Apostille, legalization and sworn translation
A foreign document does not take effect in Brazil merely because it is authentic. It has to be apostilled or legalized and then translated by a public translator.
An apostille is the certification that makes a foreign document valid in Brazil. Documents from countries in the Hague Apostille Convention need the Apostille; others need consular legalization. Either way, a sworn translation (tradução juramentada) by a public translator registered with a Brazilian board of trade follows. Brazil has applied the Apostille Convention since August 2016.
Apostille or consular legalization: how to tell which you need
The choice depends on a single factor: whether the country that issued the document is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.
| Apostille of the Hague Convention | Consular legalization | |
|---|---|---|
| When it applies | The issuing country is a signatory to the Convention | The issuing country is not a signatory |
| Who issues it | The competent authority of the country of origin | The Brazilian consulate in the country of origin, after local certification |
| Number of stages | One stage | Two or more stages, with prior certifications |
| Typical timeline | Faster | Longer, because it depends on consular scheduling |
| Does it replace the translation? | No | No |
Why a sworn translation is not an ordinary translation
In Brazil, a document in a foreign language only takes effect before a public authority when accompanied by a translation made by a public translator, also called a sworn translator, registered with a board of trade. A translation done by a professional without that registration, however good, is not accepted.
The translation has to reproduce the document in full, including seals, stamps and the apostille itself. That is why the order matters: apostille first, translation second. Translating before apostilling means paying twice, because the apostille will also have to be translated.
The correct order of the stages
Reversing this sequence is the most expensive and most common mistake of the document stage.
- Obtain an up to date original document in the country of origin
- Check whether prior certification of a signature or of a local authority is required
- Apostille the document, or legalize it at the Brazilian consulate if the country is not a signatory
- Only then have the whole set translated by a Brazilian public translator, including the apostille
- Check the validity of each certificate, because some expire within a few months
Civil status and criminal record certificates have a short validity. Issuing them at the start of the case is one of the most frequent causes of a correction request: by the time of filing, they have expired. The practical rule is to leave short-validity certificates for the end.
Questions about apostille and translation
Does my document in English still need a translation?
Yes. The requirement does not depend on the language being more or less widely known. A document in any foreign language needs a translation by a Brazilian public translator in order to take effect before a public authority in Brazil.
Can I apostille a document once I am in Brazil?
The apostille is issued by the competent authority of the country that produced the document. A foreign document has to be apostilled in the country of origin. In Brazil, what gets apostilled are Brazilian documents intended for use abroad, which is the reverse path.
Does a digital document with a QR code need an apostille?
Several countries already issue verifiable digital certificates, and how far they are accepted varies with the Brazilian authority and the type of case. Confirm before investing in the full legalization chain, because in some cases there is a simpler route.
Do you handle the sworn translation?
We coordinate that stage with registered public translators and check the result before filing, because a misspelled name in a translation triggers a request for correction. The translation itself is an act reserved to the public translator.
The rules cited on this page follow Lei 13.445/2017 (the Migration Law) and Decreto 9.199/2017. Requirements, deadlines and amounts may be changed by later regulations. Confirm the rule in force before making any decision.
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