For Hague Convention countries
Apostille on Russian documents in Saint Petersburg
An apostille confirms that a Russian official document is genuine so that it can be used in any country that is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention. In Russia, it is issued by the authority responsible for the type of document, not by a single office. An apostille on a civil registry document from Saint Petersburg or Leningrad Oblast costs 6 000 ₽ and takes 2–3 weeks; on a notarial document — 6 000 ₽, up to 8 working days. State duty is included. You can order from abroad.
Prices and time
| Document | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Civil registry document issued in Saint Petersburg or Leningrad Oblast | 6 000 ₽ | 2–3 weeks |
| Civil registry document issued in another region of Russia (including Northwest Russia) | from 9 000 ₽ + postage | up to 7 working days + postage |
| Notarial document or notarized copy from Saint Petersburg or Leningrad Oblast | 6 000 ₽ urgent 11 500 ₽ |
up to 8 working days urgent: 3 working days |
| Notarial document from another region of Russia | from 9 000 ₽ + postage | up to 7 working days + postage |
| Education document: diploma, school certificate (any region of Russia) | 8 300 ₽ | from 45 calendar days |
| Criminal record certificate issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast | 6 000 ₽ | 5–6 working days |
| Criminal record certificate issued by the GIAC of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (any region) | 5 500 ₽ | 7–8 working days |
| Documents issued in CIS and other countries | on request | from 7 working days + postage |
Prices are per document. State duties are included. Consular fees are charged at the destination country's consulate rates; delivery at the chosen courier's rates.
Who issues the apostille in Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast
Russia has no single apostille office. Under Federal Law No. 330-FZ, the apostille is issued by the authority in charge of the type of document, in the region where the document was issued. Education documents are the exception: they can be apostilled in any region.
| Document | Authority |
|---|---|
| Birth, marriage, divorce, death, name change certificates issued in Saint Petersburg | Committee for Civil Registry of Saint Petersburg |
| The same certificates issued in Leningrad Oblast | Civil Registry Office of Leningrad Oblast, 3 Smolnogo St., Saint Petersburg |
| Notarial documents: powers of attorney, notarized copies, notarized translations, statements | Main Directorate of the Ministry of Justice of Russia for Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast |
| Diplomas and school certificates | The regional authority that confirms education documents; in Saint Petersburg, the Committee for Science and Higher Education. It accepts documents from any region of Russia |
| Criminal record certificates | The Ministry of Internal Affairs body that issued the certificate |
A Leningrad Oblast document cannot be apostilled at the Saint Petersburg committee, and the other way round, even though both offices are in the city. If a certificate was issued in Vyborg, Gatchina or Vsevolozhsk, it goes to the Leningrad Oblast office.
How the work is done
If you are in Saint Petersburg
- Send us a photo of the document so that we can check that it can be apostilled.
- Bring the original to our office at Ploshchad Alexandra Nevskogo (2 Alexander Nevsky Square, office 409), or send it by courier.
- We submit the document, pay the state duty and collect it with the apostille.
- If needed, we arrange a certified translation of the document and the apostille.
If you are abroad
- Send a scan. We tell you whether the original can be apostilled or whether a duplicate is the better route.
- Send us the original by courier, or sign a power of attorney so that we can obtain a duplicate for you. A power of attorney can be signed at a Russian consulate or with a local notary; a foreign notarial power of attorney needs an apostille and a translation into Russian.
- We get the apostille and, if needed, the translation.
- We send the documents to you by courier. Delivery costs the courier's rate plus 500 ₽ for arranging it.
The step-by-step process is described on Documents from abroad.
What we need from you
- The original document, or a power of attorney to obtain a duplicate.
- A scan of your passport (or international passport) so that names in the translation match.
- The name of the country where the document will be used, and the authority, if you know it.
The state duty is included in our price; you do not need to pay it separately.
Common reasons for refusal
- Wrong authority or region. The document was issued in another region, or by a body that apostilles differently from what the client expected.
- Worn or damaged document. Torn, laminated or illegible certificates are often refused. A duplicate solves this.
- Old Soviet forms. Some authorities refuse to apostille them; a new duplicate is the usual route.
- Errors in the document. Spelling mistakes in names or dates have to be corrected at the civil registry office before the apostille.
- Apostille on a copy when the original is required. Some countries want the apostille on the original document. Ask the receiving authority before ordering.
Not sure which document you need? Send us a photo and the name of the country, and we will tell you what to do.
FAQ
Can an apostille be put on a copy or on a translation?
Yes, on a notarized copy or a notarized translation. In that case the Ministry of Justice certifies the notary's signature and seal. The apostille costs 6 000 ₽, or 11 500 ₽ for 3 working days. Check first whether the receiving authority accepts an apostille on a copy rather than on the original.
My birth certificate is old (Soviet). Can it be apostilled?
Old certificates are often refused, for example when the form is worn, the seal is unreadable or the document was issued by an authority that no longer exists. The usual solution is to obtain a duplicate first and apostille the duplicate. We can retrieve the duplicate for you.
The document was issued in another region of Russia. Can you still help?
Yes. The apostille is issued in the region where the document was issued, so we forward the document there. This costs from 9 000 ₽ plus postage, up to 7 working days plus delivery time.
Does the apostille need to be translated?
Usually yes. The receiving authority will want a translation of both the document and the apostille. We can do a certified translation after the apostille is issued.
Is an apostille enough for the UAE, Egypt or Qatar?
No. These countries are not parties to the Hague Convention and need consular legalization.
Related
- Legalizuem.ru price list, valid from 12 January 2026
- Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, 5 October 1961
- Federal Law No. 330-FZ of 28 November 2015 on the procedure for issuing an apostille
- Civil Registry Office of Leningrad Oblast
- Government Decree No. 1890 of 10 November 2023 approving the Rules for confirming education documents (item 9)
General information, not legal advice. Please check the receiving authority's requirements with our manager before we start.