Apostilles come from the notary public at DVV — not the Foreign Ministry — while um.fi legalises for non-Hague countries and translations need an auktorisoitu kääntäjä.
Overview
Finland is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, and the competent authority is the notary public at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (Digi- ja väestötietovirasto, DVV) — not the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. A DVV notary attaches the apostille (EUR 38) to documents issued by Finnish authorities or comparable parties such as licensed physicians and authorised translators; private documents first need the signature certified. For destination countries outside the Hague Convention, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs legalises Finnish documents at EUR 30 per signature, in person in Helsinki or by post (about 7 days), after which the destination country's embassy usually adds its own certification. Within the EU, Regulation 2016/1191 exempts many civil-status public documents from apostilles, and in the Nordic countries an apostille is usually unnecessary. Translations for official use must come from an authorised translator (auktorisoitu kääntäjä) on the public register maintained under the Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH). Verified against dvv.fi, um.fi and oph.fi as of June 2026.
Which Route for Which Destination
| Destination | What the document needs | Issuing authority | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hague Convention country | Apostille | Notary public at DVV (book an appointment at dvv.fi) | EUR 38 per apostille |
| Non-Hague country | MFA legalisation, then usually certification by the destination country's embassy | Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Helsinki (in person or by post) | EUR 30 per legalised signature |
| EU member state | Often no apostille — Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 exempts listed civil-status public documents (birth, marriage, residence, absence of criminal record etc.) | None needed for exempt documents; multilingual standard forms available from the issuing authority | — |
| Nordic countries | Apostille usually not needed for general civil-status documents issued by public authorities | — | — |
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues apostilles in Finland — the Foreign Ministry?
No. Apostilles are issued by the notary public at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), at EUR 38 per certificate. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs only legalises documents going to countries that are NOT party to the Hague Apostille Convention, at EUR 30 per signature. If your destination country is on the HCCH status table as a Convention party, book a DVV notary appointment; if it is not, the document goes to the MFA and then usually to the destination country's embassy in Finland. Mixing the two routes up wastes both time and fees.
Do I need an apostille on a Finnish document used in another EU country?
Often not. Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 on public documents exempts listed categories — including documents proving birth, death, name, marriage, residence and the absence of a criminal record — from apostilles when presented between EU member states. You can also ask the issuing authority for a multilingual standard form to avoid translation. The exemption covers public documents on civil-status facts, not every document type (commercial documents and many education documents still need an apostille), and authorities in the receiving state can still verify authenticity via IMI. For Nordic countries, general civil-status documents typically need no apostille either.
Can I get an apostille on a digitally signed Finnish document?
No — DVV states that an apostille can only be attached to documents bearing an original, authentic signature. If you hold an electronically issued document (for example a digitally signed degree certificate or extract), ask the issuing authority for a version with a handwritten signature and official stamp before booking the notary appointment. For private documents there is an extra step: the notary public must first certify the authenticity of your signature, or your right to sign on behalf of another, and only then can the apostille be attached. Signature certification requires a personal visit with identification.
How do I get my foreign birth certificate and police certificate accepted by Finnish authorities?
Authenticate them in the country of issue, not in Finland. If the issuing country is a Hague Apostille Convention party, obtain an apostille from its designated competent authority; if not, have the document legalised by that country's foreign ministry and then by the competent Finnish embassy. Then have it translated into Finnish, Swedish or English by an authorised translator if it is in another language. Check the exact attachment requirements for your case first — Migri's per-permit checklists and DVV's registration guidance state what must be legalised — because requirements differ by document type and country of origin.
Who counts as an official translator in Finland and how do I find one?
An auktorisoitu kääntäjä — a translator authorised under the Act on Authorised Translators by the Examination Board of Authorised Translators, which operates in connection with the Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH). Search the public register on oph.fi by language pair, translator name or municipality. Authorisation requires passing the Authorised Translator's Examination, held once a year in November at CEFR C2 level, with at least one working language being Finnish, Swedish or Sami. The translator's certified translation is legally valid before Finnish authorities, and because the translator is a publicly authorised party, the DVV notary can apostille the translation for use abroad.
My document is going to a country outside the Hague Convention — what is the full chain?
Three steps. First, make sure the document is an original issued by a Finnish authority (or have a private document's signature certified by a DVV notary). Second, take or post it to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs' Customer Service in Helsinki for legalisation — EUR 30 per signature, with postal turnaround of about 7 days; from outside the EU, email legalizations.um@gov.fi for instructions first. Third, have the legalised document certified by the destination country's embassy or consulate accredited to Finland, which applies its own fees and processing times. Budget extra weeks for the embassy stage — it is usually the slowest link.