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Apostille & Translation Coordination

End-to-end coordination of apostilles, consular legalisations, and sworn translations for immigration applications. Managed by licensed lawyers who know what each consulate and immigration authority actually accepts.

For applicants preparing visa, residency, or citizenship documentation for Portugal, Spain, Italy, or Greece -- whether filing from abroad or already in-country.

2,500+

Successful applications across all programs

4 markets

Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece

Any country

Source documents from worldwide

Apostille coordination -- Hague Convention authentication for documents from 125+ member countries

Consular legalisation -- full chain authentication for non-Hague Convention countries

Sworn translations -- certified translators recognised by Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Greek authorities

Licensed lawyers who track validity periods and consulate-specific acceptance standards

Why This Matters

Documents That Don't Pass, Applications That Don't Proceed

Every immigration application depends on correctly authenticated and translated documentation. A birth certificate without an apostille, a criminal record with an expired validity, or a translation that isn't sworn by a recognised translator -- any of these will stall or reject your application at the consulate or immigration authority.

The rules differ by issuing country, destination country, document type, and visa category. We manage the full document preparation chain -- apostilles, consular legalisations, sworn translations, and validity tracking -- so your application file is accepted on the first submission.

Last updated: February 2026

Read our full legalisation guide

Apostille (Hague Convention)

A single-step authentication certificate for public documents issued in one Hague Convention member country for use in another. Covers birth certificates, marriage certificates, criminal records, court orders, educational qualifications, and notarial acts. Over 125 countries are Convention members.

We guide you through the apostille process in your issuing country or coordinate on your behalf.

Consular Legalisation

Required when either the issuing or receiving country is not a Hague Convention member. A multi-step chain: document authentication by the issuing country's foreign ministry, followed by certification at the destination country's consulate. Longer timelines and stricter procedural requirements.

Sworn Translations

Immigration authorities in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece require official sworn translations of all foreign-language documents. Standard translations, agency translations, and AI-generated translations are not accepted. We coordinate with certified sworn translators recognised by the relevant authority in each destination country.

Validity Tracking

Criminal records typically expire after 3 to 6 months. Some consulates require documents issued within 90 days. Apostilles themselves don't expire but underlying documents may. We track every validity period and ensure your documents remain current through submission -- preventing last-minute reissuance delays.

Why MovingTo

Lawyers Who Know What Gets Accepted

Document preparation isn't clerical work -- it's legal coordination. What a consulate in Lagos accepts differs from what AIMA requires at a biometric appointment. Our lawyers manage this across 4 European markets.

Consulate-Level Knowledge

Over 2,500 applications across Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece. We know the specific acceptance standards at each consulate and immigration authority -- format requirements, translation certifications, document age limits, and chain-of-authentication rules.

Global Source Documents

We coordinate apostilles and legalisations for documents issued in virtually any country -- from US state-level apostilles to multi-step legalisation chains for non-Convention jurisdictions. Wherever your documents originate, we know the authentication route.

Deadline-Driven Coordination

Document legalisation is always time-sensitive -- criminal records expire, consulate appointments are fixed, and AIMA backlogs create narrow submission windows. We build realistic timelines from day one and track every document against your application deadline.

Service Scope

What We Handle, What We Don't

We Handle

  • Document audit -- identifying which documents require apostille, legalisation, or translation
  • Apostille coordination for Hague Convention member countries
  • Full consular legalisation chain for non-Convention countries
  • Sworn translation coordination with certified translators (PT, ES, IT, EL)
  • Criminal record certificate procurement guidance by country
  • Validity tracking -- ensuring all documents remain current through submission
  • Re-issuance coordination when documents expire during processing
  • Document formatting review for consulate-specific acceptance standards
  • Integration with visa, renewal, and citizenship application dossiers
  • Multi-applicant coordination (main applicant + family members)

We Don't

  • Issue apostilles or legalisations ourselves -- these come from government authorities
  • Produce sworn translations in-house -- we coordinate with certified external translators
  • Obtain original documents on your behalf (birth certificates, court orders, etc.)
  • Provide notarial services or act as a notary public
  • Guarantee processing times at foreign government offices

From Document Audit to Submission-Ready Dossier

Typical timeline: 2 to 6 weeks depending on issuing country

01

Document Audit

We review your visa type, destination country, and issuing countries to determine exactly which documents require apostille, consular legalisation, or sworn translation. You receive a tailored checklist with realistic timelines for each document.

02

Authentication

We coordinate the apostille or consular legalisation process for each document. For Hague Convention countries, we guide you through the issuing authority or manage it via power of attorney. For non-Convention countries, we manage the full legalisation chain including foreign ministry and consulate steps.

03

Sworn Translation

Once authenticated, documents are sent to certified sworn translators for official translation into the destination language. We coordinate translations across all required language pairs and verify each translation meets the specific standards of the receiving authority.

04

Dossier Assembly

All apostilled, legalised, and translated documents are compiled into a complete application dossier -- formatted and ordered to the specific requirements of the consulate or immigration authority. If integrated with a visa engagement, the dossier feeds directly into the application process.

Client Results

"Golden Visa application with documents from 3 countries -- US birth certificate, UAE criminal record, Indian marriage certificate. MovingTo coordinated all three apostilles and translations in parallel. Everything arrived before my consulate appointment."

V. & S. Krishnan

Golden Visa -- Documents from US, UAE, India -- 2024

"Nigerian criminal record certificate required full consular legalisation, not just an apostille. The legal team managed the entire chain -- foreign ministry, Portuguese consulate in Abuja, sworn translation. No rejections at AIMA."

E. Adeyemi

D7 Visa -- Consular legalisation -- Nigeria, 2024

"Family of 5 applying for D8 visas. That meant 5 sets of criminal records, birth certificates, and translations. MovingTo tracked every document's validity window and staggered the issuance so nothing expired before submission."

J. & M. O'Sullivan

D8 Visa -- Family of 5 -- Ireland, 2024

"Citizenship application after 5 years on the Golden Visa. Several of my original documents had expired. The team coordinated re-issuance of criminal records from Singapore and Portugal, fresh apostilles, and updated sworn translations -- all within the AIMA deadline."

L. Tan

Citizenship application -- Document re-issuance -- Singapore, 2025

Common Questions

Working With Us

What is an apostille and when do I need one?

An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document for use in another country. Under the Hague Apostille Convention, documents apostilled in one member country are accepted in all other member countries without further legalisation. Most immigration applications require apostilled birth certificates, marriage certificates, criminal record checks, and educational qualifications.

What is the difference between an apostille and consular legalisation?

An apostille is a single-step authentication used between Hague Convention member countries. Consular legalisation is a multi-step process required when either the issuing or receiving country is not a Convention member. It typically involves authentication by the issuing country's foreign ministry followed by certification at the destination country's consulate. We determine which route applies and manage the full chain.

Do my documents need sworn translation?

Yes. Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Greek immigration authorities require official sworn translations of all foreign-language documents. Standard translations, agency translations, and AI-generated translations are not accepted. A sworn translation must be produced by a translator certified by the relevant authority in the destination country.

How long do apostilles and translations take?

Apostilles from countries with electronic systems can be issued in 1 to 5 business days. Countries with manual processes can take 2 to 6 weeks. Sworn translations typically take 3 to 10 business days depending on document length and language pair. We advise on realistic timelines at the outset and begin early to avoid delays to your visa application.

Do apostilles and criminal records expire?

Criminal record certificates typically have a validity of 3 to 6 months depending on the issuing country and the requirements of the receiving authority. Apostilles themselves do not expire, but the underlying document may have a validity period. Birth and marriage certificates generally do not expire. We track every validity period and ensure your documents remain current through submission.

Can you handle documents from any country?

We coordinate apostilles and legalisations for documents issued in virtually any country worldwide. For Hague Convention member countries (125+), we guide you through the apostille process. For non-Convention countries, we manage the full consular legalisation chain. We also coordinate sworn translations from any source language into Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, or Greek as required.

Get Started

Start Your Document Preparation

Get a document audit and coordination plan from our licensed legal team -- covering apostilles, legalisations, and translations for any visa type.

Your Case Is Reviewed By

Ines Cabral Almeida

Licensed Immigration Lawyer

Portuguese Bar Association -- Registration No. 61676P

Ines Cabral Almeida oversees all document coordination engagements, ensuring apostilles, legalisations, and sworn translations meet the specific acceptance standards of each consulate and immigration authority across Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece.

2,500+ successful applications across all programs -- 98% approval rate -- 4 European markets

Get Started

Tell us your visa type, issuing country, and timeline. Free initial assessment.

Your information is used only to respond to your request.

After You Submit

  • Lawyer confirms which documents require apostille, legalisation, or translation
  • You receive a tailored checklist with timelines and costs
  • We begin coordination immediately to meet your application deadline
Document Legalisation Get Started