Attesting Costa Rica Documents (FAQs)

Yes - Costa Rica is a member of the Apostille Convention.

Costa Rica documents can be legalized for use abroad with an Apostille Stamp when destined for other signatory countries without additional certification by the destination country.

When Costa Rica documents are required for non-apostille countries, such as United Arab Emirates - Taiwan - Malaysia - Thailand - Zambia - Qatar they need additional authentication by the embassy of the destination country.

For further information see:
Costa Rica Apostille Services

Documents which can be authenticated in Costa Rica with an Apostille Stamp include:

• Costa Rican marriage certificate
• Birth and death certificates stamped and signed by Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones
• Criminal Record Certificates (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales) signed by the Secretaría General de la Corte Suprema de Justicia
• University diplomas signed by a public official (public universities) or certified by either by Viceministerio Académico del Ministerio de Educación Pública or Consejo Nacional de Enseñanza Superior Universitaria Privada
• School certificates certified by Dirección de Gestión y Evaluación de la Calidad del MEP
• Documents authenticated by a recognised Professional Association (Colegio Profesional)
• Affidavits, powers of attorney and other documents certified by a Costa Rica notary public.

For further information, see:

• Public officials in Costa Rica with registered signatures (in Spanish)
• Costa Rica Apostille Services

Apostilles for Costa Rica birth, death and marriage certificates can be obtained from the Ministry of External Relations and Worship in San Jose. Certificates must be physically signed by the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones.

Isarey can arrange certification and apostille authentication of digital certificates, or we can obtain certificates in Costa Rica on behalf of clients requiring apostille authentication.

Applicants with a Costa Rica electronic signature can apply for a Costa Rica Criminal Record Certificate (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales online. Applicants without an electronic signature can obtain a username and password from a judicial office in Costa Rica.

• Apply online for a Costa Rica Criminal Record (in Spanish)

Applicants outside Costa Rica will need to apply to the nearest Costa Rica embassy (in Spanish), providing a copy of their Costa Rican identity card or foreign passport.

In both cases, certificates can be collected from the Judicial Register of the Supreme Court in San Jose. If you need an apostille stamp for your Costa Rica criminal record certificates, please contact us before making the application, and we will be able to collect the certificate for you in Costa Rica.

To be valid for an Apostille, certificates musty be marked "para usos varios internacionales".

Apostilles in Costa Rica take 2 - 5 business days depending on the availability of appoints at the Ministry of External Relations and Worship.

You do not need to provide the original certificate. To obtain an Apostille for a Costa Rica birth, death or marriage certificate, you can send us the digital certificate, or we can obtain the certificate on your behalf. We will then certify the certificate at the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones for submission to the Apostille office of the Ministry of External Relations and Worship in San Jose.

To obtain an Apostille, the original criminal record certificate is required, stamped and signed by the Secretaría General de la Corte Suprema de Justicia.

Isarey can collect certificates applied for online or through a Costa Rica embassy from the Judicial Register of the Supreme Court for submission to the Apostille office of the Ministry of External Relations and Worship.

Degree certificates from Costa Rica universities can be authenticated with an Apostille when physically signed by a public official (public universities) or certified by the Viceministerio Académico del Ministerio de Educación pública or Consejo Nacional de Enseñanza Superior Universitaria Privada.

Apostilles for Costa Rica Primary and Secondary School diplomas can be obtained from the Ministry of External Relations and Worship. Certificates require prior certification by the Dirección de Gestión y Evaluación de la Calidad del MEP.

Costa Rica Apostilles from the Ministry of External Relations and Worship can be applied to powers of attorney that have signed in Costa Rica before a notary public. The notary's signature must then be certified by the National Notarial Directorate (Dirección Nacional de Notariado).

You can see reviews from past clients who have used our attestation and apostille services:

• ISAREY reviews on Trustpilot
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Digital copies of Costa Rica death, marriage and birth certificates can be obtained online. If an Apostille is required, the certificate must then be physically certified by Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones.

• Costa Rica birth, death or marriage certificates (in Spanish)

If you require a Costa Rica marriage certificate or other civil status certificate authenticated in Costa Rica with an Apostille, please contact us and we can obtain the certificate in your behalf.

Degree certificates from Costa Rica universities requiring attestation for submission to authorities of the United Arab Emirates must be physically signed by a public official (public universities) or certified by the Viceministerio Académico del Ministerio de Educación pública or Consejo Nacional de Enseñanza Superior Universitaria Privada. They can then be legalized by the Ministry of External Relations and Worship and the UAE embassy in San Jose.

Degree certificates from Costa Rica universities requiring attestation for submission to authorities of Saudi Arabia must be physically signed by a public official (public universities) or certified by the Viceministerio Académico del Ministerio de Educación pública or Consejo Nacional de Enseñanza Superior Universitaria Privada. They can then be legalized by the Ministry of External Relations and Worship with an Apostille Stamp. Attestation by the Saudi embassy is no longer required since Saudi Arabia acceded to the Apostille Convention.

Costa Rica criminal record certificates (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales) must be physically signed by Secretaría General de la Corte Suprema de Justicia for submission to the Ministry of External Relations and Worship for authentication by Apostille.

Isarey can collect criminal record certificates from the Judicial Register of the Supreme Court in San Jose and obtain the necessary certifications and Apostilles. Certificates must be marked "para usos varios internacionales". Please contact us for assistance before submitting your application for a criminal record through the judicial website or Costa Rica embassy,