Apostilled translation: when is it required? Apostille on the original, on the translation or both
By Keran Chaussard, administrator of the Directory of Sworn Translators of France — updated on
The phrase “apostilled translation” covers three different requirements: an apostille on the original document, which is then translated; an apostille on the translation itself; or both. It is the authority receiving the document that decides, not the translator or the issuing country. For a foreign document presented in France, a sworn translation is often enough, with or without an apostille on the original depending on the country.
A translation cannot be apostilled directly: it is a private document. The translator’s signature must first be certified (at a town hall or by a notary), and that certification is then apostilled by a notary. Always ask the receiving authority in writing what the apostille must cover before starting the formalities.
Three requirements behind the same phrase
| What is required | What to do | Real example |
|---|---|---|
| Apostille on the original only | Have the original apostilled, then translated together with its apostille | Most foreign documents presented in France from a country that requires the apostille |
| Formality on the translation only | Certification of the translator’s signature, possibly followed by an apostille on that certification | Passport translated for a Finnish authority: certification of the translator’s signature required |
| Apostille on the original and the translation | Apostille on the original, translation, certification of the translator’s signature, apostille on the translation | Criminal record for residence in Chile |
| No apostille | Sworn translation only | Civil status document from an EU country covered by Regulation 2016/1191, or a country exempted by treaty |
Why a translation cannot be apostilled directly
The apostille, provided for by the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, certifies the origin of a public document: the signature, the capacity of the signatory and, where applicable, the seal. A translation, even one made by a court-appointed expert translator, is not a public document. For it to receive an apostille, the translator’s signature must first be authenticated by a public authority: this is the certification of signature (légalisation de signature), carried out at a town hall or by a notary. It is this certification, which is a public document, that is then apostilled.
Since 1 May 2025, apostilles on French documents have been issued by notaries, including in electronic form. A translator can often arrange the certification of their signature: ask when you place the order.
A real case from Chile: two apostilles
An applicant had her criminal record apostilled, had it translated, then filed her residence application in Chile. The Chilean migration service sent her a notice prior to rejection: the translation was “not duly apostilled”. The order she had followed was not wrong, but it was incomplete: Chile also requires an apostille on the translation. The translator’s signature had to be certified and the translation apostilled urgently, within ten days.
A real case from Finland: certification without an apostille on the original
A passport does not fall within the scope of the European regulation on public documents. When a Finnish authority asked for a passport translation, the sworn translation alone was not enough: it required certification of the translator’s signature, to check that the translator was properly authorised. An exemption from the apostille on the original is therefore not an exemption from formalities on the translation.
In what order should you proceed?
- Get the receiving authority’s requirement in writing: apostille on the original, on the translation, or both; language; maximum age of documents.
- Have the original apostilled if required, before any translation.
- Have the original and its apostille translated by a court-appointed expert translator.
- Have the translator’s signature certified if a formality on the translation is required.
- Have the translation apostilled if the country requires it.
Work out the time needed for the whole chain before requesting the documents: many authorities require documents less than three months, or even 60 days, old on the date of filing. The apostille does not extend that validity.
Questions to ask the receiving authority
- Must the apostille cover the original, the translation, or both?
- Is a translation made in France by a court-appointed expert accepted, or is a translator approved in your country required?
- Which language is accepted (for example English in addition to the official language)?
- What is the maximum age of the documents?
- Is an electronic apostille accepted, or is the paper original required?
Finding a translator who handles signature certification
The Directory of Sworn Translators of France lets you search for a court-appointed expert translator by language, département, region and court of appeal. State the destination country in your quote request, and whether an apostille on the translation is required: the translator can then arrange the certification of their signature. The express file submission service lets you hand the whole request over to the Directory.
Frequently asked questions
- What is an apostilled translation?
- Depending on the case, a translation of an apostilled document, a translation that is itself apostilled after certification of the translator’s signature, or both. Only the receiving authority can say which it requires.
- Can a sworn translation be apostilled directly?
- No. The translator’s signature must first be certified at a town hall or by a notary; it is that certification that is apostilled.
- Should the apostille be obtained before or after translation?
- The original is apostilled before translation, so that the apostille is translated too. The translation, if it needs an apostille, is apostilled last.
- Is an apostilled translation needed for a document presented in France?
- Rarely: French authorities usually ask for a translation by a court-appointed expert, and any apostille covers the foreign original.
- Does the apostille replace the translation?
- No. The apostille authenticates the document’s origin, not its content: an apostilled document in a foreign language still has to be translated if the authority does not understand the language.
Sources
- Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents
- Decree No. 2021-1205 of 17 September 2021 on legalisation and the apostille, as amended by Decree No. 2024-1200 of 23 December 2024 (issued by notaries from 1 May 2025)
- Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 of 6 July 2016 on the free movement of certain public documents
- French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, summary table of conventions on legalisation, 11 September 2026 (in French)
- Chilean Decree No. 177 of 2022, Articles 6 and 8 (in Spanish)
