Superlegalization
Superlegalization is a process of authentication of public or certified documents issued in the Czech Republic in order to be used in another country.
Superlegalization of Czech documents in order to be used in another country is provided by the state administration authority superior to the authority that issued the document (i.e. Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic). After this authentication follows the authentication of the signature and official stamp of the supreme state administration authority by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, and at the end is the authentication of the signature and official stamp of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic by the diplomatic or Consular office of the state on which territory the document is supposed to be used.
Superlegalization of a foreign public document verifies the authenticity of signatures, official stamps and seals on this document. It is provided by the competent embassy of the Czech republic abroad or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (Consular department).
Superlegalization is not required in cases where an international agreement has been concluded between the states where the document is used. The requirement of superlegalization is then replaced by the requirement of authentication the of document by a special clause, the Apostille.
Sources of law:
- Article 109, Act No 91/2012 Coll., on Private International Law
- Decree of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs No. 32/1969 Coll. on Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
- Notice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic No. 287/1998 Coll., on Council of Europe Convention for the Abolition of Legalisation of Documents
- Notice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic No. 45/1999 Coll., on accession to Convention for the Abolition of Legalisation of Documents Executed by Diplomatic Agents or Consular officers
- Bilateral agreements abolishing the requirements of legalization
