Hague Apostille Countries List: Where a US Apostille Works
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited October 24, 2026). · 6 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
The countries that accept a U.S. apostille are the parties to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention where the Convention is in force. The table below lists every party and the date the Convention took effect there, taken from the status table kept by the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), the Convention's official depositary record.
If the country you need is not in the table, or the Convention has not yet taken effect there, a U.S. document usually needs a certificate of authentication and legalization by that country's embassy or consulate instead. The exception is a territory where a member has extended the Convention, such as Hong Kong and Macao, which China says the Convention continues to cover.
Information last verified on October 24, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
Jurisdiction scope: This article covers whether a U.S. public document needs an apostille or an authentication for a given country. Which U.S. office issues the certificate is covered in how to get an apostille.
Hague apostille countries list
The Apostille Convention is in force for 128 of the 129 countries and territories that have joined it besides the United States, so a U.S. apostille is accepted there. HCCH status table (checked October 24, 2026).
Joined, but not yet in force: Thailand (February 28, 2027). Until that date, U.S. documents for these countries need authentication and legalization.
| Country | Convention in force there since | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | May 9, 2004 | Apostille accepted |
| Algeria | July 9, 2026 | Apostille accepted |
| Andorra | December 31, 1996 | Apostille accepted |
| Antigua and Barbuda | November 1, 1981 | Apostille accepted |
| Argentina | February 18, 1988 | Apostille accepted |
| Armenia | August 14, 1994 | Apostille accepted |
| Australia | March 16, 1995 | Apostille accepted |
| Austria | January 13, 1968 | Apostille accepted |
| Azerbaijan | March 2, 2005 | Apostille accepted |
| Bahamas | July 10, 1973 | Apostille accepted |
| Bahrain | December 31, 2013 | Apostille accepted |
| Bangladesh | March 30, 2025 | Apostille accepted |
| Barbados | November 30, 1966 | Apostille accepted |
| Belarus | May 31, 1992 | Apostille accepted |
| Belgium | February 9, 1976 | Apostille accepted |
| Belize | April 11, 1993 | Apostille accepted |
| Bolivia | May 7, 2018 | Apostille accepted |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | March 6, 1992 | Apostille accepted |
| Botswana | September 30, 1966 | Apostille accepted |
| Brazil | August 14, 2016 | Apostille accepted |
| Brunei | December 3, 1987 | Apostille accepted |
| Bulgaria | April 29, 2001 | Apostille accepted |
| Burundi | February 13, 2015 | Apostille accepted |
| Cabo Verde | February 13, 2010 | Apostille accepted |
| Canada | January 11, 2024 | Apostille accepted |
| Chile | August 30, 2016 | Apostille accepted |
| China | November 7, 2023 | Apostille accepted |
| Colombia | January 30, 2001 | Apostille accepted |
| Cook Islands | April 30, 2005 | Apostille accepted |
| Costa Rica | December 14, 2011 | Apostille accepted |
| Croatia | October 8, 1991 | Apostille accepted |
| Cyprus | April 30, 1973 | Apostille accepted |
| Czechia | March 16, 1999 | Apostille accepted |
| Country | Convention in force there since | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | December 29, 2006 | Apostille accepted |
| Dominica | November 3, 1978 | Apostille accepted |
| Dominican Republic | August 30, 2009 | Apostille accepted |
| Ecuador | April 2, 2005 | Apostille accepted |
| El Salvador | May 31, 1996 | Apostille accepted |
| Estonia | September 30, 2001 | Apostille accepted |
| Eswatini | September 6, 1968 | Apostille accepted |
| Fiji | October 10, 1970 | Apostille accepted |
| Finland | August 26, 1985 | Apostille accepted |
| France | January 24, 1965 | Apostille accepted |
| Georgia | May 14, 2007 | Apostille accepted |
| Germany | February 13, 1966 | Apostille accepted |
| Greece | May 18, 1985 | Apostille accepted |
| Grenada | April 7, 2002 | Apostille accepted |
| Guatemala | September 18, 2017 | Apostille accepted |
| Guyana | April 18, 2019 | Apostille accepted |
| Honduras | September 30, 2004 | Apostille accepted |
| Hungary | January 18, 1973 | Apostille accepted |
| Iceland | November 27, 2004 | Apostille accepted |
| India | July 14, 2005 | Apostille accepted |
| Indonesia | June 4, 2022 | Apostille accepted |
| Ireland | March 9, 1999 | Apostille accepted |
| Israel | August 14, 1978 | Apostille accepted |
| Italy | February 11, 1978 | Apostille accepted |
| Country | Convention in force there since | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jamaica | July 3, 2021 | Apostille accepted |
| Japan | July 27, 1970 | Apostille accepted |
| Kazakhstan | January 30, 2001 | Apostille accepted |
| Kosovo | July 14, 2016 | Apostille accepted |
| Kyrgyzstan | July 31, 2011 | Apostille accepted |
| Latvia | January 30, 1996 | Apostille accepted |
| Lesotho | October 4, 1966 | Apostille accepted |
| Liberia | February 8, 1996 | Apostille accepted |
| Liechtenstein | September 17, 1972 | Apostille accepted |
| Lithuania | July 19, 1997 | Apostille accepted |
| Luxembourg | June 3, 1979 | Apostille accepted |
| Malawi | December 2, 1967 | Apostille accepted |
| Malta | March 3, 1968 | Apostille accepted |
| Marshall Islands | August 14, 1992 | Apostille accepted |
| Mauritius | March 12, 1968 | Apostille accepted |
| Mexico | August 14, 1995 | Apostille accepted |
| Moldova | March 16, 2007 | Apostille accepted |
| Monaco | December 31, 2002 | Apostille accepted |
| Mongolia | December 31, 2009 | Apostille accepted |
| Montenegro | June 3, 2006 | Apostille accepted |
| Morocco | August 14, 2016 | Apostille accepted |
| Namibia | January 30, 2001 | Apostille accepted |
| Netherlands | October 8, 1965 | Apostille accepted |
| New Zealand | November 22, 2001 | Apostille accepted |
| Nicaragua | May 14, 2013 | Apostille accepted |
| Niue | March 2, 1999 | Apostille accepted |
| North Macedonia | November 17, 1991 | Apostille accepted |
| Norway | July 29, 1983 | Apostille accepted |
| Country | Convention in force there since | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Oman | January 30, 2012 | Apostille accepted |
| Pakistan | March 9, 2023 | Apostille accepted |
| Palau | June 23, 2020 | Apostille accepted |
| Panama | August 4, 1991 | Apostille accepted |
| Paraguay | August 30, 2014 | Apostille accepted |
| Peru | September 30, 2010 | Apostille accepted |
| Philippines | May 14, 2019 | Apostille accepted |
| Poland | August 14, 2005 | Apostille accepted |
| Portugal | February 4, 1969 | Apostille accepted |
| Romania | March 16, 2001 | Apostille accepted |
| Russia | May 31, 1992 | Apostille accepted |
| Rwanda | June 5, 2024 | Apostille accepted |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | December 14, 1994 | Apostille accepted |
| Saint Lucia | July 31, 2002 | Apostille accepted |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | October 27, 1979 | Apostille accepted |
| Samoa | September 13, 1999 | Apostille accepted |
| San Marino | February 13, 1995 | Apostille accepted |
| Sao Tome and Principe | September 13, 2008 | Apostille accepted |
| Saudi Arabia | December 7, 2022 | Apostille accepted |
| Senegal | March 23, 2023 | Apostille accepted |
| Serbia | April 27, 1992 | Apostille accepted |
| Seychelles | March 31, 1979 | Apostille accepted |
| Singapore | September 16, 2021 | Apostille accepted |
| Slovakia | February 18, 2002 | Apostille accepted |
| Slovenia | June 25, 1991 | Apostille accepted |
| South Africa | April 30, 1995 | Apostille accepted |
| South Korea | July 14, 2007 | Apostille accepted |
| Spain | September 25, 1978 | Apostille accepted |
| Suriname | November 25, 1975 | Apostille accepted |
| Sweden | May 1, 1999 | Apostille accepted |
| Switzerland | March 11, 1973 | Apostille accepted |
| Country | Convention in force there since | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Tajikistan | October 31, 2015 | Apostille accepted |
| Thailand | February 28, 2027 | Not yet in force |
| Tonga | June 4, 1970 | Apostille accepted |
| Trinidad and Tobago | July 14, 2000 | Apostille accepted |
| Tunisia | March 30, 2018 | Apostille accepted |
| Türkiye | September 29, 1985 | Apostille accepted |
| Ukraine | December 22, 2003 | Apostille accepted |
| United Kingdom | January 24, 1965 | Apostille accepted |
| Uruguay | October 14, 2012 | Apostille accepted |
| Uzbekistan | April 15, 2012 | Apostille accepted |
| Vanuatu | July 30, 1980 | Apostille accepted |
| Venezuela | March 16, 1999 | Apostille accepted |
| Vietnam | September 11, 2026 | Apostille accepted |
The Convention also applies in places that are not separate rows in the status table, through a member’s declaration: Hong Kong (China), Macao (China).
The dates are the dates the Convention entered into force for each country. For countries that joined before the United States, the Convention has applied to U.S. documents since it entered into force for the United States on October 15, 1981.
How a country joins, and why the date matters
A country can join the Convention years before it takes effect there. When a country accedes, the Convention enters into force for it only after a waiting period during which existing members may object (Article 12). An apostille issued for a country before its date does not yet replace legalization there.
That is why the table separates countries where the Convention is in force from countries that have joined but are still waiting. The Apostille Finder applies the same dates, so a country moves to the apostille route on its entry-into-force date.
Objections and the United States
Under Article 12, an existing member can object to a new member's accession, and the Convention then does not apply between those two countries. Germany, for example, objected to India's accession, so the Convention does not apply between India and Germany. Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands and Spain also objected and later withdrew their objections.
For U.S. documents, the HCCH records show one United States objection, to Liberia, and the United States withdrew it: "On 20 May 2015, the United States of America withdrew its objection. As a result, the Convention has entered into force between Liberia and the United States on 20 May 2015." The United States is not among the countries listed as not applying the Convention with Kosovo. A U.S. apostille therefore works in every country in the table once the Convention is in force there.
Countries outside the Convention
For a country that is not a party, there is no apostille. For a state document, the state office issues a certificate of authentication instead (some states now issue one certificate for every destination) and the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, then authenticates it. A federal document goes straight to the Office of Authentications. The destination country's embassy or consulate then legalizes it. The State Department charges $20 per document for its step; the embassy sets its own fee and rules.
Common destinations outside the Convention include the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Taiwan is not a party either. Always ask the embassy or consulate what it needs before you start: it sets its own requirements, fees and timing for legalization.
Territories
The HCCH table lists countries. Some parties have extended the Convention to territories they are responsible for. China, for example, declared that the Convention "will continue to apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region," so U.S. apostilles are accepted there too. If you are sending a document to a territory, check the HCCH status table entry for the country responsible for it, or ask the receiving authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries accept an apostille?
Every country where the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention is in force. The table on this page lists each party and the date the Convention took effect there, from the Hague Conference status table.
Is China part of the Hague Apostille Convention?
Yes. The Convention entered into force for China on November 7, 2023, so U.S. documents for use in mainland China now take an apostille instead of Chinese consular legalization.
Is Canada part of the Apostille Convention?
Yes. The Convention entered into force for Canada on January 11, 2024.
Does Thailand accept apostilles?
Not yet. Thailand has acceded to the Convention, but it enters into force there on February 28, 2027. Until then, a U.S. document for Thailand needs authentication and legalization.
Does the UAE accept apostilles?
No. The United Arab Emirates is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so a state document needs the state's certificate of authentication and then the U.S. Department of State's authentication (a federal document needs only the State Department's), followed by legalization by the UAE embassy or consulate.
What if my country is not on the list?
Then it is usually not a party, or the Convention is not yet in force there; a territory such as Hong Kong or Macao can be covered through its country's declaration. Otherwise, a state document needs the state office's certificate of authentication and then the U.S. Department of State's authentication; a federal document needs only the State Department's. Then that country's embassy or consulate legalizes it.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
Sources and References
- HCCH: Apostille Convention status table(hcch.net).gov
- HCCH: Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (full text)(hcch.net).gov
- HCCH: Apostille Convention, India accession and objections(hcch.net).gov
- HCCH: Apostille Convention, Liberia accession and objections(hcch.net).gov
- HCCH: Apostille Convention, China declarations (Hong Kong and Macao)(hcch.net).gov
- U.S. Department of State: Prepare Document for an Authentication Certificate(travel.state.gov).gov