What Is the Hague Apostille?
In this article, we explain in simple terms what an apostille is, when the Hague Apostille is required in Costa Rica, and what mistakes you should avoid.
An apostille is a certificate issued by the competent authorities in a country that confirms the authenticity of the signature and seal on an official document.
In short, the apostille doesn’t certify that the information in the document is true, but rather that the document is authentic and was issued by a competent authority.
Thanks to the 1961 Hague Convention, apostilled documents can be recognized in all member states of the convention, without the need for consular legalization. Both Romania and Costa Rica are signatory states, so in most cases, a correctly apostilled document is directly recognized by the authorities in the other country.
Where Are Documents Apostilled in Your Home Country?
The competent authority depends on where you’re from and what type of document you need apostilled:
- United States – Apostilles are issued at the state level, usually by the Secretary of State’s office in the state where the document was issued (birth/marriage certificates, notarized documents, diplomas, etc.). Federal documents (like FBI background checks) are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Processing times and online options vary widely by state.
- United Kingdom – Apostilles are issued by the Legalisation Office, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). You can apply online, by post, or through a same-day premium service in London.
- Australia – Apostilles are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Applications can be submitted online, and documents are processed at DFAT offices in major cities.
- New Zealand – Apostilles are issued by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), through its Authentications Unit, with both online and postal options available.
If you’re already in Costa Rica and can’t return home to handle the paperwork in person, a practical option is to work with a specialized agency in your home country that can process the apostille on your behalf and ship the documents by courier — DHL, for example — directly to your address in Costa Rica, often within just a few days.
This is usually much faster than going through your country’s embassy or consulate in Costa Rica (or in a neighboring country, if there’s no local representation), since those processes typically involve documents being sent back to your home country anyway.
Where Are Documents Apostilled in Costa Rica?
Documents issued by Costa Rican authorities (certificates, notarial acts, etc.) are apostilled at Casa Amarilla, the headquarters of the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship).
Important to remember: Casa Amarilla only apostilles the original document issued by a Costa Rican authority — not any translation attached to it.
When Do You Need an Apostille?
- birth certificate;
- marriage certificate;
- divorce certificate;
- death certificate;
- criminal record certificate;
- diplomas and academic transcripts;
- powers of attorney;
- other official documents requested by authorities.
Who Requires an Apostille in Costa Rica?
The institutions that most commonly request apostilled documents are:
- Migración (Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería) – for residency applications (DIMEX), where the birth certificate and criminal record certificate must be apostilled.
- Registro Civil – for registering marriages or other civil status records.
- Banks – for opening accounts or carrying out transactions that require proof of identity or civil status.
- Schools, colleges, and universities – when enrolling children or having your own qualifications recognized, where diplomas and transcripts must be apostilled (and often officially translated as well).
If the document is going to be used in Costa Rica, always check the requirements of the institution requesting it. Not all documents follow the same rules.
Does an Apostille Include Translation?
No. This is one of the most common points of confusion.
The apostille confirms that the document is authentic. An official translation makes the document understandable to the authorities in the country where it will be used.
For documents intended for Costa Rica, the translation must be done directly in Costa Rica, by an official translator authorized by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto — not in your home country. The correct order is: first apostille the original document in the country where it was issued, then have it officially translated in Costa Rica.
Does an Apostille Expire?
Normally, an apostille does not expire.
However, some documents have a validity period set by the institutions that request them. For example, a criminal record certificate may only be accepted if it was issued recently (within the last 3 months), even though the apostille applied to it remains valid indefinitely.
That’s why it’s important to always check the requirements of the authority where you’ll be submitting your documents.
The Most Common Mistakes
Many people waste time and money on simple mistakes:
- apostilling the wrong document;
- trying to apostille the translation of a document instead of the original act issued by the authority — for example, Costa Rica’s Casa Amarilla apostilles exclusively documents issued by the Costa Rican state, not any translations attached to them;
- translating the document before checking the requirements;
- using copies instead of the requested original documents;
- not checking the document’s validity period;
- assuming every institution requires the same documents.
Checking these details before starting the process can save you unnecessary trips and expenses.
Is the Apostille Enough on Its Own?
Not always.
Depending on the procedure, authorities may also require:
- an official/certified translation;
- certified copies;
- additional documents;
- specific forms.
That’s why it’s recommended to check the official list of required documents before starting your file.
Conclusión
The apostille isn’t a complicated document, nor is it a process you need to fear. It’s simply a way for authorities in one country to confirm the authenticity of a document that will be used in another.
If you’re preparing documents for Costa Rica, get informed early, check the requirements of the institution where you’ll be submitting your file, and make sure each document is prepared correctly. A few minutes of checking can save you weeks of delays and unnecessary expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Apostille
How long does the apostille process take?
It depends on the institution and the country. In many countries, apostilles can be obtained within a few business days when applied for directly through the competent authority (and increasingly, through online platforms). Going through an embassy or consulate — from Costa Rica, for example — tends to be much slower, since documents have to travel physically via diplomatic courier.
Can I apostille a document myself, or do I need an agency?
You can handle the process yourself by going directly to the competent authority. If you’re not in your home country or don’t have the time, you can use a specialized agency that takes care of the entire process and ships the documents to you by courier.
What do I do if the document was issued in a country that isn't part of the Hague Convention?
Does the translation need to be apostilled separately?
No. The apostille is applied to the original document issued by the authority — not to the translation. The certified translation is attached to the apostilled document, but it doesn’t go through a separate apostille process.
Behind OpenZone are two people: a Costa Rican native with deep roots in the local history, and an expat who has been settled here for over two decades. Together, we combine native knowledge of the system with firsthand experience of the very process you’re going through right now.
