SAMREEN IQBAL

ASSIGNMENT NO 2

APOSTILE CONVENTION:

The Apostille Convention, also known as the Hague Apostille Convention or simply the Apostille Treaty, is
an international treaty that simplifies the process of legalizing documents for use in foreign countries.
The convention was established under the auspices of the Hague Conference on Private International
Law and was adopted in 1961. Its primary purpose is to eliminate the requirement of further legalization
or authentication for foreign public documents that have been issued in one member country and need
to be used in another member country.

The Apostille Convention introduced a standardized certificate called an "apostille" that is attached to
the document by the competent authority in the issuing country. The apostille certifies the authenticity
of the document's origin and the capacity in which the person signing the document acted. It essentially
serves as a shortcut for verifying the validity of documents across international borders.

CONVENTIONAL COUNSLAR SERVICES:

Conventional consular services, on the other hand, involve the traditional process of embassy or
consulate authentication and legalization. In this process, documents issued in one country and
intended for use in another country often need to be verified and authenticated by the embassy or
consulate of the receiving country. This can involve multiple steps and may require additional
attestations from various authorities, leading to a potentially time-consuming and costly procedure.

DIFFERENCES:

The main differences between the Apostille Convention and conventional consular services are:

Simplification: The Apostille Convention streamlines the process by providing a single standardized
certificate that is recognized by all member countries. This reduces the need for multiple authentications
and certifications.

Universality: The Apostille Convention aims to create a universal system for document verification,
applicable to all member countries. In contrast, conventional consular services can vary in requirements
and processes from country to country.

Efficiency: The apostille process is generally quicker and more straightforward compared to traditional
consular authentication, which can involve several rounds of verification and may require more time.

Cost-effectiveness: The apostille process often reduces costs by eliminating the need for multiple levels
of authentication and multiple visits to different authorities.

The government of Pakistan joined the Apostille Convention on 9 March 2023, which removes the
requirement for the legalization of public documents, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and
education certificates and degrees in Hague member states. According to the government, this change
will help to streamline the immigration application process in the country.