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Apostille First Guide
A MOFA apostille is the official certification that makes Korean government-issued documents legally recognized in foreign countries that are party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Without it, your Korean birth certificate, diploma, or marriage certificate is just a piece of paper to a foreign authority — with it, the document carries internationally recognized legal weight. Apostille First helps Koreans and Korean residents obtain MOFA apostilles for any document type, coordinated end-to-end.
The Hague Apostille Convention is an international treaty that simplifies the authentication of official documents between member countries. Instead of going through a multi-step embassy legalization chain, a single apostille stamp issued by a designated competent authority in the originating country is sufficient for the document to be recognized in all other member countries. Korea joined the Hague Apostille Convention, with entry into force on July 14, 2007. There are currently over 120 member countries.
Korea has two designated competent authorities for issuing apostilles — not one:
MOFA can apostille documents that are officially issued or certified by Korean government authorities. Eligible documents include:
An important distinction: the MOFA apostille does not verify the content of your document. It authenticates the official seal or signature on the document — confirming that the seal or signature is genuine and belongs to a recognized Korean government authority. For example, an apostilled birth certificate confirms that the seal on it is genuinely from a Korean municipal office. The foreign authority can then trust the document as authentic without needing to contact the Korean government directly.
Korea operates an e-Apostille system at apostille.go.kr that allows eligible civil documents to receive a digital apostille certificate instead of a physical stamp. The e-apostille is verifiable online. Not all documents are eligible, and not all foreign authorities accept digital apostilles — confirm with your receiving authority before relying on e-apostille.
Is a MOFA apostille the same as embassy legalization?
No. An apostille is for countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Embassy legalization (consular legalization) is a different, more complex process required for non-Hague countries. You do not need both — it depends on your destination country.
Does a MOFA apostille verify that my diploma or degree is real?
No. The apostille only authenticates the official seal or signature on the document — it confirms the document was issued by a recognized Korean authority. It does not evaluate or verify the academic content of your degree. Credential evaluation (e.g., WES, NARIC) is a separate process done by credential assessment bodies.
My document was not issued by a government body — can it be apostilled?
Private documents (company letters, personal declarations) cannot be apostilled directly. They must first be notarized by a Korean notary public (공증인), after which the notarized version can be apostilled by MOFA or the Ministry of Justice.
How do I know if my destination country is a Hague Convention member?
The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) publishes the current list of member countries at hcch.net. Our specialists also confirm this for every client — tell us your destination country and document type and we will confirm whether apostille or embassy legalization is required.
Verified specialists who handle apostille, translation, and legalization
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