Method of verification of foreign public documents for their use in the Czech Republic
Documents issued by courts and authorities abroad that are valid in the place of issue as public documents have the probative power of public documents in the Czech Republic too, if they are supplemented by a prerequisite verification. This duty derives from the law § 52 Act No. 97/1963 Coll., on International Private and Procedural Law, as amended.
Given that the Czech Republic, Belgium and Luxembourg are parties to The Hague Convention abolishing the requirement of legalization of foreign public documents dated 5 October 1961 (see the notice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs No. 45/1999 Col.) any foreign document submitted for official purposes in these states must have an “Apostille” affixed to it and be officially translated into Czech language. An Apostille is authentication of a public document for the purpose of its use abroad. The documents issued or certified by the Belgian and Luxembourg authorities must bear the Apostille granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the relevant country.
Belgium – Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Aid is situated at Rue des Petits Carmes 27, Brussels 1000. The office hours are Monday – Friday from 9h to 12h30 and from 13h30 to 15h30 (see also: www.diplomatie.be).
Luxembourg - Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (Bureau de Passeport, Service légalisation) is situated at, 43 bvd F. D. Roosevelt, L-2450 Luxembourg, tel. 24788300. The office hours are Monday – Friday from 9h to 11h30 and from 13h to 16h30.
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