Apostille
Korean Apostille Service — Documents for Use Abroad
An apostille is a stamp from the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs that confirms a Korean public document is genuine, so a Hague Convention country will accept it. Your chosen agent obtains fresh documents, secures the apostille, and adds certified translation where needed — returning a submission-ready package. Choose your document below to see exactly what to prepare and how the process works.
Documents in This Category
What an apostille does — and what it does not
An apostille certifies that the seal and signature on a document are genuine. It does not certify that the contents are true, and it is not a translation. A document with an apostille still needs a translation whenever the receiving office works in another language.
Which ministry issues it depends on the document. Public documents — records issued by a government office, court, or public institution — are apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Private documents — a power of attorney, an affidavit, a contract, or paperwork from a private institution — must be notarized first, and the apostille then attaches to that notarization, issued by the Ministry of Justice.
An apostille only works between countries that have joined the Hague Apostille Convention. For a destination outside the Convention, the document takes the longer consular legalization route instead: Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmation followed by legalization at that country's embassy in Korea.
How the process runs
- 1Confirm what the receiving office requires — which document, in what form, and how recently issued.
- 2Check whether the destination is a Hague Convention country. If it is not, the route is consular legalization, not an apostille.
- 3Obtain a freshly issued document. Most offices abroad reject records older than a few months, so this comes before the apostille, not after.
- 4For a private document, have it notarized first.
- 5Obtain the apostille.
- 6Translate the apostilled document, matching every name to the spelling in the passport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an apostille the same as a notarization?
No. Notarization is a Korean notary certifying a private document — a signature, a statement, an agreement. An apostille certifies that an official seal or signature is genuine so another country will accept the document. A private document usually needs both, in that order: notarization first, then the apostille.
Does an apostille include a translation?
No. An apostille confirms authenticity only. Most receiving offices also require a translation into their own language, and some require that translation to be certified or notarized — check what the office asks for before ordering the translation.
How long does an apostille stay valid?
The apostille itself carries no expiry date. In practice the receiving office sets the limit, and many require the underlying document to have been issued within the last three to six months. Issue the document close to the submission date rather than stockpiling it.
Can I get an apostille online?
Electronic apostilles are available for a growing set of documents. The substance of an electronic apostille is the online verification, not the printout — so it only works when the receiving office is willing and able to verify it that way. When the office requires a paper original, or when you cannot confirm what it accepts, paper is the safer route. The eligible documents and the verification method change over time; confirm the current rules when you apply.
What if the destination country does not accept apostilles?
Then the document needs consular legalization. That chain adds the destination country's embassy in Korea on top of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs step, so it takes noticeably longer than an apostille — start it as early as possible.
Featured Partners
Need This Document Apostilled?
Share your document and destination country. We'll connect you with an agent who handles issuance, the MOFA apostille stamp, and delivery — certified translation can be added too.