What’s the difference between “postilla” and “apostille” ?

There is no difference, as “postilla” is the Italian translation of the French term “apostille“. All international treaties, in fact, provide for the practice of using French as the first language: normally the terms used are translated, but for practice, now more than ten years old, even in Italy the “procedure” is identified with the French term. It will therefore be simpler to use the term “Apostille” for every eventuality, so as not to confuse the interlocutor with other types of apostille, known to our system.

Where can I request an APOSTILLE STAMP?

The apostille stamp shall be issued:

a) for the validation of notarial acts drawn up in Italy, by the appropriate office of the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court with territorial jurisdiction based on the seat of the Notary;

b) for all other administrative documents, the Prefecture of the place where the authority that issued the administrative act has its headquarters is competent to affix the apostille stamp.

I have lost the original document where the apostille was affixed, can I obtain a copy?

No, it is not possible for the office to release any copy of the document already “apostilled”; rather, it will be necessary to ask the Notary for the release of another certified copy, and only after its release will it be possible to request another stamp, repeating the procedure.

If the document, where the Apostille had been affixed, was a document issued by the Notary as an original, as in the case of a special power of attorney, or a declaration of existence in life, the document must be re-formed, and therefore must be paid for again.

What does the apostille stamp attest to?

The apostille stamp certifies the legal status of the issuing authority, and does not in any way concern the content of the document itself, which, as far as notarial acts are concerned, is of the exclusive competence of the Notary. Therefore, the Apostille Office has no jurisdiction over the content of the document nor does it have any authority to modify it in any way.

Can an apostille stamp be placed on a photocopy of a notarial deed?

No, an apostille stamp can only be affixed to the original document or a certified copy of a deed. Since the stamp attests to the authenticity of the issuing public official’s signature, it cannot be affixed to a document that does not bear the signature of the notary who notarized it. It will therefore be necessary to request the certified copy from the Notary in order to proceed with the stamping.

Is it possible to apostille a self-certification to be used abroad?

No, it is not possible. Since the apostille procedure only concerns documents issued by Public Officials, since, as mentioned above, it consists in an attestation regarding the qualification of the issuing authority.

Can I apostille a true copy of the original, digitally transmitted to me by the Notary Public?

No, the apostille stamp can only be affixed to paper documents and not to digitally signed documents, so that even if a certified copy of the document has been issued in accordance with the law, it is not sufficient in itself, and in any case the certified paper copy must be requested.

Is a translation of the notarial deed necessary?

The translation of the apostille, is necessary, in the language of the foreign country to which it is addressed. It is possible, however, that the document itself is in two languages, because it was drawn up by the notary in this way and only in the cases provided for by law, or because a translator swore an oath to its translation after it was drawn up.