Attesting Rwandan Documents (FAQs)

Yes - Rwanda acceded to the Apostille Convention in June 2024, so that Rwandan documents required for submission to other signatory countries can be authenticated with an Apostille stamp and do not require additional attestation by the embassy or consulate of the recipient country.

When Rwandan documents are required for non-apostille countries, such as United Arab Emirates - Taiwan - Malaysia - Thailand - Qatar they need additional attestation by the embassy of the destination country in Kigali.

For further information see:
Rwanda Apostille Services

Rwandan Apostille stamps can be obtained for official documents issued in Rwanda, including

• Birth, death and marriage certificates
• Criminal record certificates.
• University Degrees, diplomas, transcripts, school reports
• Certificates of being single
• Divorce certificates
• Judicial documents
• Notarial acts (Powers of Attorney, certified copies, certified translations, commercial registry extracts)

To confirm whether your document is eligible for apostille authentication in Rwanda, please contact us and we’ll check your document free of charge. For further information about our Rwandan apostille services and for assistance obtaining official copies of Rwandan documents, see:
Rwanda Apostille Services

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A Rwandan Apostille is a certificate that is affixed to a public document. It certifies the authenticity of the signature appearing on the document as that of an authorized public official in Rwanda and confirms the capacity of that official.

Rwandan Apostille stamps are often required when submitting a Rwandan document, such as a birth certificate, to the authorities of a foreign country or to a foreign embassy in Rwanda (for example, as part of a visa or citizenship application). Apostilles are recognised by the authorities and embassies of countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention

For more information on Apostilles, see:
The ABCs of Apostilles (PDF)

Document legalization (or attestation) is a procedure which authenticates a public Rwandan document so that it can be submitted in another country for official or legal purposes - for example, if you need to submit a Rwandan birth certificate to the authority or embassy of another country, it will often need to be legalized.

Legalzing a document in Rwanda certifies the authenticity of the signature appearing on the document as that of an authorized public official in Rwanda and confirms the capacity of that official.

• Because Rwanda is a member of the Apostille Convention, Rwandan documents can be legalized by means of an Apostille Stamp when being submitted to countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention
  See: What is a Rwandan Apostille Stamp?
• If a Rwandan is required for a country that is not a member of the Apostille Convention, it will need to be legalized both by Rwandan authorities and by the embassy of the recipient country (embassy in Rwanda or non-resident embassy accredited to Rwanda).
  See: Document legalization - Wikipedia

Official copies of Rwandan birth, death and marriage certificates can be obtained online through the IremboGov ( Irembo account required). Applicants from aboard without an Irembo account should contact the nearest Rwandan embassy or High Commission.

• How to Apply for a Birth Certificate
• How to Apply for a Marriage Certificate
• How to Apply for a Death Certificate

Rwandan criminal record certificates are valid for six months from the date of issue.

Rwandan Criminal Record Certificate are issued by the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) and are available to Rwandan nationals and foreign nationals currently or formerly resident in Rwanda. Applications can be submitted online using the Irembo platform ( Irembo account required), by visiting the nearest Irembo agent in Rwanda, or though Rwandan embassies and High Commissions abroad.

• How to Apply for a Criminal Record Certificate
• FAQs - Rwanda Criminal Record Certificates
• Police Certificate (Rwanda High Commission in London)
• Police Certificate (Rwanda High Commission in Canada)
• Police Cetificate (Rwanda Embassy - Paris) (in French)