What does an apostille look like? Annotated specimens and how to check one

By Keran Chaussard, administrator of the Directory of Sworn Translators of France — updated on 20 October 2026

The specimens below are entirely fictitious: names, places and numbers are invented, and they do not reproduce the layout of any real authority. They are only meant to show where to find each piece of information on a real apostille.

The 10 mandatory fields of an apostille

The model is set out in the annex to the Convention. The fields may be written in the language of the issuing country, but the title is always in French.

What about the destination country?

It is not one of the Convention’s 10 fields: an apostille is valid in every country that applies the Convention. In practice, however, on French apostilles for use in a non-EU country, the destination country is often noted, usually by hand, in the top right-hand corner. It is the country where the document will be presented, and must not be confused with field 1, which gives the document’s country of origin.

Specimen 1: French apostille on a birth certificate

The most common case: a birth certificate issued by a French town hall, for use in a country outside the European Union that requires an apostille. French apostilles are written in French.

Key point: since 1 May 2025, French apostilles have been issued by notaries, through the apostille and legalisation centres of the regional councils and interdepartmental chambers of notaries, and in electronic form by default. They are recorded in a national register kept by the notarial profession, which makes it possible to verify them.

Specimen 2: apostille on a sworn translation

When a translation produced in France must itself be apostilled, the signature of the court-appointed expert translator must first be certified, at a town hall or by a notary. The apostille then covers this certification: field 2 shows the person who certified the translator’s signature, not the translator.

So if you receive an apostille whose field 2 names a town hall officer or a notary rather than your translator, that is normal: the chain of certification runs through the signature certification.

Specimen 3: US apostille on a birth certificate

A document issued abroad and presented in France is apostilled in its country of origin, never in France. The United States has no single issuing authority: documents from a state (birth certificate, notarised document…) are apostilled by that state’s designated office, usually the Secretary of State, and federal documents by the US Department of State in Washington. The fields are in English; only the title is in French.

Specimen 4: the sworn translation of that apostille into French

To be used in France, the foreign document must be translated together with its apostille. The court-appointed expert translator translates each field, converts the date to the French format and indicates graphic elements (seal, signature) in square brackets without reproducing them.

A translation that leaves out the apostille is one of the most frequent reasons for rejection: when you send your document to the translator, always include every page, apostille included.

Specimen 5: Brazilian electronic apostille

In Brazil, apostilles are issued by cartórios (notarial and civil registry offices) through a national electronic platform overseen by the National Council of Justice (CNJ). The apostille carries a QR code and a verification code that allow the recipient to check its authenticity online. The fields are in Portuguese, with their equivalents in other languages.

Even when the apostille includes labels in French, the document it accompanies (birth certificate, diploma, judgment…) remains in Portuguese and must be translated by a sworn translator, apostille included.

Where is the apostille on a document?

• Stamp on the document: a rectangular or square stamp, often on the back or at the bottom of the last page, filled in by hand or typed.
• Allonge: a separate sheet attached to the document with a staple, eyelet, ribbon or a seal overlapping both pages. Never detach it: once separated from the document, it is no longer valid.
• Electronic apostille (e-Apostille): a digital file signed electronically and linked to the electronic document. It has been the default form of French apostilles since 1 May 2025. Keep the file as it is: a printed version may not be accepted by the recipient, so check with them.

How can you check an apostille?

Every authority that issues apostilles must keep a register recording the number, date, and the name and capacity of the signatory (Article 7 of the Convention). On request, it checks whether an apostille matches its register.

• French apostille issued since 1 May 2025: it can be checked in the notarial profession’s register of apostilles and legalisations, using the references shown on the apostille.
• Brazilian apostille: scan the QR code or enter the verification code on the platform indicated on the apostille.
• US apostille: contact the state office that issued it (field 7); several states offer online verification.
• Other foreign apostille: many countries offer an online register (e-Register), listed by the Hague Conference. Otherwise, contact the authority named in field 7, giving the number (field 8) and the date (field 6).

Warning signs

• the title “Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)” is missing
• fields are missing, in particular the number, date or authority
• the country in field 1 does not apply the Hague Convention
• the name in field 2 does not match the person who signed the document
• the allonge has been detached and reattached, or its staples removed

What an apostille does not do

• It does not certify the content of the document: it only attests the signature, the signatory’s capacity and the seal.
• It does not replace translation: an apostilled foreign document must still be translated by a sworn translator if the French authorities require it.
• It is not valid for every country: for a country that does not apply the Convention, consular legalisation applies instead; and between EU countries, some documents are exempt.
• It cannot be obtained in France for a foreign document: only the country that issued the document can apostille it.

Finding a translator for an apostilled document

The Directory of Sworn Translators of France lets you search for a court-appointed expert translator by language, département, region and court of appeal. If the translation itself must be apostilled, say so when you make your request: the expert can tell you how to have their signature certified. For an urgent file or a rare language, the express file submission service lets you entrust the request to the Directory.

Frequently asked questions

What does an apostille look like?

It is a stamp or certificate bearing the title “Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)” and ten numbered fields: country, signatory, capacity, seal, place, date, authority, number, and the authority’s seal and signature. The structure is the same in every country party to the Convention.

Are French apostilles still issued on paper?

Since 1 May 2025, notaries have issued apostilles in electronic form by default. A paper apostille is issued only where an electronic one is technically impossible.

How can I tell whether an apostille is genuine?

Check it with the authority that issued it (field 7), using its number and date, or in that authority’s online register if there is one. For a recent French apostille, use the notarial register of apostilles and legalisations.

Is the destination country shown on the apostille?

It is not a mandatory field under the Convention, but on French apostilles for use in a non-EU country it is often noted, usually by hand, in the top right-hand corner.

Who issues apostilles in the United States or Brazil?

In the United States, each state’s designated office (usually the Secretary of State) for that state’s documents, and the Department of State for federal documents. In Brazil, the cartórios, through a national electronic platform.

Does the apostille need translating?

Yes, if it is written in a foreign language. It must be translated together with the document it accompanies, by a sworn translator.

Why does my translator’s name not appear on the apostille?

Because the apostille covers the certification of their signature: field 2 shows the person (town hall officer or notary) who certified the translator’s signature.

Can an apostille on an allonge be detached?

No. The allonge forms a single whole with the document; once detached, it loses its validity and the document may be rejected.

Sources

• Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, Articles 3 to 7 and annex
• Notaires de France, “Apostille, légalisation : explications” (in French)
• Paris Chamber of Notaries, Paris Legalisation and Apostille Centre (CLAP) (in French)
• French notarial profession, Register of apostilles and legalisations
• Hague Conference, e-APP notification from France No. 2 of 2025 (e-Apostille and e-Register)
• Hague Conference, United States: competent authorities (Article 6)
• Machado Meyer, “Processo eletrônico de apostilamento no Brasil” (CNJ Resolution No. 392/2021) (in Portuguese)
• Decree No. 2021-1205 of 17 September 2021, amended by Decree No. 2024-1200 of 23 December 2024, on legalisation and the apostille