Apostille and legalisation: using a foreign document in Algeria, and an Algerian document abroad

Apostille or legalisation: who does what

A notary or an officer of the CNRC (National Trade Register Centre) in Algiers cannot check the signature of a notary based abroad on their own. They need an attestation. Until 8 July 2026, that attestation was legalisation: the Algerian consulate in the country of origin certified the signature, the signatory's capacity and the seal. Since 9 July 2026, with countries party to the Convention, the apostille replaces this step. An authority designated by the country that issued the document affixes it, and the document no longer goes through the consulate.

The documents covered

The Convention covers public documents. It defines four categories, which take in most of the papers in a company file:

• documents from a court, including those from the public prosecutor, a court clerk or a bailiff: a trade register extract issued by a court registry falls here;
• administrative documents, such as a birth certificate, a criminal record extract or an extract from a company register kept by a government body;
• notarial acts, such as a notarised power of attorney or articles of association drawn up by a notary;
• official certificates placed on a private document: certification of a signature, a registration entry, a certified date.

The documents in a company formation file

Before you start anything abroad, ask the notary who will draw up the articles for the list of documents and the form expected for each. Redoing an apostille costs you another appointment in the country of origin, sometimes a trip.

A power of attorney from the diaspora

You live abroad and someone you trust will sign in Algeria on your behalf. You can choose between two routes.

At the Algerian consulate

The head of the consular post acts as a notary: they draw up the deed or certify your signature. The power of attorney becomes an Algerian consular act, and the Hague Convention does not apply to documents executed by consular agents, so you do not need an apostille. The decree does, however, provide that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalises the consul's signature. Ask the notary in Algeria whether they require this before accepting the power of attorney.

Before a notary in your country of residence

If that country is party to the Convention and has not objected to Algeria's accession, its competent authority affixes the apostille to the notarised power of attorney. The Algerian consulate no longer steps in: the Convention asks each State to stop its consulates from legalising where it grants an exemption. In other countries, the Algerian consulate legalises the signature. You then have the power of attorney translated into Arabic, in Algeria.

Steps for a foreign document

1. 1

   Check the issuing country

   Look up the Convention's status table on the website of the Hague Conference (HCCH): the country that issued the document must be listed, with no objection to Algeria's accession.

2. 2

   Get the right copy

   The original or a copy issued by the authority, depending on what the notary or the Algerian office asks for.

3. 3

   Request the apostille in the country of origin

   Each country designates its competent authorities and sets its own fees. The signatory or anyone holding the document can apply.

4. 4

   Have it translated in Algeria

   Take the apostilled document to an official translator-interpreter. Ask the notary whether the translation must also cover the apostille.

5. 5

   Hand in the file

   Submit the apostilled original and its translation to the notary or the office concerned.

Countries where the apostille does not work with Algeria

The Convention applies between parties. An accession takes effect with the States that did not object within six months, and with no others. Germany, Austria and Greece objected to Algeria's accession: with these three countries, legalisation is still required.

For a document from one of these three countries, or from a non-party country, Algerian law provides for legalisation by the Algerian consulate. The consulate will tell you whether it first requires authentication by the local authorities. A bilateral agreement between Algeria and that country may also simplify or remove the formality: the Convention allows this.

An Algerian document to be used abroad

You are setting up a subsidiary abroad, or a foreign bank asks for your criminal record extract or your birth certificate. If the destination country is party to the Convention with no objection, the Algerian document receives an Algerian apostille.

The stamp duty is 1,500 DA per apostille, paid by the applicant. You pay it at a tax collection office or a post office, on showing your identity document, and receive a secure self-adhesive sticker. The competent authority then sticks it on the document. If the sticker is lost, damaged or stolen, the issuing body provides a duplicate for 600 DA.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a national platform, apostille.gov.dz, for preparing applications. According to its statement of late June 2026, the apostille covered documents from five sectors at launch: interior, justice, higher education, national education and vocational training. For a document from another administration, check on the platform whether it is covered yet.

From abroad, you can hand the application to a relative: the Convention lets the signatory or anyone holding the document apply for the apostille. Your relative buys the sticker on showing their own identity document and brings the original.

For a non-party country, or one of the three countries that objected, contact its embassy or consulate in Algeria: that country sets the formality and decides whether it requires a translation into its own language.

Official translation into Arabic

In Algeria, deeds are written in Arabic, and the law prohibits registering or publishing a deed written in another language. Notaries and government offices therefore ask for an Arabic translation of documents written in French, English or any other language.

The translation is done by an official translator-interpreter (traducteur-interprète officiel). This professional is a public officer appointed by order of the Minister of Justice, and is the only person who can authenticate and certify the translation of a document. Their certified translation is authoritative as to its content unless proven inaccurate.

The cost of these formalities

Setting up from abroad with Neuron

Apostilles, legalisation and official translation are handled by authorities and public officers: you obtain them yourself or through a relative. Neuron takes care of the company formation file. Full support from abroad costs 70,000 DA for a sole trader and 80,000 DA for a company, fees excluding official charges, with 10,000 DA off if the company is domiciled with us, that is 60,000 DA and 70,000 DA.

Domiciliation in Dely Brahim costs 6,000 DA per month, with a notarised contract for one or two years, ready within 3 days at most. We need the manager's identity document and birth certificate. If that certificate comes from abroad, the rules on this page apply to it: apostille or legalisation, then translation.

Common mistakes

• Asking the consulate to legalise a document from a party country: since 9 July 2026, you need that country's apostille.
• Relying on an apostille with a non-party country, or with Germany, Austria or Greece.
• Having a document translated before the apostille, then paying for a second translation.
• Requesting an apostille for articles signed without a notary, without having the signature certified first.
• Starting the process abroad without the list from the notary who will draw up the deeds.
• Forgetting that a partner who does not speak the language of the deed needs an official translator-interpreter on the day of signing.