Switzerland
Apostille in Switzerland
At a glance
Who issues apostilles in Switzerland, and what does it cost?
| Uses apostilles? | Uses apostilles1 |
|---|---|
| Member since | 1 |
| How it joined | Ratified (signed and confirmed), 1 |
| Who issues apostilles | Swiss Federal Chancellery, Legalisation Office (Schweizerische Bundeskanzlei, Legalisationsdienst), signatures of federal administration offices, Swiss embassies and consulates, foreign missions in Switzerland, cantonal chancelleries and bodies with public duties2 Cantonal authorities (such as the cantonal chancelleries or ID offices, one per canton), documents of the canton, its municipalities, courts, civil registry offices and notaries, after the first certification the canton requires3 |
| Fee | CHF 20 (per certification (per original signature) at the Federal Chancellery, prepaid, according to the May 2022 factsheet)4checked 18 October 2026 CHF 30 (per apostille at the Canton of Zug chancellery)5checked 18 October 2026 About €21.57 for the first fee listed, at the European Central Bank reference rate of 16 October 2026. Compare costs |
| Processing time | The Federal Chancellery usually returns documents within five working days according to its May 2022 factsheet; the Canton of Basel-Stadt says certification is usually done at once during opening hours without an appointment4checked 18 October 2026 |
| Documents covered | 4 kinds of document listed by the office |
| What the receiving side decides | Whether it accepts the document: for example how recent it must be and whether it needs a translation. |
| Last checked |
Step by step
How to get an apostille in Switzerland
Find out which authority signed your document; the Federal Chancellery certifies only the signatures listed in its factsheet, and cantonal authorities cover the rest.4
For a private person or a company, first have the signature certified by a notary and then by the competent cantonal authority.4
The Federal Chancellery factsheet says the certification process differs from canton to canton and refers to the cantonal authority for the exact steps.4
For a document that needs the Federal Chancellery, send the original, the country of use, the proof of prepayment, a stamped return envelope and a phone number to the Legalisation Office in Bern.4
The factsheet advises sending documents by registered post, because the Chancellery accepts no liability for lost post.4
Documents
Common documents
As listed by the office:
- Documents signed by federal offices, such as the Federal Office of Justice criminal record extract4
- Documents of the ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, and of other federal institutions listed in the factsheet4
- Documents signed by cantonal authorities4
- Documents of Swiss embassies and consulates abroad and of foreign missions in Switzerland2
More about these documents: criminal record certificate.
Contacts
Who to contact in Switzerland
- Apostille officeSwiss Federal Chancellery, Legalisation Office (Schweizerische Bundeskanzlei, Legalisationsdienst)2Signatures of federal administration offices, Swiss embassies and consulates, foreign missions in Switzerland, cantonal chancelleries and bodies with public dutieslegalisation@bk.admin.ch
- Apostille officeCantonal authorities (such as the cantonal chancelleries or ID offices, one per canton)3Documents of the canton, its municipalities, courts, civil registry offices and notaries, after the first certification the canton requires
- The office that will receive your documentAsk it before you start what it needs: an apostille, a translation, or a document issued recently.
Common situations
Using a document from or in Switzerland
A document issued in Switzerland
The apostille comes from Switzerland, from the office named above. It works in any other country where the Convention applies with Switzerland.
Check where it can be usedA document for use in Switzerland
Get the apostille in the country that issued the document, not in Switzerland. Switzerland accepts it if that country is also a member and the Convention applies between the two.
Check your countryGood to know
Good to know
Note: Rule
The Federal Chancellery does not certify private persons, companies, notaries, municipalities, civil registry offices or cantonal courts directly; those signatures must be certified first by a notary or the competent cantonal authority.4
Note: Rule
The Federal Chancellery certifies only original signatures, not copies or scanned signatures, and it does not certify the text or translations.4
Note: Rule
For states outside the Hague Convention the normal certification without apostille applies and a consular agent must add a further authentication.2
Before the apostille
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.
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
Questions about apostilles in Switzerland
Does Switzerland accept apostilles?
Yes. Switzerland has been a member of the Apostille Convention since 11 March 1973, so it issues and accepts apostilles for documents exchanged with other member countries.
Who issues apostilles in Switzerland?
Swiss Federal Chancellery, Legalisation Office (Schweizerische Bundeskanzlei, Legalisationsdienst) (signatures of federal administration offices, Swiss embassies and consulates, foreign missions in Switzerland, cantonal chancelleries and bodies with public duties) and Cantonal authorities (such as the cantonal chancelleries or ID offices, one per canton) (documents of the canton, its municipalities, courts, civil registry offices and notaries, after the first certification the canton requires).
How much does an apostille cost in Switzerland?
CHF 20 (per certification (per original signature) at the Federal Chancellery, prepaid, according to the May 2022 factsheet). CHF 30 (per apostille at the Canton of Zug chancellery). Fees can change, so check the office’s own page before you apply.
How long does an apostille take in Switzerland?
The office says: The Federal Chancellery usually returns documents within five working days according to its May 2022 factsheet; the Canton of Basel-Stadt says certification is usually done at once during opening hours without an appointment.
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. The apostille is then added to the notary’s certificate, not to the private document itself.
Is an apostille valid in countries that are not Convention members?
No. An apostille only works in other member countries. Countries outside the Convention use a different process, usually called legalisation. The office that receives your document decides what it accepts.
Sources and verification
Sources
- HCCH status table: Apostille Convention (1961)
- Legalisations
- Adress- und Telefonliste der zuständigen kantonalen Behörden
- Merkblatt für die Beglaubigung von Unterschriften durch die Bundeskanzlei (May 2022)
- Beglaubigungen
- Status
- Last verified: (18 October 2026)
- How it was checked
- Checked by our team against the sources above
- Next review
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