Apostille

The best-known legalisation convention is the convention abolishing the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents, also known as the Apostille Convention (5 October 1961). This convention does not completely abolish legalisation but optimizes the process by providing for a single required action - an apostille. A document bearing an apostille does not require any further legalisation by the embassy of consultate of the country in which it is to be used.

An authorised official issues the apostille once he/she is satisfied that the document and its signature are genuine and it has been issued by a competent national authority. In most countries, the aposstille is iussued by the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In Bulgaria, the Ministry of Justice is authorized and entitled to issue apostilles.

The apostille consists of one or more rubber stamps and two or more signatures.