Countries That Are Not Part of the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961: What It Means for You

When you’re preparing international documents, knowing whether the destination country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961 is critical. This treaty simplifies the legalization process through the apostille, but not all countries participate.
If your document is going to a non-Hague country, it must go through a more complex process known as embassy or consular legalization.
At Boston Notary Service, we handle both Massachusetts Apostilles and non-Hague embassy legalizations quickly and professionally—saving you time, travel, and frustration.

🌍 What Is the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961?

The Hague Convention abolished the lengthy embassy legalization process for member countries by introducing the apostille certificate—a universal form of authentication recognized by all participating nations.
However, if the destination country is not part of the convention, an apostille alone will not be accepted. Instead, your document must be authenticated at several levels, including:

• State certification
• U.S. Department of State authentication
• Embassy or consulate legalization of the destination country

⚠️ Countries That Are Not Part of the Hague Convention (as of 2025)

Africa

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo.

Asia

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (Mainland only—Hong Kong and Macao are Hague members), Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Maldives, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, Yemen.

Europe

Kosovo (partially recognized state).

Caribbean & Latin America

Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname.

Oceania

Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

📜 Examples of Documents That May Need Embassy Legalization

• Birth, marriage, or death certificates
• Diplomas, transcripts, and degrees
• Power of attorney or affidavits
• Business documents such as certificates of incorporation or bylaws
• FBI background checks or police clearance certificates

If you’re sending these documents to any non-Hague country, they must be legalized through the proper embassy or consulate to be valid abroad.

💼 Why Choose Boston Notary Service

Boston Notary Service has decades of experience assisting individuals, universities, law firms, and corporations with apostille and legalization services in Massachusetts.
We personally handle:

• Massachusetts State authentication
• U.S. Department of State authentication (Washington, D.C.)
• Embassy and consulate legalization for non-Hague countries

Our team works closely with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth and embassies in Washington, D.C., ensuring your documents are accepted worldwide.

📍 Serving All of Boston and Beyond

Located in the heart of Boston, we proudly serve clients across:

• Back Bay, South End, Seaport District, and Financial District
• Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, Somerville, and surrounding towns
  We also process mailed documents from clients across the United States and abroad.

📞 Get Started Today

Don’t risk delays or rejections when sending documents overseas.
Boston Notary Service will handle every step for you—from notarization to embassy legalization—ensuring your paperwork is fully valid for international use.

✅ Visit BostonNotaryService.us
📧 Email: [email protected]s
📞 Call or text: 617.230.6676