Legalization is a confirmation that a document issued by the authorities of the state or drawn up with the participation of these authorities complies with the legislation of this state. It consists in verifying the authenticity of the signature of the official who signed the document and the seal of the authorized state body.
In accordance with international practice, the legalization of passports and documents replacing them, as well as documents directly related to commercial or customs operations (invoices, documents on the movement of goods across the border, agreements on the supply of goods and the provision of services, the performance of various works and settlements, customs declarations, etc.).
Documents intended for use abroad, drawn up by the official bodies of the Russian Federation, must be legalized, unless otherwise provided by the provisions of international treaties that abolish the legalization procedure, to which Russia and the state on whose territory these documents will be used are parties.
Legalization of Russian documents for use abroad is usually carried out according to the following scheme:
1. A notary's office on the territory of the Russian Federation certifies a copy of the document and the accuracy of its translation into a foreign language;
2. The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation certifies the authenticity of the notary's signature and seal;
3. The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia confirms the authenticity of the seal of the Ministry of Justice of Russia and the signature of an official;
4. After legalization in the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the documents are legalized in the Consular Department of the UAE Embassy in Moscow;
5. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE certifies the seal of its diplomatic mission in Russia.
For some member states of the 1961 Hague Convention, the legalization procedure has been significantly simplified by affixing an apostille.