Authentication of Documents for Use in Israel

What Should You Know about the Authentication of Documents in Israel?

Our law firm in Israel practices immigration law (immigration to Israel and the USA), commercial law, labor law, real estate law and more. Our clients are multinational and are often required to present legal documents in Israel that have been issued outside of Israel (in their country of origin).

In this article, Advocate Joshua Pex will explain the process necessary for legal authentication of a foreign document for official use in Israel.

When Would You Need to Authenticate a Document for Use in Israel?

Any foreign public document which is officially presented and used in Israel requires an authentication process.

Where Is the Authentication of the Foreign Document Done?

The authentication of the foreign document is done either by an Apostille or at the Israeli Consulate in the country of origin.

The Process and Requirements for Document Authentication in Israel

Note: if possible, it is recommended that all documents presented to Misrad Hapnim as part of the Aliyah process be originals.  Also all foreign documents submitted to Israeli authorities must be authenticated by an Apostille according to the 1961 Hague Convention. This authentication process is similar to Notary Public authentication, but on an international level. The legal authentication of foreign documents can also be done at the Israeli consulate of the country where the document was produced. Documents in a language that can’t be understood by the government immigration clerks that are handling the Aliyah case must be translated by an Israeli Notary Public who is fluent in the language of the documents.

Authentication Of Documents For Immigration To Israel

Apostille document authentication:

The Hague Convention abolished the requirements of legalization for foreign public documents, therefore countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention will accept documents from each other, which have been authenticated by way of an apostille. An apostille is a special stamp issued by a competent authority in each country that is responsible for ensuring the credentials of the notary public in its jurisdiction. The apostille has a pre-printed form prescribed by the Hague Convention.

Here you can find a list of the Hague Convention countries. You can see for yourself whether your country is part of the Apostille Convention. For example, Israel is a signatory to the Hague Convention, as well as most western countries. The Russian Federation is also a signatory to the Hague Convention. However, Ethiopia and most African countries are not.

Israeli Consulate authentication process:

If you need to present a foreign document to an Israeli authority, and the document is issued in a country that is not a signatory to the Hague Convention, then the document requires legalization by way of an Israeli consular stamp. The Consulate of Israel affixes a stamp to the document ensuring its authenticity.

Please contact us for more information regarding the authentication of documents for Israeli authorities and legalization of foreign documents for use in Israel.

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03-3724722

055-9781688

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