Human Rights Alert (NGO)

Joseph Zernik, PhD "

PO Box 31440, Jerusalem 91313, Israel; jz12345@earthlink.net ; 91313 " 31440 ,


11-11-03 Apostilles, pursuant to the Hague Apostille Convention (1961)

The State of Israel is party to the convention, and the State of Israel routinely issues
apostilles on public records, to authenticate and legalize them. However, as seen in
Katzav v State of Israel (3372/11) and Zernik v State of Israel (6041/11), the Supreme
Court of the State of Israel refuses to issue certificates of authenticity and validity of
the Courts decisions in these cases, public records, pursuant to the Hague
Convention.

Attached:

# Record Page #
1 Apostilles in Israel, pursuant to the Hague Apostille Convention from the Hebrew
Wikipedia (Hebrew)
2
2 Apostille convention from the English Wikipedia 4
3 Hague Conference on Private International Law from the English Wikipedia 14


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11/3111 Apostille lXJI'Ivention - Wikipedia, the free enc:yclopeclia
"
Apostille convention
FromWikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hague Convention Abolishing the
Requirement for Legalisation for Foreign
Public Documents, the Apostille
convention or the Apostille treaty is an
international treaty drafted by the Hague
Conference on Private International Law. It
specifies the modalities through which a
document issued in one of the signatory
couotries can be certified for legal purposes in
an the other signatory states. Such a
certification is caned an apostille (French:
certification). It is an international
certification comparable to a notarisation in
domestic law.
Contents
I Procedure
2 Information included in an
apostine
3 Eligible documents
4 Procedure for non-states parties
(Legalization)
5 States parties
6 Abuse
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
Procedure
A stille Convention
Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the
Requirement ofLegalisation for Foreign Public
Documents
DState parties to !be coIlVCIllim(mcnilers oflbe
HCCH)
DState parties to !be convention (non-menilers of
!be HCCH)
Signed 5 October 1961
Location The Netber1ands
mee1ive 14 JlIllIllDY 1965
Condition mtificatimby3 sta1l:s[lj
Partie. 97
Depositary Mini;try ofForeignAllilirs (Nel1lerIands)
LaDguages FreIl:h(prevai1ing in case ofdivcrgence)
andFnglWb
Apostines are affIxed by Competent Authorities designated by the government of a state which
is party to the conveotion. [2] A list of these authorities is maintained by the Hague Confereoce
on Private International Law. Examples of designated authorities are embassies, ministries,
courts or (local) governments. For example, in the United States, the Secretary of State of each
state and his or her deputies are usually competent authorities. In the United Kingdom, an
en.w1k1pedla.orglwlkUApoetIlle_convention 1110
11131"11
apostilles arc issued by the Foreign and Comm,IWcahh Office in Milton Keynes.[3]
To be eligible for an apostiDe, a dooument must first be issued or certified by an officer
recognised by the authority that wiD. issue the apostiIIc. For enuq>le. in the US state of
Vermont, the SecretaIy of State maintains specimen signatures of all notaries public. so
documents that have been notarised are eligible for apostilIes. [4] Likewise. courts in the
Netherlands are eligible ofplacing an apostiIIe on an municipal civil status doC'lJrnents directly. In
some cases. intermediate certifications may be requRd in the country where the doC'lJrnent
originates before it wiD. be eligible for an apostiIIe. For eJ8llq'lc. in New Yolt.: City. the Office of
VIl:aI. Records (which issues. among other thingt. birth certificlll:es) is not directly recognised by
the New York Sooretaty of State. [S) As a consequence. the sigmrture ofthe City C\eIt.: must be
certifJ:::d by the Cowrty Clerk ofNew York Cowrty to make the birth certificate eligible for an
apostillcJ6][7]
Information included in an apo,tille
The apostille il:Ielf ill a stamp or prirrted fonD. consEting of
10 numbered standard fields. On the top the text
APOSTILLE. under which the text Convention de La Haye
du 5 octobre 1961 (EngIiIIh: Hague Convention 0[5
October 1961) ill placed. In the numbered fields the
following information ill added:
I. Country ... [country name]
This public document
2. has been signed by ... [name]
3. acting in the capacity of ... [fimction]
4. beam the seaVstamp of... [authority]
cet tifJ:::d
5. at [location]
6. the [date]
7. by [name]
8. No [apostillc regirtratim number]
9. seaVstamp [ofthe authority givingthe apostiIle]
10. Signature ... [signature of authority givingthe apostiIIc]
APOSTILLF.
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The information can be placed on the (bad: ofthe) dooument itsel( or attaclled to the
document 88 an allonge.
m.
11/3/11 Apostille convention - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eligible documents
Four types of documents are mentioned in the convention:[l]
court documents
administrative documents (e.g. civil status documents)
notarial acts
official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private
capacity, such as official certificates recording the registration of a document or the
fact that it was in existence on a certain date and official and notarial authentications of
signatures.
Procedure for non-states parties (Legalization)
Main article: legalization (international law)
States that have not signed the Convention must specify how foreign legal documents can be
certified for its use. Two countries may have a special convention on the recognition of each
other's public documents, but in practice this is infrequent. When such a convention is lacking,
as is normally the case, the document must be certified by the foreign ministry of the country
where the document originated and then by the foreign ministry of the government where the
document will be used; one of the certifications will often be performed at an embassy or
consulate. In practice this means the document must be certified twice before it can have legal
effect in the receiving country. For example, as a non-signatory, Canadian documents for use
abroad must be certified by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa or by a consular
official abroad and subsequently by the relevant government office or consulate of the receiving
state.
Apostille vs. Legalization
.
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An Apostille of the Hague
issued by the State of
Alabama.
en.wikipedia.orglwiki/Apostille_convention
use aDroaa must De
certified twice: at the
Canadian Ministry of
Foreign Mfairs and
subsequently by the
3/10
1113111
States parties
Apostille convention - Wikipedia, the free encydopedia
The convention is in force for all members of the European Union and all but 10 members of
the Hague Conference on Private International Law. The next countries to accede to the
convention are Kyrgyzstan, Costa Rica and Oman, for which the treaty will enter into force on
31 July, 14 December 2011 and 30 January 2012 respectively.
State Entry into Force
Apostille not
comment
recognized in
Belgium,
Albania May 9,2004
Germany,
Greece, Italy and
Spain
II Andorra December 31, 1996
H Antigua and
November 1, 1981
Barbuda
:i: Argentina February 18, 1988
!II!!!!!!! Armenia October 14, 1994
_ Australia
March 16, 1995
=Austria
January 13, 1968
_ Azerbaijan
March 2, 2005 Germany
cBahamas July 10, 1973
HBarbados November 30, 1966
_ Belarus
May 31, 1992
II Belgium February 9, 1973
o Belize April 11, 1993
IIU Bosnia and
March 6, 1992
Herzegovina
SBotswana September 30, 1966
,....... Brunei December 3, 1987
_ Bulgaria
April 29, 2001
~ Cape Verde February 13, 2010
_ Colombia
January 30, 2001
_ Cook Islands
April 30, 2005
en.wlklpedla.orglwlkI/AposUlle_convendon 4/10
11/3/11 Apostille convention - Wikipedia, the free encydopedia
;;;;;;; Costa Rica December 14, 2011
::::::c:: Croatia December 8, 1991
, Cyprus April 30, 1973
~ Czech Republic March 16, 1999
_. Kingdom of
does not apply for
_.
December 26, 2006 Greenland
Denmark
and the Faroe Islands
zDominica November 3, 1978
Austria,
=-= Dominican
August 30, 2009
Belgium,Germany
Republic and the
Netherlands
... Ecuador April 2, 2005
=E1 Salvador
May 31, 1996
IiiiI Estonia September 30, 2001
r=:.r Fiji October 10, 1970
+- Finland
August 26, 1986
II France
January 24, 1965
'* Georgia
May 14, 2007 Greece
-Germany February 13, 1966
:= Greece May 18,1985
BGrenada April 7, 2002
=Honduras December 30, 2004
The convention is still
applicable to Hong Kong
gHongKong April 25, 1965
despite the
transfer of sovereignty over
Hong Kong on
July 1, 1997.[8]
=Hungary
January 18, 1973
Z Iceland November 27,2004
_.
.... India July 14, 2005 Germany
-
Ireland March 9, 1999
:::I: Israel August 14, 1978
en.wlklpedla.orglwlkl/AposUlle_convendon 5/1 0
11/3/11 Apostille convention - Wikipedia, the free encydopedia

I
_ Kazakhstan
January 30, 2001
iii Kyrgyzstan July 31, 2011
=Latvia
January 30, 1996
::::E: Lesotho December 4, 1966
Belgium,
Liberia February 8, 1996
Germany
and the United
States
Liechtenstein September 17, 1972
_ Lithuania
July 19, 1997
=Luxembourg
June 3, 1979
The convention is still
applicable to Macau despite
II Macau February 4, 1969
the
transfer of sovereignty over
Macau on
December 20, 1999.[8]
:!)g Macedonia November 17,1991
IIMalawi December 2, 1967
Malta March 3, 1968
I!!!:i Marshall Islands August 14, 1992
Mauritius March 12, 1968
I-I Mexico August 14, 1995
I'. Moldova March 16, 2007 Germany
-Monaco December 31, 2002
Austria, Belgium,
lIJI Mongolia December 31, 2009
Finland,
Germany and
Greece
_ Montenegro
June 3,2006
iii Nannbia January 30, 2001
Aruba, CU!"a9ao,
=Netherlands
October 8, 1965 Netherlands and Sint
Maarten
en.wlklpedla.orglwlkl/AposUlle_convendon 6/1 0
11/3/11 Apostille convention - Wikipedia, the free encydopedia
g-New-Zealand 1Vevember-2-2-2QQ.1
... Niue March 2, 1999
_Norway July 29, 1983
... Oman January 30, 2012
~ P a n a m a August 4, 1991
II Peru
September 30, 2010
Germany and
Greece
_Poland August 14, 2005
Portugal February 4, 1969
II Romania March 13, 2001
_Russia May 31, 1992
IIlIi Saint Kitts and
December 14, 1994
Nevis
,
Saint Lucia July 31, 2002
I_I Saint Vincent and
October 27, 1979
the Grenadines
_Samoa September 13, 1999
t!::J San Marino February 13, 1995
EZl: Sao Tome and
September 13,2008
Principe
.,. Serbia
Apri127, 1992
~ Seychelles March 31, 1979
_ Slovakia
February 18, 2002
IiIIII Slovenia June 25, 1991
8: South Africa Apri130, 1995
:_: South Korea
July 14, 2007
=Spain
September 25, 1978
iiiiiiii Suriname November 25, 1975
-
iii!! Swaziland September 6, 1968
=: Sweden
May 1,1999
D Switzerland March 11, 1973
_Tonga June 4, 1970
Ell Trinidad and
July 14, 2000
Tobago
en.wlklpedla.orglwlkl/AposUlle_convendon 7/1 0
1113111 Apostille convention - Wikipedia, the free encydopedia
11II Turkey September 29, 1985
-Ukraine December 22, 2003
including Crown
IlEa United Kingdom January 24, 1965 Dependencies and
British Overseas Territories
~ United States October 15, 1981
Vanuatu July 30, 1980
_Venezuela March 16, 1999
Abuse
The Apostil1e does not give information regarding the quality of the document, but certifies the
signature (and the capacity of who placed it) and correctness of the seal/stamp on the document
which must be certified. In 2005 The Hague Conference surveyed its members and produced
the a report in December 2008 which expressed serious concerns about Diplomas and Degree
certificates, titled "THE APPLICATION OF THE APOSTILLE CONVENTION TO
DIPLOMAS INCLUDING THOSE ISSUED BY DIPLOMA MILLS". The possible abuse of
the system was highlighted "Particularly troubling is the possible use of diploma mill
qualifications to circumvent migration controls, possibly by potential terrorists." (page 5) The
risk comes from the fact that the various government stamps give the document an air of
authenticity without anyone having checked the underlying document. "An offlciallooking
certificate may be issued to a copy of a diploma mill qualif1cation, and then subsequently issued
with an Apostille, without anyone having ever verified the signature on, let alone the contents
of, the diploma." (page 7) Further member states indicated "they would be obliged to issue an
Apostille for certification of a certified copy of a diploma issued by a diploma mill". (page 15)
The Hague Conference expressed concern as to whether this issue could impact the entire
convention. " the Apostille does not 'look through the certifICation' and does not relate to the
diploma itself There is a clear risk that such practices may eventually undermine the
effectiveness and therefore the successful operation of the Apostille Convention". (page 5)[9]
In February 2009 the Hague Conference decided to amend the wording on the Apostille to
make it clear that no one was checking whether the document being attested was genuine or a
fake. The new wording to be used was as follows. "This Apostille only certifies the signature,
the capacity of the signer and the seal or stamp it bears. It does not certify the content of the
document for which it was issued. ,,[10]
See also
Legalization (intemationallaw)
Hague Conference on Private International Law
en.wlklpedla.orglwlkI/AposUlle_convendon 8110
11/3111 Hague Conference on Private IntematiOnel Law - Wikipedia, the free enc:yclo...
Hague Conference on Private International
Law
FromWikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hague Conference on Private
International Law(or HCCH, for Hague
Conference/Conference de la Haye) is the
preeminent organisation in the area ofprivate
international law.
HCCH was formed in 1893 to "work for the
progressive unification of the rules of private
international law". It has pursued this goal by
creating and assisting in the implementation
of muhi1ateral conventions promoting the
harmonisation of conflict of laws principles in
diverse subject matters within private
international law. Seventy-one nations are
currently members of the Hague Conference,
including the United States, Brszil, Russia,
India, China and all 27 member states of the
European Uoinn (the European Uoinn itself is
also a member of the Conference, so the total
number of members is listed as 72 on the
HCCH's website).
Contents
1 Recent developments
2 Members
3 The Permanent Bureau
4 References
5 See also
6 External links
Recent developments
The 20th Diplomatic Session of the
Conflict of laws
Pretiminiaries
Characterilatim
Incidental qoestion
Renvoi . Chnice oflaw
Conflict ofhws in
the Uoiled Stales
Public policy
Hague Conference
Delini1iooal ele...",1s
1_n
Procedure
FonnnnonConvetDms
Lex causae
Lex filIi Formnshoppiog
Lil albi peodeos
Coonecting factors
Domicile . Lexdomicilii
HabinJal residence
Nationalily . Lex patriae
Lex hei lIIbilri . Lex s....
Lex loci contractus
Lex hci de\ic1i commissi
Lex hei aclu>;
Lexheiso1ulimis
Properhw
lIS
1113111 Hague Conference on Private International Law- Wikipedia, the free encyclo...
Enforcement
Enfurcerrent of
fureignjudgmmts
Mareva iqiunctions
Anti-suit iqiunctions
Lex loci celebrationis
Choice oflaw clause
D e p e ~ a g e
Forumselection clause
Substantive legal areas
Status Capacity Contract
Tort . Marriage . NuDity
Divorce (Get Talaq)
Property Succession
Trusts
The statute of the Conference was
amended (for the frrst time in over
50 years) to expand the possibility
of membership to Regional
Economic Integration Organisations
such as the European Union;
The Conference concluded and
opened for ratification the Hague
Convention on Choice of Court
Agreements, a project which had
been in negotiation for nearly 15
years. States applying this
instrument agree to recognize and
enforce decisions reached by courts
of another signatory state if the
dispute was governed by a valid choice of court agreement concluded between the
parties to the dispute.
Conference, held from 14 to 28 June 2005,
saw two major developments:
Members
State Member since
_Albania June 4, 2002
:::l: Argentina April28, 1972
_ Australia
November 1, 1973
=Austria
July 15, 1955
_ Belarus
July 12, 2001
Belgium July 15, 1955
... Bosnia and Herzegovina June 7, 2001
mBrazil February 23, 2001
_ Bulgaria
April22, 1999
Canada October 7, 1968
... Chile April25, 1986
China July 3, 1987
=Costa Rica
January 27,2011
== Croatia
June 12, 1995
en.wlklpedla.orglwlkI/Hague_Conference_on_Prtvste_lntemadonaLLaw 2/5
1113111 Hague Conference on Private International Law- Wikipedia, the free encyclo...
, Cyprus October 8, 1984
.. Czech Republic January 28, 1993
Denmark July 15, 1955

.. Ecuador November 2, 2007

=Egypt
April24, 1961
IiiiI Estonia May 13,1998
_ European Union April 3, 2007
+- Finland
December 2, 1955
II France
April20, 1964
'*' Georgia
May 28,2001
_Germany
December 14, 1955
:::::': Greece August 26, 1955
=Hungary
January 6, 1987
=Iceland
November 14, 2003

::C:
India March 13, 2008
Ireland August 26, 1955
:z:: Israel September 24, 1964
II Italy
June 26, 1957
Japan June 27, 1957
E: Jordan June 13, 2001
=Latvia
August 11, 1992
_ Lithuania
October 23,2001
=Luxembourg
March 12, 1956
!!! Malaysia October 2, 2002
Malta January 30, 1995
~ Mauritius January 19, 2011
1'1 Mexico
March 18, 1986
-Monaco August 8, 1996
.. Montenegro March 1, 2007
_Morocco September 6, 1993
=Netherlands
July 15, 1955
_ New Zealand
February 5, 2002
en.wlklpedla.orglwlkI/Hague_Conference_on_Prtvste_lntemadonaLLaw 3/5
1113111 Hague Conference on Private International Law- Wikipedia, the free encyclo...


:::::c Paraguay June 28, 2005
II Peru
January 29, 2001
Philippines July 14, 2010
_Poland May 29,1984
Portugal July 15, 1955
:.: Republic of Korea August 20, 1997
Republic of Macedonia September 20, 1993
II Romania Apri1lO, 1991
_Russia December 6,2001
.,. Serbia
Apri126, 2001
_ Slovakia
Apri126, 1993
.... Slovenia June 18, 1992
B:= South Africa February 14, 2002
J: Spain July 15, 1955
lCli Sri Lanka September 27, 2001
.. Suriname October 7, 1977
-
=: Sweden
July 15, 1955
a Switzerland May 6,1957
Turkey August 26, 1955
-Ukraine December 3, 2003
m United Kingdom July 15, 1955
United States October 15, 1964
Uruguay July 27, 1983
_ Venezuela
July 25, 1979
The Permanent Bureau
Located in a mansion on Scheveningseweg near the Peace Palace in the Hague, the Permanent
Bureau is the Conference's secretariat. its Secretary General is Mr J.H.A. (Hans) van Loon.
References
en.wlklpedla.orglwlkI/Hague_Conference_on_Prtvste_lntemadonaLLaw 4/5