Why the original certificate is usually not enough
An authority in one country has no way to verify the signature and seal of an official in another. Legalisation exists to close that gap: a recognised body confirms that the person who signed the document held the office they claimed, and that the seal is genuine. It says nothing about whether the contents are true, which is a common misunderstanding.
Without it, a receiving authority is generally entitled to treat the document as unverified. In practice this is what stops a file rather than any dispute about the death itself.
Apostille or consular legalisation
Where both countries are party to the Hague Apostille Convention, a single certificate — the apostille — is attached by a designated authority in the issuing country, and the receiving country accepts it without further steps. This is the shorter route and it is the one most families encounter.
Where one of the countries is not a party, the document normally passes through a longer chain: the issuing authority, then that country’s foreign ministry, then the consulate of the receiving country. Each link has its own hours, fees and queues, and the chain cannot be reordered or skipped.
Translation is a separate requirement
Authentication and translation are two different things, and satisfying one does not satisfy the other. A document may carry a valid apostille and still be refused because it is in a language the receiving authority does not work in.
What counts as an acceptable translation varies. Some authorities require a sworn or court-appointed translator, some accept a certified agency translation, and some require the translation itself to be legalised. This is worth confirming before paying for a translation, because a translation made the wrong way has to be redone from the start.
Where the delays actually come from
The most common cause is sequence. Legalisation is layered, and each layer authenticates the one before it. A document sent for translation before it was apostilled, or apostilled before a required local certification, generally has to go back and start again.
The second most common cause is a name that does not match. Where the passport, the medical certificate and the civil register spell a name differently — a transliteration, a middle name, a maiden name — the receiving authority may treat them as different people. Catching this at the start costs a phone call; catching it at the airport costs days.
This is general information, not advice on a specific case. Requirements differ between countries, between airlines and sometimes between cases. We are a private coordination company, not a government body, embassy or consulate.
Common questions on this subject
Is an apostille always required?
No. It depends on the two countries involved and on what the receiving authority asks for. Some routes need it on every document, some on the death certificate alone, and some not at all. We confirm the requirement for the specific pair of countries rather than applying a general rule.
Who issues an apostille?
A designated authority in the country where the document was issued — often the foreign ministry, a court, or a regional administration, depending on the country. It cannot be issued by the receiving country, and it cannot be issued by an embassy.
Can the documents be legalised after the flight?
Sometimes, but it is a risk. An airline generally requires a complete document set before it will accept the transfer, and a receiving authority may hold the case on arrival until the paperwork is in order. The usual approach is to complete legalisation before departure.
How long does legalisation take?
It varies too much between countries for a general figure to be useful. What is predictable is the pattern: an apostille route is short, a consular chain is longer, and public holidays in either country stop the clock entirely.