Ministry for Foreign Affairs legalisations
Updated
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs legalises Swedish documents that are requested by or are to be presented to a foreign authority. A legalisation certificate is a stamp confirming that a signature on a document is genuine. A legalisation can be done in Swedish, English, French or Spanish.
New rules from 1 July 2025
Information on new rules for legalisation from 1 July 2025
1. Clearly unlawful purpose – Legalisation cannot take place if it is obvious that the accuracy of the document is questionable, or that legalisation could be used for unlawful purposes.
2. Certified copies in certain cases – Legalisation cannot be carried out by a notary public certifying a copy or other form of certification if the original document is signed, or can be signed, by an authorised person.
3. Language – Legalisation can only take place if the document is written in, or translated into, Swedish or English.
4. Special declaration – Translations done by non-sworn translators must be accompanied by a solemn declaration of honour witnessed by a notary public that the translation is accurate and true. The declaration must be attached.
A legalisation means that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirms that a signature and seal/stamp on a Swedish document is genuine and verifies the capacity in which the signatory signed it. Accordingly, a legalisation has no bearing on the content of the document. Once the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has legalised the document, a legalisation must normally also be authenticated by the foreign embassy in Stockholm representing the country where the document is to be used.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs does not issue apostilles, but instead refers to notaries public.
- Official documents from a Swedish Government agency
- Extracts from registers and other documents issued by the Swedish Police authorities
- Documents from the National Archives and the regional state archives
- Marriage certificates from civil marriage officiants
- Grades/certificates from higher education institution
- Swedish documents signed by a notary public
- Swedish documents (invoices, VAT reports, certificates of origin, registration of trademark and other import and export documents) signed by a Swedish chamber of commerce
- Documents not issued in Sweden that have been certified by the issuing country's embassy/consulate in Sweden
- Documents from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and the
- Swedish Public Employment Service
- Signatures by medical doctors, licensed pharmacists, licensed veterinarians, midwives and other professions licensed by the
- National Board of Health and Welfare or the Swedish Board of Agriculture
- Translations done by an authorized public translator certified by Kammarkollegiet (Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency). A list of authorized translators is available on the website of Kammarkollegiet
- Copies lacking an original signature
- Documents issued by private persons
- Invoices, VAT reports, certificates of origin, registration of trademarks and other import and export documents (these can also be authenticated by a chamber of commerce)
- Powers of attorney
- Documents from banks, lawyers, private companies
- Documents from county and municipal archives
- Marriage certificates from non-civil marriage officiants (Church of Sweden, foreign faith communities in Sweden)
- Grades/documents from schools other than higher education institutions
- Documents translated by a translator not authorized by Kammarkollegiet (Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency).
The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs does not issue apostilles. As of 1 January 2005, in Sweden, only Notaries Public have the authority to issue an apostille. When an apostille stamp is attached to a document, it is exempted from all forms of authentication, i.e. no further validation/legalisation is required. A list of countries that have signed the Apostille Convention is available on the Hague Conference website.
Pursuant to an EU Regulation which promotes the free movement of citizens, certain public documents and their certified copies are exempt from legalisation and the apostille formality within the EU from 16 February 2019.
Each legalisation, i.e. each signature including seal/stamp on a document to be certified, costs SEK 255.
To have documents legalised, you or your representative are welcome to visit us during our opening hours: 9.00–11.00, Monday to Thursday. It is not possible to make appointments; rather, we offer drop-in times during our opening hours stated above.
Our office is located at Malmtorgsgatan 3A in Stockholm. Legalisations are carried out while you wait. A maximum of six legalisations per visit are allowed (if you submit more than six documents, you can collect them after a few working days). You do not have to appear in person; someone else can submit and collect your documents for you, and a power of attorney is not required. The fee is paid by debit or credit card at our office.
If you are unable to visit us, you can send documents to us and collect them cash-on-delivery (only within Sweden).
1) Before sending documents:
Ensure that they fulfil the criteria for legalisation. Detailed information is available on our home page.
2) Specify the following information when sending documents:
- Name, address and telephone number of the person who will collect the documents cash-on-delivery
- Which documents you want to legalise
- The country/embassy for which the documents will be used
3) Send your documents to:
UD Legaliseringar
103 39 Stockholm
Fees
Post office fee: SEK 125
Cost for legalisation: SEK 255 per legalisation
You pay the full amount when you collect your documents at the nearest collection point.
No, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs cannot determine whether a document needs to be legalised. Only the foreign authority can answer this question.
No, documents cannot be translated by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Contact information
Phone:
+46 8 405 51 00
Tuesdays, 13.00–15.00
Visiting address:
Malmtorgsgatan 3 A, Stockholm
Monday–Thursday, 09.00–11.00
Closed Fridays and public holidays.
Email address:
[email protected]
Sending documents by post (only within Sweden)
You can send us documents by post.
This is how:
1. Check your documents: Make sure that they fulfil the criteria for legalisation. More information is available on our homepage.
2. Specify the following information when sending documents:
• Name, address and mobile phone number of the person who will collect the documents cash-on-delivery.
• Which documents you want to have legalised.
• The country/embassy for which the documents will be used.
3. Address:
UD Legaliseringar
103 39 Stockholm
Fees:
• Post office fee: SEK 125
• Legalisation: SEK 255 per document
You will receive a text message with information about when and where to collect your documents. You pay on collection. Documents are usually returned within one to two weeks.
