Questions about the Seychelles Apostille

Yes. The Hague Apostille Convention of 5 October 1961 applies to the Seychelles. Therefore, an apostille is the standard form of legalization for all documents issued in Victoria. Seychelles formally joined the Convention on 31 March 1979.

All member states of the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961 accept a Seychelles apostille without further legalisation. This includes Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, China, India, Japan, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, and over 120 others.

Non-member countries require full consular legalisation instead of an apostille. Common examples include the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Taiwan.

An apostille is a simplified form of legalization used between countries that are members of the Hague Convention. For non-member countries, a more complex process involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the respective embassy (Authentication) is required.

Seychelles apostilles are issued by the Registrar of the Supreme Court. They feature a physical seal, a signature, and a unique reference number. The Supreme Court maintains a register of issued apostilles and can confirm issuance upon request.

An apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, the capacity of the person who signed the document, and the identity of the seal or stamp. It does not certify the content or accuracy of the document itself.

Common documents include birth, marriage, and death certificates, and corporate documents such as Certificates of Incorporation, Good Standing, or Official Search. The [full list of documents shows everything that can receive an Apostille.](/apostille-service/) Private documents like Powers of Attorney (PoA) require prior Seychelles notarisation.

No. An apostille must be physically attached to the original document. Scans or PDFs are not accepted. If you lack the original, we can obtain newly issued official copies (e.g., Birth Certificates or Certificates of Good Standing) directly from the authorities.

Yes, but the copy must first be certified as a true copy by a Notary Public in the Seychelles. We coordinate this notarization before presenting it to the Supreme Court.

No. An apostille must be issued by the country where the document originated. Seychelles authorities can only apostille documents issued in Seychelles, or foreign documents that have been notarised locally by a Seychelles notary.

Laminated documents are rejected by the Supreme Court. Documents that are heavily damaged or have unreadable seals are also problematic. If your original is laminated, we can usually arrange a duplicate through the issuing authority.

If the destination country has a different official language than, english or french, a certified translation is usually required. This can be done before the apostille (apostilled as part of the document) or after by a sworn translator in the destination country.

Standard processing is 24–48 hours. Documents submitted before 10:30 AM are often ready by 14:00 the same day. Including worldwide DHL Express delivery, the total timeline is usually 5 to 7 business days.

Yes, same-day processing is possible depending on court workload. For urgent matters, please contact us via WhatsApp to confirm timing before sending your documents.

No. Our service handles the entire process on the ground in Victoria for you. You send us the documents, or we obtain them directly from the registry.

Yes, we ship all legalised documents worldwide via DHL Express (99 € per order). You will receive a tracking number as soon as your documents leave our office in the Seychelles. A PDF by email is always included.

The Supreme Court of Seychelles is the primary authority. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also listed, day-to-day issuance is handled by the Registrar at the Supreme Court in Victoria.

The Apostille of the Supreme Court costs 79 € per document. For private documents a Seychelles notary is needed first; notary and Apostille together cost 99 €. Certificates we order new from the FSA or the Civil Status Office are priced including the Apostille. DHL Express is optional, 99 € once per order. You pay online by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal or bank transfer, depending on your country. All prices are on the prices page.

The PDF is a scan of the apostilled original. Many banks and offices accept it; others need the paper. If you are unsure, choose DHL Express delivery.

An apostille itself does not expire. However, receiving authorities (like banks) often require documents and apostilles to be no older than 3 to 6 months.

Most banks require a Certificate of Good Standing with apostille to be no older than 3 months. Some fintechs require documents issued within 30 days. We recommend ordering a fresh certificate for bank applications.

This is a complex case. Generally, the company must be in ‘Good Standing’. If your company is struck off, we provide specialized consulting on whether to restore the company or request specific historical records.

Common reasons include: the document being too old, missing a certified translation, or the destination country requiring full legalisation because it is not a Hague member.

Frequently requested are the Certificate of Incorporation, Good Standing, Official Search, M&A, and Register of Directors. Private resolutions and POAs must be notarised in Seychelles first.