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BEITON & Co | 2026-03-31

Apostille in Israel — What It Is, When You Need One & How to Get It

An apostille is an international certification that proves an Israeli public document is authentic and valid. Without an apostille, a foreign country has no way to verify that the notary's, judge's, or government official's signature on the document is genuine and that the document is original.

If you need to use an Israeli document abroad — a birth certificate, marriage certificate, academic diploma, power of attorney, or any other official document — you will very likely need an apostille.

What Is an Apostille and Why Do You Need One?

The apostille is a mechanism established by the Hague Convention of 1961, formally known as the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. Before the convention, every document sent abroad had to go through a lengthy and expensive chain of authentications — notary, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassy.

The apostille replaces that entire chain with a single stamp. Any country that is a member of the convention recognizes the apostille without requiring further authentication.

As of 2026, more than 120 countries are members of the Hague Convention — including all EU member states, the United States, Canada, Australia, Russia, Brazil, and many others.

Two Types of Apostille in Israel

Israel has two bodies that issue apostilles, depending on the type of document:

1. Court-Issued Apostille

Issued by the District Court. Intended for documents signed by a notary — powers of attorney, translations, signature authentication, affidavits.

This is the most common type of apostille. If you have a notarized document that needs to be presented abroad — this is the route.

2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Apostille

Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Intended for government-issued documents:

• Birth, marriage, and death certificates — from the Population Registry
• Academic certificates — Ministry of Education, universities
• Government-issued permits — business license, police clearance certificate

Which Documents Need an Apostille?

How to Get an Apostille — Step by Step

For notarized documents (via the District Court):

1. Prepare the notarized document — signature authentication, notarial translation, power of attorney, etc.
2. Submit a request to the District Court — with the original document
3. Pay the court fee — 41 ₪
4. Receive the apostille — stamped on the document or attached as an annex

For government documents (via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs):

1. Prepare the document — original only
2. Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Document Authentication Department
3. Pay the fee
4. Receive the apostille

How Much Does an Apostille Cost in Israel?

In addition to the government fee, if you use a notary service to handle the process:

All prices are before VAT (18%). The government fee (41 ₪) is charged separately.

Want to know the exact cost? Use our price calculator.

Hague Convention Member Countries — Examples

The apostille is valid in all member countries of the convention. Here is a partial list of common destinations:

• Europe: Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Greece, Portugal
• Americas: United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico
• Asia & Oceania: Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand
• Africa: South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia
• CIS: Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan

The full list includes more than 120 countries. You can check on the Hague Conference website.

When You Do NOT Need an Apostille

You don't always need an apostille. Here are situations where you can skip it:

• Document for use in Israel only — no apostille needed
• Country that is not a convention member — such as some Arab states. In these cases, consular authentication is required (a longer process)
• The foreign body does not require an apostille — always check in advance what exactly is needed
• Bilateral agreements — certain bilateral treaties between countries exempt some documents from apostille requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is an apostille?

Answer: An apostille is an official stamp certifying that an Israeli public document is authentic and valid. It is based on the Hague Convention (1961) and is recognized in more than 120 countries worldwide.

Question: How much does an apostille cost in Israel?

Answer: The government fee is 41 ₪. If you prefer us to handle the process for you — 50 ₪ per certificate for a court apostille and 250 ₪ per certificate for a Ministry of Foreign Affairs apostille (before VAT), in addition to the government fee.

Question: How long does it take to get an apostille?

Answer: At the District Court — typically 1-3 business days. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — 3-7 business days.

Question: Does every country recognize an Israeli apostille?

Answer: Only countries that are members of the Hague Convention. Countries that are not members (such as some Arab states) require consular authentication — a longer and more complex process.

Question: Can I get an apostille on a notarized translation?

Answer: Yes. First, you obtain a notarial translation, and then get an apostille on the translated document through the District Court. This is the most common combination for documents being sent abroad.

Question: Does an apostille expire?

Answer: The apostille itself does not have an expiration date. However, if the underlying document expires (for example, a police clearance certificate), the apostille will not help. Check with the foreign body regarding their validity requirements.

How BEITON & Co Can Help

We handle the entire apostille process from start to finish:

• End-to-end service — from preparing the notarized document to obtaining the apostille
• Court or Ministry submissions — we submit on your behalf
• Urgent processing — apostille within one business day
• Pre-consultation — we check whether your document actually needs an apostille
• Price calculator — calculate the total cost including translation and apostille
• Service in multiple languages — Hebrew, English, Arabic, and more

An apostille is a critical step when using Israeli documents abroad. Don't risk having your documents rejected — make sure the apostille is done correctly from the start.

Calculate your price and submit documents now — notary.beiton.co