AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS FOR USE ABROAD: APOSTILLE VS. RED RIBBON

Apostille; Apostille Convention; Hague Convention on Apostille; Authentication of document of use in other country; Red Ribbon; Legalisation of document; Consularization of document; Authentication of documents for overseas Filipinos; Overseas Filipino Workers; Philippine vlog; Philippine travel; Overseas Contract Workers; Filipinos abroad; Filipinos working abroad; Dual Filipino citizens; Philippine dual citizens; Filipino-American, Filipino-Canadian, Filipinos-Australian, British-Filipino Citizens; International Students; Balikbayan; Filipino balikbayan; Special Power of Attorney; notarized documents; CAV or Certification, Authentication abd Verification; CANA or Certificate of Authority for Notarial Act; Notarial documents; Regional Trial Court; red-ribboned documents; Philippine Embassy; US Embassy; Philippine embassy; Philippine Consulate General; Department of Foreign Affairs; How are documents authenticated?; How to authenticate documents?; Requirements and procedure for authentication of documents by the Department of Foreign Affairs; Process for authentication of foreign documents; How to authenticate foreign documents?; Paano magpa-authenticate ng document sa DFA?; When you need a document for use abroad – what is usually required? Authentication! That’s right! Generally, your document will not be accepted or honored abroad unless it is authenticated in the country of its origin. May it be a Special Power of Attorney, Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Certificate of Driving Experience, School Diploma, Transcript of Records, et cetera. And what easily comes to our mind is “Red Ribbon”. But since 2019, there has already been a new process for authenticating these documents in the Philippines. Is “red ribbon” now a thing of the past? “Authentication” is a generic term that commonly refers to the process of verifying the origin of a public document by certifying the authenticity of the signature and legal authority of the public official who signed it. It does not, however, certify the content of the public document to which it relates. The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention) entered into force for the Philippines on 14 May 2019. Since then, an Apostille is attached, as proof of authentication, to the underlying Philippine public document that will be used abroad. After authentication by the DFA, there is no more need for legalization by the concerned Foreign Embassy / Consulate if the country of destination of the authenticated document is also a State Party to the Apostille Convention (except for Austria, Finland, Germany and Greece as they have objected to the Philippines’ accession). However, if the country of destination of the document is not a State Party to the Convention, or if the document will be submitted in Austria, Finland, Germany, or Greece, legalization by the concerned Foreign Embassy / Consulate is still required. The previous Red Ribbon process started by getting a Certification from the relevant government agency or office and then getting Authentication by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. After the Authentication by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, you must then take your documents to the foreign countries’ Embassy for Red-ribbon or “legalization”.

Useful Links:

https://dfa-oca.ph/services/authentic...

https://dfa-oca.ph/citizens-charter/i...

https://dfa.gov.ph/apostille-appointm...

https://dfa-oca.ph/authentication/aut...