Apostille from France to Qatar

No apostille: legalisation instead

Can a document from France be used in Qatar?

Key facts for documents from France used in Qatar
ResultApostille does not apply between these countries.
FranceUses apostilles member since 1
QatarNo apostille not in the Apostille Convention1
Apostille issued by

Regional councils and interdepartmental chambers of notaries (conseils régionaux et chambres interdépartementales de notaires)2

Public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal of Nouméa (procureur général près la cour d'appel de Nouméa)3

Fee in France

€10 (per document for individuals, request of up to three documents, excluding tax)2

€20 (per document for individuals, request of up to three documents, apostille within 24 hours on request, excluding tax)2

€5 (per document for individuals, from the fourth document, excluding tax)2

All 9 fees for France

Processing time in FranceThe decree says the apostille is issued within three working days from the day the information needed is available in the database of public signatures4
Who to ask in Qatar

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Department of Consular Affairs, Attestation Department9

Last checked

How to get a document from France ready for Qatar

  1. Ask the office in Qatar that will receive the document exactly what it needs.
  2. Documents issued abroad are attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the host country and then by the Qatari mission there, and since December 2024 an online service on the Qatari ministry's website sends them to the mission for this attestation to be completed.9
  3. Give the document, with its apostille or legalisation, to the office in Qatar that asked for it.

When the answer changes

  • Private documents.A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public, and the apostille then goes on the notary’s certificate. A copy of a public document from another country is first certified by a notary public, then apostilled.
  • The other direction. For a document from Qatar used in France, the apostille or legalisation starts in Qatar. Check Qatar to France
  • Joining later. .

Note: What the apostille confirms

An apostille only confirms the signature, the role of the person who signed and any seal or stamp on the document. It does not confirm what the document says. The office that receives the document decides what it accepts.

Questions about documents from France for Qatar

Is an apostille from France accepted in Qatar?

No. Qatar is not a member of the Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not enough for documents between France and Qatar. A different process, usually called legalisation, applies. Check the steps with the authorities of Qatar before you send anything. Last checked 18 October 2026 against the HCCH status table.

Who issues the apostille for a document from France?

Regional councils and interdepartmental chambers of notaries (conseils régionaux et chambres interdépartementales de notaires) and Public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal of Nouméa (procureur général près la cour d'appel de Nouméa). The apostille is always issued in the country the document comes from, not in Qatar.

How much does the apostille cost in France?

The published fee in France is €10. Fees can change, so check the office's own page before you apply.

Do I need to notarise a private document first?

Yes. A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public in France. The apostille then goes on the notary's certificate.

Does Qatar also need a translation?

The office in Qatar that receives the document decides. Ask it before you start whether it needs a translation, and whether the translation needs its own certification.

Sources

  1. HCCH status table: Apostille Convention (1961)Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) · HCCH · retrieved
  2. France - Competent Authority (Art. 6)Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) · HCCH · retrieved
  3. Modification de la liste des autorités compétentes pour délivrer des apostilles en FranceHague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) · HCCH · retrieved
  4. Décret n° 2021-1205 du 17 septembre 2021 relatif à la légalisation et à l'apostille des actes publics établis par les autorités françaisesLégifrance (French Government) · Legislation · retrieved
  5. Accueil - Portail Grand PublicNotaires de France · Competent authority · retrieved
  6. Legalization or apostille of a public act drawn up by a French authorityDirectorate of Legal and Administrative Information (DILA), Prime Minister · Government · retrieved
  7. Centre de Légalisation et de l'Apostille de Paris (CLAP)Chambre des notaires de Paris · Competent authority · retrieved
  8. Apostille et légalisation - Chambre des Notaires de l'EssonneChambre des Notaires de l'Essonne · Competent authority · retrieved
  9. Complete Attestation Outside QatarMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar · Government · retrieved
Status
Last verified: (18 October 2026)
How it was checked
Checked by our team against the sources above
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