanics), consult the HCCH Apostille Handbook (PDF).

4) Romania-specific tip: where Apostilles are issued (and how verification may work)

If you need an Apostille issued in Romania (for a Romanian public document to be used abroad), official Romanian guidance indicates that Apostilles are issued by different competent authorities depending on the document category (e.g., courts/tribunals, notaries’ chambers, prefect institutions). See the official information page: Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs – Apostille information. For online verification (where available), see apostila.mai.gov.ro.

5) Practical workflow (best practice) for foreign documents used in Romania

Confirm the route: EU 2016/1191 vs Apostille vs legalisation chain. (Reg. 2016/1191; HCCH status table)
Obtain an acceptable form of the document: in many workflows this means the original or a certified/notarised copy (avoid relying on a simple scan when a formal/legalised translation will be required).
Authenticate first: apply the Apostille or complete the legalisation chain in the issuing country before you translate, so the translation can reflect the final form (including stamps/attachments).
Translate through an authorised translator in Romania: the Ministry of Justice is the competent authority for authorising and maintaining the register of authorised translators/interpreters under Law no. 178/1997. See MoJ – authorised translators/interpreters and Law no. 178/1997 (Portal Legislativ).
Legalise the translator’s signature: MoJ explains that a “legalised/notarised translation” is made by an authorised translator and the translator’s signature is legalised by a Romanian notary public (or by a Romanian diplomatic mission/consular office). See MoJ – authorisation procedure (includes note on legalised translations).
Prepare filing sets: keep a clean set for court/notary and a separate archive set, and list annexes (including any apostille/legalisation page and the translator’s legalisation).

6) Authorised translations vs “legalised/notarised translations” (Romania)

In Romania, a translation for courts/notaries is commonly produced by a translator/interpreter authorised by the Ministry of Justice. The term often used in practice for a “legalised/notarised translation” refers to the translator’s signature being legalised by a notary public (or by a Romanian consular office abroad). See MoJ – authorised translators and MoJ – procedure (note on legalised translations).

Official consular conditions also highlight a key detail: the document presented for translation must be in an acceptable form; a simple copy is typically not accepted for legalising the translator’s signature. See eConsulat – conditions for legalising an authorised translator’s signature.

7) Checklist (documents & recommended order)

✅ The foreign document in an acceptable form (commonly original or certified/notarised copy).
✅ Route confirmation: EU 2016/1191 vs Apostille vs legalisation chain.
✅ If EU 2016/1191 applies: check whether a multilingual standard form (MSF) can be obtained/used via e-Justice public document forms.
✅ If Apostille applies: Apostille issued by the issuing country’s Competent Authority; verify country status on HCCH.
✅ If not: plan a legalisation/superlegalisation chain using official Romanian-side pointers (MAE; MoJ) and the issuing country’s requirements.
✅ Authorised translation in Romania + legalisation of the translator’s signature (notary/consulate): MoJ, MoJ procedure, eConsulat conditions.
✅ Full annex set: include apostille/legalisation page(s) and translate them where required by the receiving institution.

8) Rejection pitfalls (and how to fix them quickly)

Frequent mistake	Why it gets rejected (in practice)	Fix
Wrong route chosen (Apostille used where it does not apply)	The Apostille route is limited to Contracting Parties under the Apostille Convention	Check HCCH status table and switch to a legalisation/superlegalisation chain if needed
Apostille/legalisation applied to an unacceptable form (simple scan/copy)	Courts/notaries may require original/certified copies; consular rules highlight that simple copies are not acceptable for legalising the translator’s signature	Obtain original/certified copy and redo the step; see eConsulat conditions
Translation not produced by an authorised translator, or translator’s signature not legalised where required	Receiving institutions often require authorised translators and signature legalisation for “legalised/notarised translations”	Use MoJ-authorised translators and legalise signature via notary/consulate: MoJ, MoJ procedure
Missing pages/annexes or untranslated stamps/attachments	The institution cannot verify completeness or authenticity of the set	Translate the complete set (including apostille/legalisation page) and attach annex list
Identity data mismatch (names/dates) across documents	Institutions may not be able to link the person to the document set	Provide explanatory supporting documents (name-change/marriage certificate etc.) and ensure consistent translation conventions
EU simplifications ignored (unnecessary Apostille requests for eligible EU public documents)	Costs/time wasted; institutions may accept the EU route	Check scope of Reg. 2016/1191 and MSF availability via e-Justice forms

9) Mini-FAQ (typical cases)

Do I need an Apostille for EU public documents?

Often no for certain categories of public documents presented between EU Member States, due to Regulation (EU) 2016/1191. Check whether your document and purpose fall within its scope and whether an MSF can help via e-Justice public documents.

Where is the official Apostille country list?

On HCCH’s official list: Apostille Convention status table.

What does an Apostille prove?

It certifies signature authenticity, the signatory’s capacity, and (where appropriate) the seal/stamp identity—see Convention text and the HCCH Apostille Handbook.

Who is the Romanian authority for authorised translators?

The Romanian Ministry of Justice is the competent authority for authorising and maintaining records of authorised translators/interpreters under Law no. 178/1997; see MoJ information page.

What is a “legalised/notarised translation” in Romania?

MoJ explains it as a translation done by an authorised translator, with the translator’s signature legalised by a notary public (or Romanian consular office). See MoJ – procedure page (note on legalised translations).

Can I legalise the translator’s signature if I only have a simple copy?

Official consular conditions indicate that a simple copy is not accepted for this service; see eConsulat – conditions.

Is there an official Romania page about Apostilles?

Yes. For Romania-specific information, see MAE – applying Apostille in Romania and MAI – Apostille information.

Are there official notary rules that may matter for translations and document use?

Notarial activity is regulated by Law no. 36/1995; the implementation regulation is also publicly available as a PDF: UNNPR – Regulation for Law no. 36/1995 (PDF).