Where to apostille documents from (issued by) the Czech Republic

First and foremost,only documents issued directly by Czech state authorities can be apostilled in Czech republic. Documents issued by other countries must be apostilled in the country where document was issued. In the Czech Republic - only documents issued by Czech government agencies can be apostilled.

An apostille for documents from the Czech Republic can only be placed within the territory of the Czech Republic itself, by state authorities located directly in the country. No diplomatic missions abroad handle this matter.

Three main state authorities responsible for issuing apostilles. Each of them is authorized to certify ONLY SPECIFIC types of documents and specializes exclusively in them. The correct choice depends on the document type.

• Notarial Chamber of the Czech Republic: For all documents issued and certified by any Czech notary. This includes powers of attorney, extracts, and certificates that have been notarized.
• Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic: For any official documents from country courts, including company extracts certified by a court, divorce decrees, and other court decisions.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic: For most other documents, such as civil registry documents, police clearance certificates, and university or secondary school diplomas.

Please see below for addresses, business hours, types of documents they certify, and other details for each authority.

Notarial Chamber of the Czech Republic

"Notářská komora České republiky" apostilles any documents issued by notaries in the country – essentially, anything bearing a notary’s signature. Examples of the documents they handle include: a power of attorney with a notarized signature, a criminal record certificate obtained from a notary, an extract for a Czech company – in general, any document that was issued to you by a notary.

The notarial document must be certified for use abroad ("do zahraniči"). You must mention this to the notary, as they use different stamps for documents intended for use within the Czech Republic and outside the country.

Address in Prague: Apolinářská 12, Prague 2

Business hours:

• Monday - Thursday: 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM (lunch break: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM)
• Friday: 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM
• Saturday, Sunday: closed

The Notarial Chamber of the Czech Republic has other branch offices in major cities across the country, including: Brno, České Budějovice, Hradec Králové, Ostrava, Plzeň, and Ústí nad Labem. Please look up for their specific addresses as needed.

It is important to note that you can submit any document certified by a Czech notary for an apostille at any of the Notarial Chamber's branch offices. For example, a document notarized in Brno can be apostilled at the Notarial Chamber’s Prague office.

Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic

"Ministerstvo spravedlnosti České republiky in Czech" apostilles any documents issued by Czech courts, including extracts from the Trade Register certified by city courts ("Městský soud"), as well as any court decisions.

Thee have a single office in Prague: Na Děkance 3, Prague 2

Business hours: Mondays and Wednesdays only: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (lunch break: 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic handles all other documents that do not fall into the two categories above, including:

• Civil registry documents (matrika), birth, marriage and death certificates
• Police clearance certificates issued directly by the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic (not through a notary, but directly by the Ministry’s offices)
• Diplomas for completed secondary school education and university degrees of the Czech Republic
• Medical documents
• Commercial documents (invoices, certificates, etc.).
• Documents issued by the country’s tax authorities

They have a single office in Prague: Hradčanské náměstí 5, Prague 1

Business hours:

• Monday and Wednesday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (lunch break: 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM)
• Tuesday and Friday: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
• Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: closed

IMPORTANT! In almost all cases, you need an additional “intermediary” certification – a stamp from the administration or ministry that oversees the state authority that issued the original document. For example, an apostille for a university diploma first requires a stamp from the Czech Ministry of Education. An apostille for a certificate from a civil registry office first requires certification from the regional administration corresponding to the registry office’s location. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not provide the final apostille without this “intermediary” stamp. It is impossible to list every possible scenario here; please inquire further as the requirements depend on the specific document and its place of issuance. The only exception is a criminal record certificate issued by the offices of the Czech Ministry of Justice; these can receive an apostille directly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

General tips for all state authorities

Below you will find key information that may be useful and important to know before your visit the authority to obtain an apostille:

• All state authorities charge a fee for the apostille service. You can pay this fee by card AT EVERY LOCATION. Please ensure you have a valid payment card before your visit: it’s the easiest method for you and for staff handling your situation.
• Apostilles are often done immediately, but this is limited to a maximum of 5 documents per visit. If you have more than 5 documents that require an apostille, you will have to leave the documents and pick them up later.
• While you can deal with all these state authorities without the personal visit (by mail), it is a slow and complicated process. We strongly advise having someone apply for the certification in person.