The complete guide to the apostille stamp in Israel

What the apostille certifies

The apostille does not certify the content of a document but its authenticity — that it was issued by a competent authority in Israel. That lets authorities abroad accept it without further verification.

The two routes in Israel

• Apostille for public certificates — for documents issued by a government authority (birth, marriage, police clearance and more)
• Apostille for notarial documents — for documents certified by a notary, stamped through the courts

Common documents that need an apostille

Birth, marriage and single-status certificates; academic certificates and transcripts; police clearance; registry extracts; and judgments. Each has its appropriate route and its own validity requirements.

How long it takes

In many cases a few days, but the process depends on the availability of the original document, the need for a notarial translation, and the required route. Urgent cases can sometimes be expedited.

Tip: before issuing a new document, check whether you already hold a recent copy. Sometimes that saves an entire step.