Hague Apostille at Notary Offices: Rules and Documents

Context note: This content describes Brazilian notary law and extrajudicial procedures.

Questions answered in this article

• What is a Hague Apostille at a notary office and what is it used for?
• Which documents can be submitted for a Hague Apostille at a notary office?
• What is the difference between consular legalization and a Hague Apostille at a notary office?
• How much does a Hague Apostille at a notary office cost and how long does it take?
• How to request a Hague Apostille at a notary office step by step?

In summary

• A Hague Apostille at a notary office (apostilamento de Haia em cartório) is a certificate issued by Brazilian extrajudicial registries to confer international validity and legal effectiveness to documents issued in Brazil for use in over 120 member countries of the Hague Convention.
• Birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas, public powers of attorney, and notary acts can be apostilled directly at registries authorized by the National Council of Justice (Conselho Nacional de Justiça — CNJ).
• Private documents require prior signature notarization (reconhecimento de firma) of the signing authority before the apostille can be issued.
• Applying an apostille simplifies procedures for dual citizenship, employment abroad, international studies, marriages, and real estate transactions outside national territory.

What is a Hague Apostille at a notary office and what is it used for?

The Hague Apostille at a notary office (apostilamento de Haia em cartório) is the administrative procedure through which an extrajudicial registry authenticates the signature, capacity, and seal of the issuing authority of a Brazilian public document (Law No. 8,935/1994 / Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 1º Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 1º). This certification grants full legal effectiveness to the document in all signatory countries of the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Hague Apostille Convention).

When you intend to use a document issued in Brazil in another country — such as a birth certificate to obtain citizenship, a university diploma for a master's degree, or a public power of attorney for representation abroad —, foreign authorities require official confirmation of the authenticity of that declaration. The Hague Apostille at a notary office serves this purpose by affixing a standardized single certificate containing identification data and a QR code for instant verification to the document.

By performing a Hague Apostille at a notary office, the requirement to travel to embassies or departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministério das Relações Exteriores) is eliminated, centralizing authentication within the notary and registry delegated system (Law No. 8,935/1994 / Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 6º Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 6º).

Which documents can be submitted for a Hague Apostille at a notary office?

The Hague Apostille at a notary office covers a wide variety of public and private instruments, including certificates issued by the Civil Registry of Natural Persons (Registro Civil das Pessoas Naturais), notary deeds, judicial decisions, and academic documents (CNJ Provision No. 149/2023 / Provimento CNJ nº 149/2023, Book II Provimento CNJ nº 149/2023, Livro II). Each category requires compliance with specific authorship validation requirements prior to issuing the apostille.

The main documents submitted for a Hague Apostille at a notary office are:

• Civil Registry of Natural Persons Certificates: birth, marriage, death, and emancipation certificates issued by an official of the Civil Registry of Natural Persons (Registro Civil das Pessoas Naturais).
• Notary acts: public deeds of purchase and sale, public powers of attorney, deeds of stable union, wills, and notary deeds for establishing evidence (ata notarial).
• School and academic documents: undergraduate or graduate diplomas, academic transcripts, and completion certificates issued by institutions recognized by the Ministry of Education (Ministério da Educação).
• Judicial documents: divorce judgments, guardianship orders, certificate of case status (certidão de objeto e pé), and official notifications issued by courts of justice.
• Private documents with signature notarization: contracts, private powers of attorney, income statements, and travel authorizations for minors, provided that the signatory's signature has been previously notarized by similarity or authenticity at a notary office (tabelionato de notas).

If you hold a foreign document to be used in Brazil, the rule is reversed: the document must be apostilled in its country of origin before entering Brazilian territory, as demonstrated in the study on Hague Apostille and foreign documents in estate planning.

What is the difference between consular legalization and a Hague Apostille at a notary office?

Consular legalization is the old, complex procedure applicable only to countries that have not joined the Hague Convention, requiring dual ministerial and diplomatic validation. In contrast, the Hague Apostille at a notary office is a unified procedure carried out directly at a Brazilian extrajudicial registry for signatory nations of the international treaty.

| Feature | Consular Legalization | Hague Apostille at Notary Office |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Destination countries | Non-signatory nations of the Hague Convention | Over 120 signatory countries of the treaty |

| Bodies involved | Ministry of Foreign Affairs + Consulate | Authorized notary office or registry official |

| Process steps | Multiple chained validations | Single step before the extrajudicial registry |

| Authenticity validation | Manual consular stamp | Certificate with digital seal and QR Code |

| Average timeframe | Weeks or months | Immediate or up to 5 business days |

By choosing a Hague Apostille at a notary office, you obtain direct certification, ensuring that the document will be accepted by authorities in the receiving country without needing to pass through embassies.

How much does a Hague Apostille at a notary office cost and how long does it take?

The cost of a Hague Apostille at a notary office is set by state legislation, appearing in the official schedule of notary fees (tabela de emolumentos) approved by the Internal Affairs Office of Justice (Corregedoria-Geral de Justiça) of each State and the Federal District. The delivery time ranges from immediate issuance to 5 business days, depending on the verification workflow for the issuing authority's public seal signature sample (sinal público).

Because this is a delegated service governed by state regulations, notary fees charged for each apostille sheet vary by region. There is no single nationwide fee; interested parties must consult the fee schedule of the state where the act will be performed.

The timeframe for a Hague Apostille at a notary office may be affected by the following situations:

• Unregistered public seal signature sample: when the signature sample of the official or notary who signed the original document is not yet recorded in the registry's database, a signature sample verification must be transmitted between registries, adding a few days to the process.
• Need for sworn translation: the apostille validates the signature on the Brazilian document; however, most countries require that the sworn translation also receive a Hague Apostille at a notary office in Brazil.
• Document issued in another state: validating the signature of an authority from another federal unit requires an interconnected electronic query through a system regulated by the National Council of Justice (Conselho Nacional de Justiça).

How to request a Hague Apostille at a notary office step by step?

To request a Hague Apostille at a notary office, you must present the original document to an authorized extrajudicial registry and request the issuance of the international certificate. The entire procedure is recorded in an electronic system regulated by the National Council of Justice (CNJ Provision No. 149/2023 / Provimento CNJ nº 149/2023, Book II Provimento CNJ nº 149/2023, Livro II).

Below is the simplified procedural sequence:

• Check document integrity: make sure that the certificate, diploma, or contract is an original, free of erasures, and contains a legible signature of the authority or private individual.
• Perform signature notarization (if necessary): for private documents or personal statements, go to a notary office (tabelionato de notas) to notarize the signatory's signature.
• Present the document at the registry: submit the instrument at the service counter of the competent registry to perform the Hague Apostille at a notary office.
• Wait for signature qualification: the registry will verify the match between the authority's signature and the national database of public seal signature samples.
• Receive the apostilled document: upon completion of processing, the physical apostille will be affixed to the original document or attached digitally with the respective notary signature and verification QR Code.

Document checklist

• [ ] Original document to be apostilled (certificate, diploma, court judgment, or notary deed).
• [ ] Official identification document of the applicant (RG, CNH driver's license, or passport).
• [ ] Taxpayer Identification Number (CPF) of the applicant.
• [ ] Notarized signature at a notary office (mandatory for private documents).
• [ ] Sworn translation (if the foreign recipient also requires the apostille on the translation performed in Brazil).

In practice

Case 1: Obtaining Italian citizenship abroad

A resident of Recife intended to present her great-grandfather's birth certificate to an Italian municipality (comune). The certificate had been issued by an official of the Civil Registry of Natural Persons (Registro Civil das Pessoas Naturais) in Pernambuco. She presented the updated certificate at the notary office (tabelionato de notas) to perform a Hague Apostille at a notary office. After verifying the registrar official's public seal signature sample, the apostille was issued on the same day. With the properly apostilled document and the sworn translation also apostilled, the citizenship recognition process proceeded without bureaucratic obstacles in Italy.

Case 2: Validation of a university diploma for a master's degree in Portugal

An engineer graduated from a Brazilian university needed to prove his degree to a university in Lisbon. The diploma bore the signature of the institution's rector. The professional presented the original document for a Hague Apostille at a notary office. Because the academic authority's signature was already registered in the public seal signature sample system maintained by the National Council of Justice, the registry prepared the apostille within 24 hours, allowing enrollment within the timeframe required by the foreign institution.

Common mistakes

• Apostilling un-authorized plain or certified copies: the Hague Convention requires the apostille to be affixed to the original document or an official certificate issued by the competent authority. Submitting plain photocopies results in rejection.
• Forgetting signature notarization on private documents: private contracts or declarations without a notarized signature at a notary office (tabelionato de notas) cannot receive a Hague Apostille at a notary office.
• Failing to apostille the sworn translation: many consulates and foreign bodies require that both the original Brazilian document and its sworn translation receive a Hague Apostille at a notary office.
• Confusing foreign document validation in Brazil with Brazilian documents sent abroad: a Hague Apostille at a notary office in Brazil serves only for instruments produced in Brazilian territory intended for abroad. Foreign documents brought to Brazil must be apostilled in their country of origin.

Legal basis

• CNJ Provision No. 149/2023 (Provimento CNJ nº 149/2023), Book II — General rules applicable to notary and registry services, regulating the issuance of the Hague Apostille in the Brazilian extrajudicial system Provimento CNJ nº 149/2023, Livro II. (Normative note: the provision consolidates administrative procedures for verifying public seal signature samples and the security of electronic apostilles).
• Law No. 8,935/1994 (Lei nº 8.935/1994), art. 1º — Defines notary and registry services as technical and administrative organization intended to ensure publicity, authenticity, security, and effectiveness of legal acts Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 1º.
• Law No. 8,935/1994 (Lei nº 8.935/1994), art. 6º — Establishes the duties of notary officers in exercising their institutional functions and authenticating public and private acts Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 6º.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Hague Apostille at a notary office and what is it used for?

A Hague Apostille at a notary office (apostilamento de Haia em cartório) is a certificate issued by authorized registries attesting to the authorship and authenticity of a signature on a Brazilian public document (Law No. 8,935/1994 / Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 1º Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 1º). This act guarantees the effectiveness and legal recognition of the document in over 120 signatory countries of the Hague Convention.

Which documents can be submitted for a Hague Apostille at a notary office?

Public certificates issued by Civil Registry of Natural Persons officials, deeds drafted at notary offices, school diplomas, transcripts, court decisions, and administrative documents can receive an apostille (CNJ Provision No. 149/2023 / Provimento CNJ nº 149/2023, Book II Provimento CNJ nº 149/2023, Livro II). Private documents require signature notarization before receiving an apostille.

What is the difference between consular legalization and a Hague Apostille at a notary office?

Consular legalization requires prior validation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and subsequent authentication at the consulate of the destination country, applying only to non-signatory nations. A Hague Apostille at a notary office replaces this bureaucratic chain with a single electronic certificate containing a QR Code.

How much does a Hague Apostille at a notary office cost and how long does it take?

The fee for a Hague Apostille is established by the state fee schedule (tabela de emolumentos) of each State Court of Justice. The issuance time usually ranges from immediate to 5 business days, depending on document volume and the need for public seal signature verification.

How to request a Hague Apostille at a notary office step by step?

To request a Hague Apostille at a notary office, you must gather original documents, verify if signature notarization is required, present the papers at an authorized registry, wait for verification in the electronic system, and pick up the physical or digital apostille with the notary signature (Law No. 8,935/1994 / Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 6º Lei nº 8.935/1994, art. 6º).

Editorial footer

Author: Editorial Team of the 5th Notary Office of Recife (5º Tabelionato de Notas do Recife)

Legal Review: Notary Public (Tabelião de Notas)

Territorial Scope: Federal rule (CNJ) with state notary fees

Date of Last Review: August 25, 2026

Informational content; does not replace legal advice for specific cases.

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