Apostille and Document Legalisation – Orilangues Assistance
Do you need to use a French document abroad? Depending on the destination country and the type of document, an apostille, legalisation or no authentication formality may be required. Orilangues assists you with preparing your documents and, where necessary, with certified Arabic–French or French–Arabic translation.
Orilangues does not issue apostilles or legalisations. These formalities are handled by the competent notarial centres. Our service covers document assistance, file preparation and translation.
What is an apostille?
An apostille is a formality that authenticates, in particular, the signature, the capacity of the signatory and, where applicable, the seal or stamp appearing on a public document. It does not certify the content of the document.
Apostille or legalisation: which formality is required?
The applicable formality depends in particular on the country where the document will be used and the relevant international conventions. Before starting the procedure, you should therefore check the destination country, the type of document and the authority that will receive it.
Since 2025, applications have been handled by the notarial profession
Since 1 May 2025, apostilles for French public documents have been issued by 15 competent Regional Councils or Interdepartmental Chambers of Notaries. Since 1 September 2025, these centres have also handled legalisations.
An application can be prepared online through the official Notaires de France platform: apostille.notaires.fr. It may also be submitted through one of the competent centres, according to the applicable procedure.
Which documents may be concerned?
- birth, marriage and death certificates;
- judgments and court decisions;
- diplomas and school certificates;
- notarial deeds and powers of attorney;
- criminal record certificates and administrative certificates;
- professional or administrative documents intended for use abroad.
Orilangues assistance service
You can send your document to Orilangues before starting the procedure. We can review the documentary requirements of your file, prepare the necessary translations and guide you towards the appropriate official procedure.
- Send the document as a clear scan or photograph.
- Specify the destination country and the organisation that will receive the document.
- We identify the translation requirements and the documentary elements that should be checked.
- The apostille or legalisation application is then submitted to the competent notarial centre.
Certified translation and apostille
An international file may require both an authentication formality and a translation. Orilangues provides certified Arabic–French and French–Arabic translations of civil-status documents, judgments, powers of attorney, notarial deeds, diplomas and other official documents.
See our certified civil-status translation and legal Arabic–French translation services.
Apostille for administrative and family procedures
Depending on the origin or destination of the documents and the authority’s requirements, apostille or legalisation issues may arise in naturalisation, residence permit or family reunification files. However, the formality is not automatic: it must be checked for each document and each country.
Apostille for companies and professionals
Orilangues also assists companies, lawyers, notaries and other professionals with documents intended for use abroad: powers of attorney, corporate documents, deeds, decisions, contracts and administrative documents. When the file concerns an Arabic-speaking country, we can coordinate Arabic–French translation requirements with document preparation.
How long should you allow?
Notaires de France indicates a processing period of three working days once the necessary information is available in the signature database and the prerequisites have been met. Additional time may nevertheless be required depending on the centre, document delivery or necessary checks.
Apply for an apostille online
Official portal: apostille.notaires.fr.
Official information: Notaires de France – Apostille and legalisation.
Do you have a document that needs an apostille or legalisation?
Send us a clear copy and specify the destination country. We will review with you the translation requirements and the documentary preparation of your file.
Frequently asked questions
Does Orilangues issue apostilles?
No. Apostilles and legalisations are issued by the competent notarial bodies. Orilangues provides document assistance and the necessary translations.
Must all documents intended for use abroad be apostilled?
No. The formality depends on the document, the destination country and the applicable international rules.
Can I send my file remotely?
Yes. You can send a clear copy of your documents for an initial review and a translation quote.
For other needs, see our sworn Arabic–French translator in Paris and sworn Arabic–French interpreter services.