How to ensure that your Brazilian diploma or certificate is accepted abroad without bureaucracy.
Imagine arriving at the Consulate for your citizenship application, or at a university abroad, and having your Brazilian document refused, or even having your process rejected. The cause? Your documents lack international legal validity.
It is to avoid this exact scenario that the Hague Apostille exists.
But what is this certificate and how does it fit into your translation process?
UNO Traduções has prepared this guide (updated for 2025) to help you get through this important stage without making any mistakes. Here you will understand:
• What actually validates your document in another country.
• Where this service is done (and who is authorized to do it).
• The vital relationship (and the correct order) between Apostille and Sworn Translation.
Read on and make sure your international documentation is 100% secure and compliant.
What is the Hague Apostille?
In simple terms, the Hague Apostille is a certificate of authenticity attached to a public document to attest to its origin and legal validity in other countries.
It was created by the “Hague Convention” to simplify and replace the ancient consular legalization process, which was expensive and time-consuming.
In Brazil, the process has been coordinated by the Brazilian National Council of Justice (CNJ) since 2016. The apostille (be it a physical seal or a digital certificate with QR Code) confirms that the signature, seal or stamp on the document is genuine.
In brief: Apostilles do not validate the content of the documents, but rather the authenticity of the person who issued them.
Where is the Apostille made?
Unlike Sworn Translation (done by a Public Translator), the Apostille is an exclusive act of Notary Offices authorized by CNJ.
There are no risks: the list of qualified Notary Offices is publicly available. The process is standardized, agile and guarantees digital verification (e-APP), giving total security to the process.
We stress that, at UNO: although we are not authorized to do Apostilles (as they are a notarial act), our role is to ensure that the Sworn Translation is perfect and ready to be apostilled together with the original document.
When is an Apostille required?
The Apostille is a form of legalization for international use between countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention (such as Italy, Portugal, USA, Japan, Argentina, etc.). If the destination country is not a signatory, another form of legalization will be required for the documentation (e.g., consularization).
The most common situations include:
• Citizenship and Immigration Processes: Presentation of certificates (birth, marriage, death) at Consulates.
• Academic Life: Validation of diplomas and official transcripts to study or work abroad.
• International Business: Use of powers of attorney, articles of organization and articles of incorporation, and participation in tenders.
• Legal Acts: Presentation of court judgments, company registrations and police criminal certificates.
Basically, if the document needs to be official outside Brazil, it needs to be apostilled.
The Correct Order: What comes first, the translation or the apostille?
This is the point that generates the most doubts and denials. A mistake in the order can invalidate the entire process.
The golden rule, which is safe and internationally accepted, is: APOSTILLE THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT FIRST.
The correct flow is:
1. Apostille the Original Document: You need to take your original document (e.g.: Diploma in Portuguese) to a Notary Office and receive the first Hague Apostille.
2. Sworn Translation: Then you send UNO the original document + the apostille. The Sworn Translator will translate both (the content of the diploma and the text of the Apostille).
3. Translation Apostille: The Sworn Translation (which is a new official document, signed by the translator) must go to the Notary Office to receive a second Hague Apostille.
If this order is not respected, the sworn translator’s signature will not be recognized internationally.
Understand the Translation calculation: Standard Page’s Transparency
As with the previous model, it is important to know that sworn translations are not charged “per sheet.” The fair calculation is made by Standard Page (the volume of text translated).
Frequently Asked Questions and UNO’s Advantages
1. Does the Sworn Translation need to be apostilled too? Yes. A sworn translation is an autonomous official document. In order that the Brazilian translator’s signature is valid abroad, it must also be apostilled (this is the 3rd step of our flow).
2. Is the digital apostille (e-APP) valid everywhere? Yes. The digital apostille issued in Brazil (in PDF with QR Code) has exactly the same legal validity as the physical seal, and it is accepted by all member countries of the Convention.
3. What if the country of destination is not a member of the Hague Convention (e.g.: Canada)? In this case, the process is different. You will require a “Consular Legalization”, which is a more bureaucratic process, carried out at the consulate of the destination country. UNO can advise you on the translation in these cases as well.
Advantages of hiring UNO Traduções:
• Total Compliance: Our sworn translations follow the exact format required for subsequent apostilling, with no chance of refusal due to technical errors.
• Agility and Absolute Secrecy: We optimize your deadlines through digital processes and guarantee the confidentiality of your documents (GDPA).
• Advisory Services: This is what sets us apart. You do not just hire a translation; you hire the certainty that your document process is correct, in the right order and without unnecessary costs.
The Hague Apostille is the key that opens international doors for your documents. However, it does not work alone and depends directly on a Sworn Translation made with technical perfection.
Hiring a professional service that thoroughly understands this bureaucracy is not a cost; it is an investment to ensure that your life, study or business project is not paralyzed by avoidable mistakes.
At UNO Traduções, we take care of the legal rigor of your translation so that you can focus only on your goals.
Ready to ensure that your documents are accepted internationally without any headaches?