At TPA we offer our clients a comprehensive service providing any additional services required for their documents to be recognized as valid in Uruguay and abroad: we execute notarial certificates, notarial certified copies and notarial registrations.
We also prosecute any proceedings as regards any legalizations and Apostilles with the Supreme Court of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulate and Embassies.
NOTARIAL CERTIFICATIONS – NOTARIAL CERTIFIED COPIES – NOTARIAL REGISTRATION OF POWERS OF ATTORNEY AND OTHER REQUIRED NOTARIAL CERTIFICATES
We provide any notarial services that you may require.
LEGALIZATIONS AND APOSTILLES
Documents issued in foreign countries to be submitted in Uruguay
Any public document issued in a foreign country to be submitted to a Uruguayan Public Office must be either legalized or apostilled in the country of origin. Such proceedings may be conducted with the Ministry of Foreign Relations or Foreign Affairs from the country of origin or with the office appointed for such purposes.
If the corresponding legalization or Apostille proceedings have not been conducted in the country of origin, in some cases, for instance Brazil, such legalization or Apostille proceedings may be conducted with the Brazilian Consulate in Uruguay.
Where the document has been issued in a country which has not signed The Hague Convention dated October 5, 1961, the document must be legalized instead of apostilled; hence the document must complete the following steps:
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Legalization by the Ministry or authority appointed for such purposes in the country of origin;
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Legalization by the Uruguayan Embassy or Consulate in the foreign country;
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Once the document arrives in Uruguay, the corresponding chain of legalizations must be completed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay.
Furthermore, such document and its corresponding legalizations or Apostille must be written in Spanish or translated into Spanish by a Uruguayan Public Translator.
To see the list of contracting parties to The Hague Convention
Documents issued in Uruguay to be submitted in foreign countries
In the case of a document issued in Uruguay to be submitted to a foreign public office, such document must complete the following steps:
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If the document has been issued by a government agency, prior to the translator’s involvement, the document must be apostilled or legalized (legalization of the acting officer’s signature) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, depending whether the country of destination is a contracting party or not to The Hague Convention
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If the document consists of a notarial certificate, prior to the translator’s involvement, the Notary Public’s signature must be legalized by the Supreme Court of Justice, and subsequently the document must be apostilled or legalized (legalization of the Supreme Court of Justice officer’s signature) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, depending whether the country of destination is a contracting party or not to The Hague Convention.
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Translation of the document.
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In case the agency of destination requires the Translator’s signature to be legalized, you must resort directly to the corresponding Consulate, if such Consulate keeps a record of Public Translators.
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If the Consulate does not keep a record of Public Translators, the Translator’s signature must be legalized by the Supreme Court of Justice, and subsequently the document must be apostilled or legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, depending whether the country of destination is a contracting party or not to The Hague Convention.
Letters rogatory issued in Uruguay to be submitted in foreign countries:
There are three channels to prosecute a letter rogatory:
-through the Central Authority of International Legal Cooperation channel,
-through the diplomatic or consular channel,
-through a private channel
A letter rogatory is not required to be legalized or apostilled when prosecuted through the Central Authority or through the diplomatic or consular channel. The legalization or Apostille is only required when a letter rogatory is prosecuted through a private channel
The document is not required to be legalized or Apostilled where the same is to be submitted as regards an International Return of Children proceeding, regardless of the channel.
If the document is written in a language different from the one of the State receiving it, the same must be translated.
Academic transcripts issued in Uruguay to be submitted in foreign countries:
If so required by the entity of destination, the signature placed in the document must be legalized by the Faculty General Administrative Office; subsequently the General Administrative Office officer’s signature must be legalized by the Ministry of Education and Culture; and then apostilled or legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, depending whether the country of destination is a contracting party or not to The Hague Convention.
Once these proceedings have been completed, the document must be translated, and then, if so required by the agency of destination, the corresponding Translator’s signature legalization by the Consulate or Embassy or legalization/ Apostille must be conducted with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, depending on the country.
University degrees issued in Uruguay to be submitted in foreign countries:
If so required by the entity of destination, the document must be legalized or apostilled, as appropriate, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In case of a notarial certified copy of the degree, the Notary Public’s signature must be legalized by the Supreme Court of Justice, and subsequently the document must be apostilled or legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, depending whether the country of destination is a contracting party or not to The Hague Convention.
Once these proceedings have been completed, the document must be translated, and then, if so required by the entity of destination, the subsequent Translator’s signature legalization proceedings must be conducted.
It must be noted that you should always enquire with the agency of destination as regards their requirements, in order to avoid any unnecessary proceedings and costs.
