Apostille

Apostille Certificate and diplomatic legalisation: legalisation of higher education documents for use outside Hungary

​​​​​​1. When is the legalisation of documents required?
2. The procedure of legalisation of documents issued by higher education institutions
3. Which types of higher education documents can be legalised?
4. Information about the administration process
5. Processing time of the documents
6. Fee of intermediate legalisation
7. Requirements regarding the form and content of the documents
8. Common mistakes in form and content that may result in the legislation request to be turned down

 

1. When is the legalisation of documents required?

In the legalisation procedure, there is a difference between documents that need to be legalised with Apostille Certificate and documents that need to be legalised with the "classic" diplomatic legalisation. It depends on the country and the authority in front of which it is wished to be used.

In the course of the legalisation procedure, the appointed governmental entity verifies the authenticity of the signature and seal on the document, provided that the necessary data of signature are at their disposal.

Legalisation is only necessary if the foreign country, organisation or company explicitly requests this procedure for using the documents. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the holder of the document (i.e. current or former student or lecturer) to obtain information whether the legalisation procedure is necessary or it is the required procedure at all.

Documents issued by a foreign higher education institution that is licensed to operate in Hungary cannot be legalised by Hungarian authorities. Information on the issuing authorities of foreign documents can be found on this page: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/authorities1/?cid=41

2. The procedure of legalisation of documents issued by higher education institutions

Step 1: In order to use documents abroad which were issued by a (Hungarian) higher education institution, intermediate legalisation is required to be carried out by the Educational Authority.

Step 2: following the intermediate legalisation by the Educational Authority, the document must also be legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Legalisation Office of the Department of Consular Affairs and Citizenship of the Ministry) with Apostille Certificate under the Hague Convention or with the Office's original seal and official signature based on the agreement with the country concerned.

All important information regarding this topic (opening hours, booking appointments, fees, etc.) can be found on the website of the Consular Service: https://konzinfo.mfa.gov.hu/en/legalization-procedure-documents

3. Which types of higher education documents can be legalised?

The following documents can be legalised:

a) diploma
b) diploma supplement
c) other documents, which certify facts or data about the student or lecturer (e.g. student status certificate, transcript, etc.), and a true paper copy of all the documents issued by the institution.

Only documents that are issued on paper and bear the date and the authentication (seal and signature) of the institution can be submitted for intermediate legalisation.

4. Information about the administration process

Intermediate legalisation is carried out on request, based on the relevant laws on administration.

In the course of the intermediate legalisation procedure, legible seal, date and the designated person's signature is placed on the surface of the original document.

We primarily recommend in-person administration. Prior appointment is mandatory! For more information on current opening hours and booking an appointment, please click on the following link: https://www.oktatas.hu/kapcsolat/kozponti_ugyfelszolgalat/szemelyes_ugyfelszolgalat

In case of postal submission (or submission by courier), the Educational Authority cannot be held responsible for damaged or lost shipments. Please note that if the shipment was sent to the Authority by courier (UPS, GLS, etc.), the Authority can only return it by post (exclusively) to the sender. Shipments cannot be sent by post to a foreign address; in such cases, a Hungarian postal address and person (trustee-on-delivery) must be provided when submitting the request (find form below).

For non-personal or personal submission, please contact kozbenso.hitelesites@oh.gov.hu for more precise and relevant information on the procedure.

A person with a valid and legal authorisation can act on behalf of the holder of the document; in such cases, the authorised person must present the original version of the authorisation to start the procedure.

Authorisation form (PDF) >>
Authorisation form (DOCX) >>

Authorisation form for trustee-on-delivery (PDF) >>
Authorisation form for trustee-on-delivery (DOCX)>>

5. Processing time of the documents

Regarding the processing time of the submitted documents, the relevant legislation applies, according to which the processing time is 8 days if the application is complete and all the necessary data are at the Authority's disposal.

The full processing time of documents (when not all the necessary data are at the Authority's disposal) is a maximum of 60 days.

6. Fee of intermediate legalisation

An administrative service fee of 5,000 HUF per signature must be paid for the intermediate legalisation procedure.

During the procedure the Educational Authority verifies the data of the original signature(s) on the submitted document(s).

Therefore, the administrative service fee equals 5,000 HUF multiplied by the number of distinct signatories whose original signatures appear on the document(s).

Examples:

• If a diploma is signed by one person, the fee is 5,000 HUF.
• If the same diploma is signed by two different persons (as is often the case with doctoral diplomas), the fee is 2 × 5,000 HUF = 10,000 HUF.
• If two versions of a document (e.g. diploma supplement in English and Hungarian) are signed by different persons, the fee is also 2 × 5,000 HUF = 10,000 HUF.
• If multiple documents are submitted, signed by different persons, the fee is calculated based on the number of distinct signatories: 5,000 HUF per person.
• In the case of a certified copy, only the signature of the person who certified the document will be examined.
• For example, if the certified copy is signed by one person, the fee is 5,000 HUF, even if the original document had two signatories.
• In case of multiple copies of the same document (e.g. two certified copies of the same diploma), the fee must be paid for each copy separately:

2 × 5,000 HUF = 10,000 HUF, even if both copies are signed by the same person.
In summary, the administrative service fee shall primarily be determined based on the number of documents to be subject to legalisation, with the stipulation that if a document contains the original signatures of two signatories, a double fee shall be payable for that document.

The administrative service fee can be paid by bank card via the official website of the Educational Authority. Click here to access the payment interface.
A step-by-step payment guide can be downloaded here.

After completing the payment, please bring the invoice (also downloadable from the website) with you to the in-person administration.

Important notes:

Please make sure to fill in all required fields accurately, as this is necessary for identifying your payment.
If you would like the invoice issued in a different name, this can also be indicated during the online process.
If bank card payment is not possible, please contact us at: kozbenso.felulhitelesites@oh.gov.hu
7. Requirements regarding the form and content of the documents

a) The Educational Authority only legalises original documents that clearly bare the official seal and signature of the institution that issued the document and the date when it was issued.
b) In case of true copies, only the original version can be accepted!
c) Issuer of the document: Only those documents can be legalised by the Educational Authority which have been issued by a Hungarian, state-recognized higher education institution in respect of a natural person that is or has been in legal relationship with that institution. Documents written by a (former) student or lecturer (e.g. thesis) cannot be legalised, only their separate certificates which were issued by the higher education institution. Bilateral agreements (e.g. any type of contract) can be legalised by a notary!
d) Proper binding or stapling of multi-paged documents
If the document consists of more than one page (e.g. diploma supplement, credit certificate, etc.), the Authority can only legalise the ones that have been bound or stapled in the appropriate, inseparable form.
Proper binding of documents (e.g. diploma supplement):

    
 

Proper stapling of documents (e.g. credit certificate, transcript):

 

8. Common mistakes in form and content that may result in the legislation request to be turned down:

There is no original seal and/or original signature on the document. Please note that the use of signature stamp cannot be accepted for legalisation!
If the document is not original but a copy (photocopy, scanned copy).
The document was signed in electronic form by its issuer.
If multi-paged documents that were originally bound or stapled together were detached or the binding, the stapling, the vignette, the seal, the national-colour band or the document itself is damaged.
The binding or the stapling of the document does not meet the requirements, it is not inseparable: the pages are not bound or stapled together properly, i.e. any of the pages could be removed, changed or replaced without causing damage.
True copy issued by a notary. (Only the original issuer of the document can make a true copy that is suitable for legalisation.)
If the (official) translation is bound or stapled to the original document. On condition that the translation is required for the final use, it has to be prepared after the full legalisation procedure was carried out.