Apostille of Documents From and For the Philippines
An Apostilled document has a golden seal and does not have a red ribbon.
One of the things we often do for our clients is get an apostille of documents, sometimes as part of a case and sometimes just specifically to get that apostilled or authenticated document for the client.
We do this for Philippine documents to be used in another country as well as foreign documents for use in the Philippines.
If you need assistance with obtaining documents or obtaining an apostille, whether on a foreign document for use in the Philippines or a Philippine document for use abroad, or for other legal matters, you can reach us through our website, www.lawyerphilippines.org or through email admin@lawyerphilippines.org
What is an apostille?
Apostille makes authenticating documents faster and easier.
If you need a document from one country for official use in another country, you may need to have it apostilled.
Apostille meaning is the international certification of a document under a treaty known as the Hague Apostille Convention. It is comparable to a notarization.
It certifies that the signature or seal of the person or authority that appears on a document is authentic and it certifies the capacity in which the signature or seal was made.
Through an apostille, someone in one country can rely on a document issued in another. The apostille is enough to certify a document’s validity if two countries are parties to the treaty.
Until recently, the Philippines was not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.
This meant that, every time some official document needed to be used across borders, there would be a laborious process to authenticate it before either the Philippines or the foreign country would accept the document as authentic.
The process required a double-certification, by the originating country and then by the embassy of the receiving country.
This has changed with our accession to the Convention.
Since May 14, 2019, a Philippine public document that you need to present in a foreign country
no longer has to be authenticated by that country’s Embassy or Consulate here.
Authentication by our Department of Foreign Affairs is enough if that country is also a member of the Apostille Convention.
Likewise, a document from outside the Philippines no longer needs to be “red ribboned” or authenticated by the Philippine embassy there before it can be accepted in the Philippines as genuine.
Who issues the Apostille?
The DFA no longer admits walk-ins so your appointment must be scheduled by emailing the DFA Office Of Consular Affairs website and/or the satellite offices.
In the Philippines, it is the Department of Foreign Affairs that does this.
Countries that are party to the Hague Apostille Convention designate the competent authority who can issue an apostille.
The apostille of this foreign competent authority – it might be their Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Office of their Secretary of State – is enough for this foreign public document to be accepted as genuine in the Philippines.
Because 118 countries are parties to the Apostille Convention, the Philippine membership makes document authentication a lot easier all over the world.
The only exceptions to this benefit among the member countries are Austria, Finland, Germany and Greece.
These countries have submitted reservations to the Philippine accession which, under the terms of the Convention, means that apostille cannot be resorted to between them and the Philippines.
For these countries, as well as those which are not treaty members — such as Canada, Thailand, China, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia — the old process of authentication still applies between them and the Philippines.
This means that, aside from the internal certifications required in those countries, foreign documents still have to be authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate in them before they can be used in the Philippines.
And vice versa – for a Philippine public document to be accepted as authentic in those foreign countries with whom the treaty does not apply, their embassies here need to first authenticate that document.
How do you obtain an apostille in the Philippines?
Always bring your Special Power of Attorney along with the copy of owner’s valid ID and your ID if you are a representative.
Certain documents can be brought for apostille directly to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Others require intermediate steps before the DFA will issue an apostille on them.
For example, if it is a notarized document, the seal of the notary alone will not suffice. The DFA will also require that you present the notary’s CANA — his Certificate of Authority for a Notarial Act.
The CANA is issued by a Philippine court to which the notary public reports. You’ll need to obtain the notary’s CANA from the court with authority over him and bring it to the DFA.
If what you need to submit is a court document, for example a Philippines court decision or a court notice on the status of a case, there are also additional steps before you can get this apostilled
First of all, the court document needs to have been duly certified by the responsible court officer.
What’s more, the DFA further requires that you go to the Supreme Court and get a certification of the court officer’s signature from the Supreme Court.
Similarly, school documents which you want to have apostilled may have to be certified by the Department of Education or the Commission on Higher Education before the DFA will apostille them.
Getting these requirements takes some legwork and familiarity with the apostille process.
How long will it take to CANA an Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate document for apostillation by the DFA to be sent later on to the IRS in the USA?
Hello. The timeline can be varied on several factors such as location of the notary public, appointment availability at the DFA for apostille services, courier service, and completeness and accuracy of the documents.
Hi, If some documents need to be apostilled from Embassy of Philippines can you please let us know on behalf of company who will sign those documents. If authorized signatory is not Philippines national and he/she holds nationality of another country, can he/she sign or someone who is Philippines national can only sign the documents. what documents to be submitted for authorized signatories as a proof of authorized signatory.
The DFA does not require the signatory to be a Filipino citizen. Citizenship is not a requirement. what matters is the person being the official, authorised signatory of the company and the document bears the original, visible signature of that signature. More importantly, the document must be notarized to confirm is authenticity and the person who signed it is real and authorized.
I have res ribbon docs 10 yrs ago. Then i want to convert it to apostille but dfa told me to go to my school ask for renewal of school docs then go to Ched. My school told me to wait for 2 months which is too much time to wait. is there any other options
It is probably best to obtain the apostille.
is really need to undergo to process CANA my TOR/DIPLOMA/COE/NBI/MEDICAL for DFA appostelle?
No need to undergo CANA. Each of document has its own issuing authority, and DFA requires the original authenticated version directly from that agency. For TOR and Diploma, it must first be authenticated by CHED. for COE, it must be notarized then authenticated by the RTC Office of the Clerk of Court. Medical Certificate must be signed by a licensed physician, notarized, then RTC authentication. NBI must be original with dry seal and directly accepts DFA for apostille.
Hello po
Regarding po sa pagpa apostille ng Certificates of Employment (COE) ko po. 2 COE from Philippine companies, 2 COE from Thailand companies
Ano po ba unang gawin, diretso na po ba ako sa Regional Trial Court ng Philippines para ipa CANA ko yong 4 COEs ko po?
Please advise po kasi nagpa reserve na po ako sa DFA for apostillation po
Maraming salamat po
If the COE requires notarization, then you must go through CANA at the RTC where the notary is commissioned. If not, you can apply directly at DFA apostille authentication. As for the COE from Thailand companies, if based in Philippines, then it’s the same process applies. If the CEO is issues abroad, the DFA cannot be apostilled in the DFA.
I am based here in the US. I have an Apostille issued last March 2022 here in NY for a Power of Attorney, our representative in the Philippines. He went to the bank the other day and was told that the SPA/Apostille is no longer valid being more than one year.
This is not what we thought as the Apostille has no expiration date.
Does Philippines has a different requirement?
That is correct that Apostille document has no expiration date. What likely happened is that the bank applied its own internal policy, not a rule under the Apostille convention. You may ask directly the bank their rules and procedure in this matter.
Hi.can I notarize compromise agreement document?and can I obtain certificate of authority for a notarial act (CANA)?
Can I obtain certificate of authority for a notarial act (CANA) with my compromise agreement document?
Private notarized document such as this requires first be verified by the RTC Executive Judge where the notary public is commissioned. Then, RTC will issue a CANA to certify that the notary public who notarized your document is duly notarized.
Yes, you may go directly to the RTC where the notary public is commissioned.
Hello everyone ,
I have a problem with my daughter’s two documents . She lives in Switzerland and would like to apply for a Swiss passport . Now she needs the birth certificate in Switzerland and a non-married document with an apostille ! We got the two documents from the government and now we have to do the apostille . Are you doing this for us ? If yes , then we are waiting for information from you . Thank you in advance for your support .
Greetings from the Layon
Felicitas Luescher Bobis
Layon / 4504 Ligao City / Philippines
layonfredi@yahoo.de
We can cooperate with Philippine documents Authentication for use in China
Yes, but via traditional lane. Since China is not a member of the Apostille Convention. With this case, the documents authenticated by the DFA will issue a red ribbon. Thereafter, the document will be submitted to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the Philippines. they will legalize the document, making it valid for use in China.
Why do they require specimen signatures of heirs abroad when they already had their SPA apostilled?
The reason for this requirements is for verification of identity. The SPA prove authority. Usually, banks and agencies have their own risk management rules. they want the specimen signature on file to prevent fraud and ensure that the person acting under the SPA is consistent with the heir’s authorization.
The SPA will come from the US. Does the SPA need to be notarised in the USA before it is apostilled? Or apostilled first, sent to the Philippines and can be notarised in the Philippines?
SPA executed in the US must be notarized in the US first before it can be apostilled.
I made and executed an SPA for my brother to encash an HDMF cheque for me while I was still in the Philippines. It was notarized in Bulacan. Should there be a need for apostille for the said SPA given the fact it was executed there?
If the document will be used and enforce abroad, then you’ll have to apostille it. But if the SPA is only for use within Philippines, no apostille is required.
Can i apostille papers from Sweden here in the Philippines or i really need to have it apostille there before they can send me the original copy?
Apostille must be obtained in Sweden for Swedish documents. The Philippines cannot apostille foreign?issued papers.
Would it be easier for a deed of extrajudicial settlement with SPA to be signed by the heirs abroad first and have them apostille it and send it back to the Philippines? Than for the heirs in the Philippines to sign first?
Yes, in many cases the heirs each signing a SPA would be simpler.
Hello,
Thank you for this useful article. Do you know how much a CANA costs?
We cannot directly answer that question. The cost varies depending on the RTC where you apply.
Someone told me that I must get a school admission letter to be able to appostile my school documents at the Philippines. Is that true?
Hello, school admission letter is not necessary to apostille school documents. What you will need is the original copy or certified true copy of the document.
Hello. I wish to ask, if a Holographic Will is made by a Filipina abroad, does it need to be apostilled before sending the same to the Philippines?
A holographic will does not need to be notarized and therefore does not need to be apostilled.
You may find our article on last wills and testaments helpful: https://lawyerphilippines.org/last-will-testament-philippines/
How to apostille negative cenomar?
You may bring the PSA-issued Negative CENOMAR to the DFA and apply for apostille authentication. YOU may also apply via online in your convenience.
What type of document will I choose for SPA/CANA? Is it under COURT DOCUMENTS?please reply ..thank you
A court document refers to one issued by a court rather than a SPA.
Do i need to apostillized my anniulment court decision for the passport change status? -Thank you..
If the documents will be used abroad, yes, you have to apostille it.
how much is the rate for CANA at RTC?
CANA does not have a fixed nationwide fee; it varies on the RTC where you apply. You may visit thr RTC where you have to CANA your document and ask for the fees.
Good afternoon po.
May I please know which office at the DFA is in charge of doing the Apostille of Bill of Sale and Special Power of Attorney documents for the sale of a ship to Korea? Is it the Consular office?
Thank you very much for your kind assistance.
Yes, Office of Consular Affairs Authentication division.
Hi. pwede po na ma apostille ung certifcate of finality and court decision ko processed tru a sharia divorce?
Yes. You will need additional certifications on the court documents to do this, but they can be apostilled.
What additional documents do I need to apostille a court decision and certificate of finality?
If you are applying personally for the apostille of the court decision and certificate of finality, you may go directly to the DFA. However, the DFA is very strict when it comes to verifying the signatory from the court. It is advisable to confirm that the signatory is duly authorized, usually the Clerk of Court, and not just any lawyer. If you are authorizing someone else to process the apostille on your behalf, the DFA requires a Special Power of Attorney (SPA).
Good day. Im from Bacolod City. Is CANA available here in RTC-BACOLOD? If it’s not what are the nearest province where i could obtain a CANA?
It can be obtained from the RTC that issued the license to the notary.
Good evening po sir / madam,
Need ko po ng CANA from RTC for my notary since dfa po needs it for my apostille. Can you please help me on how to get it and where.
Thank you very much
The CANA will be issued with the RTC where the notary public is commissioned. Thereafter, you may go directly DFA offices or through online application for apostille authentication. You can visit their website.
We are going to amend our Articles of Incorporation; for which Directors’ certificate are required. How do we secure their signatures on this document to be considered valid for use in the Philippines? One is in Texas, the other one in Massachussetts.
The documents can be notarized and apostilled in the various US states.
Hi un Coe CANA po ba pwde iprocess sa any regional trial court for DFA apostille and POEA for direct hire for UAE need help wala kasi ko masearch sa POEA website regarding this matter if there is a specific RTC lang na cana ang inaaccept ni POEA
It must be where the document is notarized.
Hello magkno po ang CANA at ilan days po sya pinaprocess?thank tou
Cost of CANA varies depending on the RTC location. As for the processing time, normal processing is 1 to 3 days. But factors affecting time like volume of request and completeness of documents may cause delay.
Regarding an Apostille being used in the Philippines: I am in possession of a divorce decree and a marriage certificate on a Philippine citizen (at the time of the divorce and marriage). The divorce and marriage took place in Nevada. The documents were sent back to Nevada and The Secretary of State affixed the appropriate stamps and Apostille documents. My question is, can those documents be used in a court in the Philippines as is ie., the Apostille attached and stamps, or is there something else needed for those two documents to get them in a Philippine court to comply with the rules of evidence?
For a foreign divorce to be recognized in the Philippines, at least one of the spouses must be a non-Filipino at the time of the divorce.
That said, if the Nevada documents are apostilled by the Secretary of State of Nevada, then they should be admissible before a Philippine court.
Note though that the divorce law of Nevada must also be proved if this is for a recognition of foreign divorce case.
Hello. After getting an affidavit of circumstance notarized, is it me who should bring the document to the Regional trial court for them to issue a CANA? Thank you in advance.
Yes, you may directly to the office of RTC.
hello.. I need an apostille for my signature on my written testimony which is to be used in court in Israel. is the seal of notary public lawyer enough for me to get an apostille?
No, it will also need to have a Certificate Authorizing Notarial Act (CANA) from the Regional Trial Court.
Send us an email at admin@lawyerphilippines.org if this is something you need assistance with.
good day po! i would like to ask.my training certificate and tesda certificate are from Quezon City.while my coe is notarized in laguna.would i need 2 CANA for that?
TESDA and training certificate, these are government-issued document. They do not need CANA, you can bring them to DFA to apostille. As for the notarized COE, you need firs secure CAN from the RTC in Laguna where the notary public is commissioned. Thereafter, you can submit it to the DFA.
Hi! I need help with regards to authenticating my COEs for Apostille. I am located in Alaminos City, Pangasinan. Please help me.
First, kailangan muna ma notaryo ang COE. Pagkatapos itong ma notaryo, kailangan mong kumuha ng CANA mula sa RTC kung saan commissioned and notary public. Pag na CANA na ang document, pedi mo na ito ma submit sa DFA to apostille. You can also apply via online and have it delivered to you.
Hello Attorney,
A pleasant day!
Can Special Power of Attorney regarding Proxy marriage to be held in a Country where it is provisioned for in EU be possibly drafted and notarized here in the Philippines? How long does it take to obtain CANA for the notarized document?
What type of official documents can be referenced for proving whether or not publication or posting of Marriage bann is a requirement for all current citizens here as basis for existing personal laws [civil status, and impediment] regardless if the marriage will applied be for and will be celebrated abroad?
We cannot answer this without more information particularly as it involves foreign as well as Philippine laws.
Hello po, Im currently living here in the US . I want to sell the prepertyI inherited in the Philippines. Gusto ko na ang sister ko na nasa Pinas ang mag asikaso in my behalf. Ano po ba mga documnets kailangan? Tama po ba Authorization letter lang kailangan then ipa notarized ko ? Mag apply then po ba ako ng Apostille? Yon lang po ba ang kailangan? If notarize po, ID ko lang po ba ang kailangan? Please advice po. Maraming salamat .
For property transactions, Philippine law requires a Special Power of Attorney, not a simple authorization. Once the SPA is notarized, submit the SPA to the Secretary of State in the US state where it was notarized for Apostille. Your Id will be needed as your identification. other documents may also require during notarization such as you sister ID and proof of relationship.
Magandang araw po gusto ko magpa CANA para master employment contract para poea,hingi po sana ako ng tulong kung saan po ako pwede magpanotaryo ng cana,sa ngaun po nasa san pablo city laguna ako,sana po ako ay matulungan ninyo
Salamat po
Will send you an email.
Hi, I just want to ask po, magkano po cost ng CANA?
It actually varies where RTC you want to certify the document.
Hello po, may i ask how much is the price to have CANA in rtc?thank you and Godbless.
This may depend on the RTC.
Can i take CANA at metropolitan trial court
If the document is notarized in Metro Manila, yes, you can. But if the document is notarized in provinces, then it must be CANA where the notarized public is commissioned.
Hello, I would like to ask how can I get a CANA? Will I simply go to RTC for this? I need the apostille for me to be able to send my documents in the US so I can take an IRS exam.
You must first notarize the document, thereafter, have it CANA from the RTC where the notary public is commissioned. Then you can submit it to the DFA for apostille.
We are going to participate on International Bidding in Bangladesh and one of their requirements are the Certificate of Completion of our previous projects which is needed to be authenticated by DFA. Do we need to present the original Certificate of Completion at the DFA? Because sometimes, the client only send us the certificate through email and we dont have a copy of that certificate.
The DFA will not authenticate an email printout. You will have to obtain the original or a certified copy.
Hi! My mother in Qatar needs an SPA to process a few documents in behalf of us (her children).
Qatar is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
The Philippine Embassy requires the document to be red-ribboned by the DFA.
Is there still a red ribbon services for those countries not part of the Hague convention?
If none, how do I obtain a CANA, and where can I obtain it?
Thank you very much.
A CANA is obtained from the court. We’d need further details to speak to your situation. Will send an email.
Hi where can I have the CANA done here in manila?
You may have the CANA done in Manila, if the document was also notarized within the commissioned jurisdiction of Metro manila.
Hi, my document is already notarized and next step is to bring it to the RTC for CANA. My question is hong long it takes to process the CANA? Can I wait for it on the same day?
This is sometimes possible, but it depends on the court.
My daughter is working in the US, selling her property here in the Phil. Buyer is applying for a loan with PAGIBIG, wants me to get a PAGIBIG formatted SPA form signed by my daughter to be able to proceed with sale, how do I go about this? Thanks for your reply!
Create an SPA with a lawyer who is familiar with working with Philippine agencies since Philippine agencies are extremely bureaucratic and quite specific as to the requirements needed.
If you are abroad and in a country part of the Hague Apostille Convention, then you may have it notarized and apostilled. Otherwise it must be authenticated.
Magandang araw po mag ta tanong lang po sana ako kailangan po ba din ipa notaryo ang employment certification? At kunan din ng CANA? Or pwede na mismo ang certification na galing sa kumpanya? Maraming salamat po??
If teh company issued COE with official signature and seal, then you can submit in DFA for apostille. But if the COE us without seal, notarization is required, Then RTC for CANA and DFA apostille.
Good day,
I will be needing a certified true copy of my certificate of employments issued on 2011 and 2012. My employment during that time was in Abu Dhabi, UAE and both employers only gave me a scanned/pdf copy through email on the same years. Now, what I only have are soft copies of those and cannot ask for the original anymore as the companies got dissolved already. Is there a way that scanned/pdf copy of my employment certificates could be certified/apostile’d? Please help. Thank you in advance.
Hi Joseph – you will need to contact your employers and then apostille where they are located.
Hi. Does all province’s supreme court issuing the CANA? Is it possible that I had my Certificate of Employment Certified True Copy by an Atty in my province, then I will have it CANA in quezon city?
No. The CANA must be issued by the court with authority over the specific notary.
Why need a report of marriage to file judicial recognition of foreign divorce in Philippines?
I married with pilipino and I divorced her in Korea , and I want to recognize my divorce in the Philippines court , I was married in Philippines first and after that I report my marriage to my Country so why need my report of marriage and where I can get that one?
There is no need for a Report of Marriage if the marriage took place in the Philippines. The document to obtain in that case is the Certificate of Marriage from the Philippine Statistics Authority. See our post on Recognition of Foreign Divorce here: https://lawyerphilippines.org/recognition-of-foreign-divorce-in-the-philippines-process/
Regarding apostille, I received a special power of attorney from my sister in Sweden authorizing me to act in her behalf here. She told me that it was notarized there.
But reading it, I noticed that below my sister’s name & signature are some writings with stamp & signature, but i dont understand anything of it since it is in Swedish. My sister told me that it was the notarization.
The document is just one page.
Query: Can i use such special power of attorney here?
Is Sweden a party to the treaty on apostille?
How to determine if the one-page special power of attorney is apostilled?
Yes, Sweden is a signatory to the convention.
Sweden does not offer online verification of apostilles (https://consular.dfa.gov.ph/directory/255-verification-of-foreign-apostilles), but you may check with their embassy here or with our DFA for guidance if there is a serious reason to question the document.
Hi, I have a question. I’m a Russian citizen, was working officially for the company in the Philippines for 3 years. I’m in Russia at the moment and have to issue SPA to appoint a person who can claim my last pay in the Philippines. If I apostille notarized SPA in English, will it be enough for the appointed person to use in the Philippines and claim my last pay under my behalf?
Thank you!
It is wise to draft the SPA in English so it can be used directly in the Philippines, no need for translation. Then you can apostille in Russia and send the apostilled SPA to the Philippines. Your representative in the Philippines can present the original apostilled SPA directly to your employer or the bank.
My cousin lives here in the Philippines and is selling her property in the US. The Buyer will send the documents (Contract to Sell and Agreement to Purchase and Sell Real Property) for her to sign. Does she needs to have it Apostilled before sending it back to the US?
Yes, your cousin will need to have the documents notarized and apostilled before sending them back to the US. But prior apostille in the DFA, bring the notarized document to the RTC Executive Judge in the area where the notary is commissioned. The RTC issue the CANA or Certificate of Authority for a Notarial Act to certify that the notary public is authorized.