Which certificate does a document need? By purpose and by the receiving body
Three questions determine which certificate is needed. Who issued the document: a government office, a court or a private party. Which country and which body it is intended for. And in which language the body accepts it. A government document receives an apostille directly, without a notary. A private document, a copy or a translation goes to a notary first, and an apostille on the notary's signature is then obtained at the Magistrates' Court. The body receiving the document decides what is required, so before you start, ask it for its list of requirements in writing.
Government documents: an apostille without a notary
For some government certificates, a digital apostille can be obtained on gov.il, including a bilingual birth certificate, a marriage certificate, an extended population registry extract, a police certificate, a digital matriculation certificate, an inheritance order and a probate order, a Land Registry extract and a company's certificate of incorporation. A public certificate that is not on the list receives a manual apostille at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A digital apostille is a signed file, so check in advance that the body abroad accepts an electronic document (see electronic notarial certificates and digital apostille).
A private document, a copy or a translation: a notary, then an apostille
- A private document: a power of attorney, a declaration, a contract or an employer's letter.
- A copy: a copy of an original document.
- A translation: a translation of any document.
All of these first receive a notarial certificate. An apostille authenticating the notary's signature is then obtained at the Magistrates' Court. The court fee is NIS 41 per certificate (from 1 January 2026), and up to 10 certificates can be obtained in one application.
By purpose
| Purpose | Common documents | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign citizenship or passport | Birth and marriage certificates, population registry extract | Consistent spelling of names in all the translations |
| Studies abroad | Matriculation and degree certificates, transcript | Whether the institution accepts a digital apostille, and whether a translation is required |
| Marriage abroad | Birth certificate, extended population registry extract | Which document attests to personal status as the authority requires |
| Work and professional licensing | Police certificate, professional certificates | A police certificate is sent by email directly to the body abroad |
| Inheritance or property abroad | Inheritance or probate order, Land Registry extract, power of attorney | Whether a notarial power of attorney for a lawyer in the destination country is required |
| Companies and business | Certificate of incorporation, resolutions, power of attorney | Who the authorised signatories are and how this is proved |
A country that is not party to the Apostille Convention
A country that is not party to the Hague Convention has no apostille. Instead, a certificate not under the Convention is obtained at the court (free of charge), followed by a further certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Certification by the destination country's mission is sometimes also required, so check with it.
A foreign document submitted in Israel
Under the Population Authority's procedure, a public certificate issued abroad must be authenticated: with an apostille attached to the original certificate, or, for a country that is not party to the Convention, through a chain of certifications ending with an Israeli consul. The translation is made by a notary in Israel and attached to the certificate. The Authority's clerk may waive the translation of a short certificate in a language they understand. Other bodies in Israel, such as courts, banks and the National Insurance Institute, set their own requirements, so check with them.
At our office
At the notary office of Amos Ilan in Ness Ziona we prepare certified translations, certified copies and signature authentications, and explain how to obtain the right apostille. For an initial review of your document you can send it through the form on the translation page, stating the destination country and the body receiving it.
Sources
- gov.il: Authentication of government certificates with a digital apostille
- gov.il: Issue of an apostille certificate or a certificate not under the Convention at the courts
- Population and Immigration Authority: Procedure 1.3.0001, authentication of public documents
More on this topic: Apostille | Electronic notarial certificates and digital apostille | Certified translation for foreign citizenship | What to bring to a notary
Questions and answers
Do I need a notary for a birth certificate for abroad?
Not always. For a bilingual birth certificate, a digital apostille can be obtained directly on gov.il. A notary is needed when a translation into another language is required, or when the body abroad does not accept a digital document and requires a certified copy.
Who decides whether an apostille is needed?
The body in the destination country that receives the document. Ask it in writing for its list of requirements, including the language of the translation and whether a digital document is accepted.
Can an apostille be placed on a translation?
Yes. The apostille authenticates the notary's signature on the translation. Sometimes an apostille is also needed on the original document, depending on what the receiving body requires.