A Florida apostille is accepted in every country that is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention — currently 125 member countries. If your destination country is on this list, a Florida apostille is all you need to authenticate your document for international use. If your country is not on the list, a different authentication process called “legalization” or “notarial certification” applies. Call Online Florida Apostille at 954-999-4933 to confirm your specific country’s requirements before submitting.
What Is the Hague Apostille Convention?
The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, signed in 1961 and commonly called the Hague Apostille Convention, created a simplified system for authenticating documents between member countries. A document apostilled by the competent authority of one member country — in Florida’s case, the Florida Department of State — is automatically recognized by all other member countries without any further authentication.
Complete List of Countries That Accept a Florida Apostille
Americas
- Argentina
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Cuba (special process — contact us)
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Jamaica
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Europe
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
Asia and Pacific
- Australia
- China (Hong Kong and Macau only — mainland China requires legalization)
- Fiji
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Marshall Islands
- Mongolia
- New Zealand
- Niue
- Palau
- Philippines
- Samoa
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Tajikistan
- Tonga
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
Africa and Middle East
- Bahrain
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Eswatini
- Israel
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Namibia
- Oman
- Rwanda
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Tunisia
- Zimbabwe
Countries That Do NOT Accept an Apostille (Legalization Required)
The following major countries are NOT members of the Hague Apostille Convention and require a different authentication process called “legalization” or “consular authentication.” An apostille alone is not sufficient for these countries:
- Canada (legalization through Global Affairs Canada)
- China Mainland (not Hong Kong or Macau)
- Egypt
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- Kuwait
- Qatar
- Vietnam
- Thailand
- Myanmar
If your destination country is not a Hague member, call us at 954-999-4933. We can guide you through the correct authentication process for your specific country.
Country-Specific Notes for Common Destinations
Italy
Italy is a Hague member and accepts Florida apostilles. Italian consulates and civil registries commonly require apostilled birth certificates, marriage certificates, and powers of attorney. Italy has specific requirements for the translation of apostilled documents — Italian authorities typically require a certified Italian translation in addition to the apostilled original.
Spain
Spain accepts Florida apostilles for all document types. Spanish civil registries and consulates frequently request apostilled birth certificates for citizenship applications and apostilled marriage certificates for international marriages. Spain may require a sworn translation by a translator certified by Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for some purposes.
Mexico
Mexico accepts Florida apostilles. Mexican consulates and civil registries commonly require apostilled documents for marriage, immigration, and property transactions. Birth certificates and marriage certificates are the most commonly requested.
Brazil
Brazil accepts Florida apostilles and uses the apostille system extensively for immigration and civil registration. Brazilian authorities often require both the apostilled document and a certified Portuguese translation.
Philippines
The Philippines joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2019. Florida apostilles are now accepted for all document types used in the Philippines for immigration, property, and civil registration purposes.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom accepts Florida apostilles. Post-Brexit, UK apostille requirements for documents used in EU countries may differ — if you need a document for use in an EU country via the UK, contact us at 954-999-4933 to confirm the correct process.
Confirm Your Country Before Submitting
Country-specific apostille requirements change. Some countries have additional requirements beyond the apostille itself — such as certified translation, consular authentication, or specific document preparation standards. Before submitting your documents for apostille, call Online Florida Apostille at 954-999-4933 Monday through Saturday 7AM to 5PM Eastern to confirm that a Florida apostille is the correct and sufficient authentication for your specific destination country and purpose.