Document guide, country by country.
How to request certificates and official documents in each country: who may ask, what to include, through which channel, apostille and translation. Pick a country to see the details.
Europe 28
North America 3
Central America & Caribbean 5
Africa 32
Asia 30
What a request usually needs
- ID — copy of the applicant's identity document
- Kinship — proof of relationship to the person on the record
- Power of attorney — when a third party requests on the holder's behalf
- Apostille — Hague apostille — makes the document valid abroad
- Translation — sworn translation, when the destination requires it
The world's general rule
Recent certificates are usually restricted to the holder and immediate family, with power of attorney accepted for third parties. Old records move to public archives and open to anyone. To be valid abroad, a document almost always needs an apostille at origin and, sometimes, a translation.
Practical guides
Real step-by-step for the most common missions, country by country — from the Italian comune to the Japanese koseki.
Informative content about document request procedures. We do not cover eligibility rules for citizenship or visas. Rules, fees and timelines change and vary locally — always confirm before acting; details are checked with your Hand before each mission.
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