An apostille is a certificate used to authenticate the origin of a public document for use between jurisdictions participating in the Hague Apostille Convention. It confirms specified features such as the signature, capacity and seal on the underlying document; it does not approve the document’s substantive contents.
What It is
The competent authority in the place where the document was issued attaches or issues the apostille. The receiving jurisdiction then treats the apostille under the Convention, subject to any translation, filing or subject-matter requirement that still applies.
What it is not
An apostille is not the same as notarisation, embassy legalisation or a certified translation. It does not make an invalid document valid, confirm that its statements are true, or guarantee that a recipient will accept the transaction described in it.
UAE context
Convention participation and implementation can change. Before publishing route instructions, verify the current status of both the issuing and receiving jurisdiction through an official source. POAS does not sell an apostille or embassy-legalisation service.
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Last reviewed: August 2026