Legalization matrix: RF, BY, UA, KZ

In short

The legalization rules for Italy are uniform, but the routes differ: the apostille is always affixed by the country that issued the document, and for a Russian citizen holding a Kazakhstani marriage certificate, a Belarusian diploma and a Russian criminal record check that means three different authorities in three countries. Below is a compact document-by-country matrix for Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan with notes on each country. The apostille - translation - certification chain itself is covered step by step in the article on document legalization. This is not legal advice.

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What the law says: apostille, legalisation and translation

The basis is art. 33 of DPR 445/2000 (text on normattiva.it) and the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 abolishing legalisation (HCCH status table, updated 30.06.2026); both read on 12.10.2026.

• A foreign document for Italy is legalised by Italian embassies and consulates abroad - where needed after certification by the local authorities (art. 33(2) DPR 445/2000).
• Translation is mandatory: a document in a foreign language must come with an Italian translation certified as matching the original by the Italian consulate or by an official translator (art. 33(3)).
• Exemptions from legalisation and translation apply where a law or an international agreement provides them (art. 33(5)) - this is where the apostille comes in.
• All four countries and Italy are parties to the 1961 Hague Convention: Italy since 11.02.1978, Russia and Belarus by succession since 31.05.1992, Kazakhstan by accession since 30.01.2001, Ukraine by accession since 22.12.2003; the HCCH table marks no objections by other states to the Kazakh and Ukrainian accessions (HCCH table: 130 parties). So for documents from these countries consular legalisation is replaced by an apostille.
• Translation is separate from the apostille: art. 33 deals with the legalisation of signatures; the apostille replaces that, while the certified translation required by para. 3 remains unless an agreement exempts it too.

When this matters and how to use it. For a document from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine or Kazakhstan the order is always the same: an apostille in the issuing country, then an Italian translation certified by the Italian consulate or an official translator. If an office in Italy asks for "consular legalisation" of a document that already has an apostille, point to art. 33(5) DPR 445/2000 and the Hague Convention: for these countries the apostille is enough. Which documents each visa type needs is in the consulate lists on vistoperitalia.esteri.it.

Source: normattiva.it, DPR 445/2000 art. 33 (checked 12.10.2026); the convention status table - HCCH website (hcch.net, checked 12.10.2026)

Three rules that remove half the questions

1. The apostille is affixed only in the issuing country. Not in the country of residence, not at an Italian consulate and not at a third country's consulate. All four countries are parties to the Hague Convention, so consular legalization of the original is not needed: an apostille is enough.
2. The dichiarazione di valore is issued by the Italian consulate of the country where the education document was awarded. A Belarusian diploma - the Italian consulate serving Belarus, a Ukrainian one - Ukraine, and so on, regardless of your citizenship.
3. A criminal record certificate is needed from every country of long-term residence - and each one is apostilled at home. Details in the article on the criminal record certificate.

The matrix: where to apostille

The names of the authorities and the filing procedures change - verify against your country's official resources before going. You can sketch the chain for a specific document in the tool:

Russia: everything on site only (or by power of attorney)

Russian documents are apostilled only in Russia: ZAGS and MFC for certificates, the regional education department for diplomas (the original is required), the interior ministry for the criminal record check, the justice ministry for notarial acts. Applications usually go through Gosuslugi. If you are already in Italy or in a third country, the working path is a representative with a power of attorney to Russia; some papers (certificates, duplicate registry documents) can also be requested through the Russian consulate in Italy, but it does not affix apostilles. The DDV for a Russian diploma is issued by the Italian consulates in Russia.

We are Russian citizens who lived in Kazakhstan, and the Italian consulate in Astana told us straight out: Russian certificates are not their jurisdiction, send them to Russia. In the end I went myself: the ZAGS office replaced the certificate and affixed apostilles on all the documents in a single day. We chose not to gamble on workarounds from Italy.

Belarus: an option via missions abroad exists, but it is slow

Inside the country the apostille is affixed by the competent authorities - the MFA, the education ministry (diplomas), the justice ministry (notarial acts). Belarus's specific trait: per the community Belarusian missions abroad accepted documents for apostille - the paper travels to Minsk by diplomatic mail and comes back apostilled, but the full loop takes around two to three months, the procedure and tariffs have changed, and the scope of consular services abroad has been cut in recent years. Verify the current procedure with your consular office before counting on this path. The DDV for a Belarusian diploma is issued by the Italian embassy serving Belarus.

Ukraine: apostille online, DDV via CIMEA

Apostilles on Ukrainian documents are affixed by the justice ministry (civil status acts, notarial acts) and the education ministry (diplomas, school certificates); a large share of applications is filed online, and diplomas are verified via the EDBO electronic registry. The wartime reality hits the consular link: per the community obtaining a dichiarazione di valore through the consular district in Ukraine can be impossible - applications are not accepted.

My diploma is Ukrainian-issued, from a university in Donetsk: it verifies through the state registry, but the consular district in Kyiv simply does not take dichiarazione di valore applications - there is a standing notice. If the DDV is stuck, do the CIMEA procedure: pricier, but it is a recognized analog that is accepted for visa applications too.

So the community's standard recommendation for Ukrainian diplomas is the attestato di comparabilita from CIMEA: fully online, no consulate involved. More on the DDV-or-CIMEA fork in the degree recognition overview.

Kazakhstan: its own authorities, online applications

Kazakhstani documents are apostilled in Kazakhstan: the justice ministry for ZAGS and notarial acts, the education authority for diplomas, the legal statistics bodies under the prosecutor's office for the criminal record certificate; applications can be filed via e-government too. Do not mix up the jurisdictions: a Kazakhstani apostille goes only on Kazakhstani documents - Russian papers, even if you have long lived in Kazakhstan, are apostilled by Russia. The DDV for a Kazakhstani diploma is issued by the Italian consulate serving Kazakhstan.

The common mistake: mixing up the document's country and the residence country

The bottom line in one paragraph: look at every document through the question "which country issued it" - that country affixes the apostille, and its Italian consulate issues the DDV for education documents. Your country of residence only affects where you translate and certify the translation: with an accredited translator of your consular district, or with a traduttore giurato in Italy. A translation certified for one consulate may be rejected in another district - certify where you will submit the documents.

Related materials

• Documents for Italy: apostille, translation, validity - a table of documents by purpose, consulate translation fees and how long certificates stay valid.
• Document legalization - the whole chain step by step.
• Degree recognition in Italy - DDV, CIMEA, equipollenza.
• Criminal record certificate - which countries you need it from and how to get it.
• Power of attorney to Russia - collecting documents without traveling.
• Legalization builder - the chain of steps for your document.

Official sources

• esteri.it - the Italian MFA: consulates, dichiarazione di valore, accredited translators.
• vistoperitalia.esteri.it - document lists for each visa motive.
• cimea.it - the attestato di comparabilita, the online alternative to the DDV.
• normattiva.it - the 1961 Hague Convention in Italian law.
• normattiva.it, DPR 445/2000 art. 33 - legalisation of foreign documents and certified translation (checked 12.10.2026).

Frequently asked questions

Can I apostille a Russian document while in another country?

No: an apostille is affixed only by an authority of the country that issued the document. Per the community, those living in Kazakhstan or already in Italy either travel to Russia or act through a representative with a power of attorney - other countries' consulates do not apostille Russian documents. This is not legal advice.

Where do I apostille Belarusian documents?

In Belarus - at the competent authorities (the MFA, the education ministry, the justice ministry, depending on the document type). Per the community Belarusian missions abroad accepted documents for apostille with forwarding to Minsk by diplomatic mail, but that takes months, and the scope of consular services abroad has been changing - verify the current procedure with your consular office. This is not legal advice.

How do I validate a Ukrainian diploma if the dichiarazione di valore is unavailable?

Per the community the working alternative is the attestato di comparabilita from CIMEA: the procedure is fully online, and Ukrainian diplomas are verified through the EDBO electronic registry, which simplifies verification. Many Ukrainian students in Italy take exactly this path. Check whether your university or authority accepts CIMEA instead of the DDV. This is not legal advice.

Where do I go with Kazakhstani documents?

Kazakhstani documents are apostilled by the competent authorities of Kazakhstan depending on the document type (justice, education, the legal statistics bodies for the criminal record certificate); applications can be filed online. The dichiarazione di valore for a Kazakhstani diploma is issued by the Italian consulate serving Kazakhstan. Verify the current procedure on Kazakhstan's official resources. This is not legal advice.

Do I need consular legalization of the original, or is an apostille enough?

Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan are all parties to the 1961 Hague Convention, so for Italy an apostille on the original is enough: consular legalization of the document itself is not needed. The document is then translated and the translation certified - each consular district has its own procedure. This is not legal advice.

Where should documents be translated - in the issuing country or in Italy?

Both paths work: a translation by a translator accredited at the Italian consulate in your country with subsequent certification, or a sworn translation (asseverazione) by a traduttore giurato already in Italy. Per the community a translation certified for one consulate may be rejected in another district - certify where you will submit. This is not legal advice.

Related materials - Documents and legalization

• Documents for Italy: apostille, translation, validity
• Apostille for Italy 2026: legalization chain
• Foreign degree recognition in Italy
• Medical degree recognition in Italy

Next stepLegalization & sworn translationApostille / translation

Documents for this topic

• Document Checklist for Student Visa to Italy (Courses), Consulate St. Petersburg