Education Certificate Legitimation
Education Certificate Legitimation

Education Certificate Legitimation

For international applicants


Legitimation is the procedure of putting a special stamp on a document in the country of issue, after which it can be presented at the place of demand abroad.

To enrol in a university, a foreign citizen needs to undergo the procedure of legitimization of a document on education. Usually this can be done at the Russian Consulate.

When education documents do not need to be legitimized

Legitimation is not necessary when the country of issue of the document on education and Russia has concluded a treaty abolishing the requirements for legitimization.

The countries of education document issue that do not require legitimation are as follows
Asia

  • Abkhazia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Armenia
  • China
  • Cyprus
  • Georgia
  • India
  • Iraq
  • Iran
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Mongolia
  • South Ossetia
  • Tajikistan
  • Taiwan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vietnam
  • Yemen
Europe

  • Albania
  • Belarus
  • Bulgaria
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Moldova
  • Montenegro
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Serbia
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Ukraine
Africa

  • Algeria
  • Egypt
  • Tunisia
America

  • Argentina
  • Cuba

Options for legitimization of education document

Simplified legitimization (apostille)

If the country of issue of the education document has joined the Hague Convention of 1961 abolishing the requirement of consular legitimization of foreign official documents, you have the opportunity to apostille the document. Apostille is convenient for those who in the future plan to study (work) not only in their home country, but also in other countries.

The Apostille stamp shall be affixed on the original document or on a separate sheet stapled to the document and may be drawn up in the official language of the issuing authority. The Apostille stamp shall be affixed by the competent authorities of the country of issue of the document.

To find out whether your country has acceded to the Hague Convention, contact details, cost of the procedure, opening hours of the competent authorities, as well as deadlines for the service and form templates you can find on the Hague Convention page by selecting the country of issuance of the educational document.

Once stamped with an Apostille, your document will be considered valid in more than 100 member states of the convention, including Russia.

Countries of education document issue that joined the Hague Convention
Asia

  • Bahrain
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  • Hong Kong
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Macao
  • Oman
  • Philippines
  • Republic of Korea
  • Turkey
Europe

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Denmark
  • Germany
  • France
  • Gibraltar
  • Ireland
  • Iceland
  • Isle of Man
  • Liechtenstein
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Monaco
  • Netherlands
  • Northern Macedonia
  • Norway
  • Portugal
  • San Marino
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  • United Kingdom
Africa

  • Botswana
  • Burundi
  • Cape Verde
  • Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Mauritius
  • Malawi
  • Morocco
  • Namibia
  • Republic of South Africa
  • Reunion
  • São Tomé and Principe
  • Saint Helena
  • Seychelles
Australia and Oceania

  • Australia
  • American Samoa
  • Cook Islands
  • Fiji
  • French Polynesia
  • Guam
  • Marshall Islands
  • New Caledonia
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Niue
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Palau
  • Pitkern
  • Samoa
  • Tonga
  • Vanuatu
  • Wallis and Futuna
America

  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Ecuador
  • Falkland Islands
  • French Guiana
  • Guyana
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Suriname
  • Uruguay
  • Venezuela
America

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Aruba
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bonaire
  • Cayman Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Curaçao
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • El Salvador
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guatemala
  • Grenada
  • Greenland
  • Honduras
  • Martinique
  • Mexico
  • Montserrat
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Sint Eustatius and Saba
  • St. Maarten
  • St. Pierre and Miquelon
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • USA
  • Virgin Islands (British)
  • Virgin Islands (USA)
Conventional (consular legitimization) legitimization

If the country of issue of the document and Russia has not concluded a treaty on abolition of legitimization or your country is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Abolition of Consular Legitimization, you need to undergo the procedure of Consular Legitimization.