What documents can be apostilled?

All public documents, issued in Costa Rica that will have legal effect in another State or Government, except documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents.

Apostille Service and Legalization Service The MREC has two alternative means of authenticating the signatures of a document at the public’s disposal, so that it can take effect abroad. This will depend on whether the country of destination of the document to be legalized is or is not part of the Apostille Agreement.

1. If the document is addressed to countries that are not members of the Hague Convention, the interested will obtain the traditional legalization that will be placed on the physical document. 

PROCESS OF APOSTILLE A DOCUMENT IN COSTA RICA:

2. If the document is addressed to a member country of the Hague Convention, the interested party will obtain the Apostille that will also be attached to the physical document.

The duly granted apostille will be digitized and published so that it can be consulted and downloaded on our website, through the “Apostille Consultation” service, using the keys printed on the document.

The purpose of this service of consultation of apostilles and legalizations is that, the authentication applicant and any other interested third party to whom the authenticated document is destined, can through this page, verify the validity of an Apostille or Legalization.

When the person interested in verifying an authentication, enter the elements that unify the authentication (Apostille Key / Legalization Code, Granting Date and Verification Code), the digital image of the Apostille / Legalization, the which will be a true copy of the original issued by the Competent Authority. This image will allow a visual comparison with the presented Apostille, being able to confirm that it is genuine. When a procedure is carried out before the Authentication Department, the user is given a receipt (proof of signature of documents), where the date and time of the delivery is clearly indicated, in order to present it to the time to withdraw according to the indicated terms.