Attention!
The Legalization of a foreign document on education and the Recognition of foreign education are different procedures.
The legalization of documents is carried out for a lawful use of the foreign document in another country.
The recognition of education is carried out for providing the rights for study and (or) work.
The need for legalization and recognition procedures is determined by the country issuing the education document.
The legalization of any document is possible only within the territory of the country the document was handed or issued in. There are two main types of document legalization – Consular legalization and the “Apostille“.
Consular legalization (carried out in 2 stages):
- witnessing of documents by competent authorities of foreign affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) of the country of issue of the document (depending on legislative requirements of the country of issue: generally the original, in some countries – copies) – the corresponding stamps with the indication of the position and the signature of the assuring person are put down;
- witnessing of documents by consular services of the Russian Federation (consulate or embassy of the Russian Federation) in the country of issue of the document – the corresponding stamps with the indication of the position and the signature of the assuring person are put down.
«Apostille» – a simplified legalization procedure.
The “Apostille” stamp on the official documents, proceeding from bodies and organizations of member countries of the Hague convention of 1961, which abolishes the requirement of consular legalization of foreign official documents:
- is put down on the original of the document or on a separate sheet, which is attached to the document and could be made in official language of the body which is giving it out;
- is put down by competent authorized bodies of the country of issue of the document (example, State Secretary, Department of Education, Ministry of Education, educational institutions and others).
The procedure for the recognition of a foreign document is carried out only after legalization (if required) and is carried out in the country of the planned training or work. The required set of documents with notarized translations (a document of education (if there is no Russian-language page), its annex, and an identity document (if there is no Russian-language page)) is submitted to Rosobrnadzor (the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science) (it is also necessary to check whether there is a Russian-language line in the seal of the document of education; if there is no such line, the notarized translation of the seal is required).