Apostille – Irish Company Documents

Authenticating and Legalising Company Documents

The Consular Section, Department of Foreign Affairs can authenticate documents executed in Ireland for use in other countries. Authenticating a document means verifying the signature of the authorised person and the seal or stamp it bears.

The Department of Foreign Affairs will authenticate a document that has been electronically signed.  If it does not contain an original signature and stamp from the CRO then we will need to get it notarised first by a Notary Public.

The apostille or legalisation certificate attached to the document confirms that the signature on the document is genuine.

It does not mean that the contents of the document are correct or that the Department of Foreign Affairs approves of the contents.

Apostille Certificate

An Apostille stamp or an Apostille Certificate is an official certificate issued to legal Irish company documents. It certifies:

  • The country of origin of the document
  • The name and identity of the signature
  • Capacity in which a document has been signed
  • The name of any authority which has affixed a seal or stamp to the document
  • Place
  • Date
  • Number
  • Official seal

The apostille enables the presenter to bypass further certification and immediately send or take the documents to the country of intended use.

Authentication

Documents for authentication or the affixing of an apostille are done by the Consular Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Legalisation

Legalisation simply means confirming that a signature, seal or stamp appearing on a document is genuine.

Legalised Company Documents

The signatures or seals of Irish public officials such as solicitors, notaries public, registrars on certain documents like Powers of Attorney and Certificates of Good Standing from Ireland have to be confirmed before the documents can be accepted overseas.

Photocopies of any documents must be true copies of the original and signed by an Irish practicing solicitor or notary public.

Authentication

Foreign governments may request bearers of documents to have them authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs or by Embassies overseas. The authentication verifies the identity of the signature and/or seal or stamp which the document bears. An apostille involves the addition of a certificate, either stamped on the document itself or attached to the document.

It certifies the country of origin of the document, the identity and capacity in which a document has been signed and the name of any authority which has affixed a seal or stamp to the document.

The apostille enables the presenter to bypass further certification and immediately send or take the documents to the country of intended use.

Order Apostilled Irish Company Documents

To proceed with ordering a Irish Apostilled Company Documents we simply require the company name, we will then check the company file and status with the company registry.  First we order the registry certified company documents from the registrar, they are then Apostilled at the Consular Section, Department of Foreign Affairs. Scanned copies are emailed through and where required the original couriered.