Getting an Apostille in Brazil for Important Brazilian Documents

What is an apostille? Many countries require documents from abroad to be authenticated. An apostille certifies the origin of a public document: the signature, the signer’s capacity and, where applicable, its seal or stamp. It does not certify the truth of the contents or guarantee legal acceptance.

Examples of documents that may be apostilled in Brazil: birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, court decisions, and other documents issued by a Brazilian department or authority.

Brazilian documents may need an apostille for use in another country where the Hague Apostille Convention applies between the two countries. An exemption or simpler procedure may apply. Check the destination authority’s requirements before paying for authentication, translation or shipping.

We’ll explain the apostille process in Brazil, what kinds of documents it’s necessary for, and the practical checks to make before requesting service. This page covers Brazilian documents for use abroad. Documents issued elsewhere ordinarily need authentication in their country of origin.

This page is also available in Portuguese.

Responsible attorney: Luciano Oliveira, LL.M., attorney admitted in Brazil, Texas, and California. Content updated: October 30, 2026.

When Do You Need an Apostille From Brazil?

As a general rule of thumb, check authentication when a document from one country has to be used in another country’s legal proceedings, immigration application or administrative process. An apostille is not always required. The treaty must apply, and local law or another treaty may dispense with authentication.

For example, you may be a citizen of Brazil who is seeking residency abroad. In order to get the residency status you want, you may need an authenticated version of your Brazilian birth certificate to prove your identity. France and Brazil have a civil-cooperation agreement that can exempt covered documents, so do not assume every European application needs an apostille.

The specific documents that you need to have apostilled will vary based on where you’re at in the world and what the receiving authority’s legal requirements for foreign documents look like. If the Convention does not apply, check the appropriate diplomatic or consular legalization route.

Need an apostille from Brazil?

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Send a service inquiry for a quote and turnaround. No consultation is required.

Documents Eligible for a Brazil Apostille

To give you a better sense of what we’re talking about, here’s a list of some of the most common documents that people seek to have apostilled from Brazil:

• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Birth certificates
• Naturalization certificates
• Education documents
• Court decisions
• Recorded trade and business documents
• Certificates of criminal records

Eligibility depends on the document and certification. The Convention excludes documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents and certain administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations; do not assume that every business paper is eligible.

There are other documents that we can help you apostille as well. So don’t hesitate to reach out if the document you need help with isn’t on this list.

Brazil Apostille Document Requirements

If you need to have a Brazilian document apostilled, identify the document version the recipient accepts. Physically signed documents generally require presentation of the original. An ordinary photocopy is not a substitute, but a properly authenticated copy may be apostilled under the applicable rules.

Additionally, the documents must be legible and in good condition. For an authenticated-copy apostille, the certification concerns the notary or authorized clerk’s signature and capacity, rather than directly certifying the original issuer’s signature.

If your materials are too faded or difficult for the authority to read, they may not be able to apostille them. If your documents are old and worn, you can ask for replacements from the institution that issued them. Availability and the correct certificate format must be checked; a replacement does not guarantee acceptance.

Certain documents, such as certificates of criminal records, may need to be recent under the receiving authority’s rules. This may also apply to marriage certificates and other documents representing a current status of the people represented in the certificate. An apostille does not extend that validity period.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apostille In Brazil

How long does the Brazil apostille process take?

The total amount of time will vary based on obtaining the correct document, preliminary checks, translation and delivery. Under article 9 of the CNJ National Code of Rules, the apostilling authority’s protocol receipt must state a delivery period not exceeding five days. This is not a five-day international door-to-door guarantee.

How long is a Brazil apostille valid?

The apostille itself has no expiry date. The underlying document may expire or become too old for the receiving procedure. Once you have an apostille, that does not make the document legally valid in perpetuity.

For example, if the document in question is related to your business, the receiving authority may want to ensure the details are still current and ask for a newly issued record. The issue is the document’s currency, not a universal renewal date for its apostille.

Can I get a Brazil apostille online?

You can often arrange the service remotely without having to spend time waiting in an office. That does not mean every document can be processed entirely online. Eligible electronically signed documents may receive an electronic apostille; a scan of a paper document is not automatically an electronic original.

The process for this can vary from cartório to cartório. For paper documents, you generally will send the documents that you want to be apostilled in the mail or through an agreed representative. Confirm the delivery route before sending originals. A genuine e-apostille cannot be refused solely because it is electronic, but the recipient may still require a particular underlying document or translation.

Oliveira Lawyers can help you arrange the apostilles you need. Request a quote and turnaround before sending documents.

Is there a difference between apostilled and notarized?

Yes, apostilled and notarized are two different kinds of legal verification for documents. Notarization may authenticate a signature, a copy or another notarial act under local law. It is not restricted to documents used within the United States.

An apostille authenticates the origin of an eligible public document for use under the Convention. A notarial act may itself need an apostille for use abroad. Neither process guarantees that the underlying transaction is valid or that every country must accept the document for every purpose.

Can a photocopy receive a Brazil apostille?

An ordinary photocopy is not enough. Authenticated copies may be apostilled under Brazilian rules, but the recipient may insist on an original or a newly issued official certificate. You can ask the issuing institution for new versions of documents that you’ve lost if necessary. This may add time to the process.

What if I have a question today?

If you’ve got a more personalized question about apostille in Brazil, you can reach out to Oliveira Lawyers to get an answer. We’re happy to answer all of your questions so that you can get the apostilled documents you need as quickly as possible.

So why wait? Contact us today to get started.

Why Do We Need Apostille in the First Place?

It may not be obvious at first, but if you think it through — why would the authorities of one country accept documents issued by another? Authorities abroad may not be able to recognize the issuing official’s signature or seal.

The apostille exists exactly to address this challenge. By obtaining an apostille in the country where the document was issued, the authority of another country can verify its certified origin. It does not approve the contents, replace a required translation or recognize a foreign judgment.

What does a Brazilian apostille look like?

An apostille in Brazil identifies the signature, capacity and seal being authenticated, the issuing authority, date and verification details. The example below is an older system-test specimen, not a current client document or proof that another document has been authenticated.

Authorized cartórios perform apostilling by delegation from the CNJ. Check the authority’s accreditation and use the CNJ verification routes for the relevant system. Oliveira Lawyers coordinates the service; the competent authority issues the apostille.

How we arrange the service

1. Confirm the destination. Tell us the document type, issuing authority, destination country, intended use and deadline.
2. Check the required version. We assess the original, authenticated copy or electronic route and identify any replacement certificate or translation needed.
3. Agree scope and costs. The quote separates our coordination fees from cartório charges, translation, replacement records and delivery where applicable. Official apostille fees vary by state; there is no single nationwide price.
4. Submit and verify. The competent authority examines the document and issues the apostille if the requirements are met. We coordinate return delivery within the agreed scope.

No consultation is required to request a quote and turnaround. Do not send originals until the delivery instructions and scope are agreed.

Translation and probate documents

Check whether the destination requires a translation, who may translate and whether the translation itself needs authentication. Where a Brazilian public translation is apostilled, the original document and translation receive separate apostilles under the CNJ rules.

For documents coming into Brazil for an estate, use our probate translation and apostille guide. A U.S.-issued document follows the U.S. apostille route. Those are different from obtaining a Brazilian apostille for a Brazilian document. A Brazilian notarization or translation does not replace authentication of the foreign issuing official’s signature.

Sources and service inquiry

See the CNJ apostille FAQs, Resolution 228/2016, as amended, and HCCH Apostille Section. This is general information; the intended use and receiving authority’s requirements control the document preparation.