Legalized or Apostilled? Surprising Advice for Bangladesh

Legalized vs Apostilled

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◻️Legalized vs. Apostilled Documents: The Ultimate Guide for International Use in Bangladesh

When you're working with international documents — for trademark, patent, business, immigration, or legal matters — you often need to prove that your document is real and accepted in another country.

To do that, the document must be authenticated — and that’s where two common methods come in:

Legalization
Apostille

While both processes confirm that your document is genuine, they are very different in steps and rules — depending on the countries involved.

◻️ What Is Legalization?

Legalization is the traditional process of authenticating documents for use in countries that are not part of the Hague Apostille Convention. This method involves multiple steps and is typically more time-consuming and costly.

✅ Step-by-Step Legalization Process:

Notarization or Certification: The document is first notarized or certified in the country of origin.
Embassy or Consulate Submission: The notarized document is submitted to the Embassy or Consulate of Bangladesh in the issuing country.
Forwarding to Bangladesh: The original document is sent to an agent in Bangladesh.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Submission: The agent submits the document to the MoFA in Bangladesh.
Verification: MoFA verifies the authenticity of the embassy attestation.
Official Seal: If valid, MoFA applies its official seal, completing the legalization process.

✅ When Is Legalization Required?

The issuing country is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.
The Bangladeshi authority specifically requests embassy attestation.
In legal or intellectual property (IP) matters where stricter verification is mandated.
When the destination country has objected to accepting apostilled documents from Bangladesh.

◻️ What Is an Apostille?

An apostille is a simplified certificate that verifies documents for international use among Hague Convention member countries. This process removes the need for embassy legalization, making it quicker and more affordable.

✅ Bangladesh Joins the Apostille Convention

As of March 30, 2025, Bangladesh is officially a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. This significant development means:

Foreign documents apostilled by member countries are now accepted in Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi documents can now be apostilled and used abroad — no more embassy steps!

✅How to Get Documents Apostilled for Use in Bangladesh?

If your document is issued abroad:

Notarize or Certify: Have your document (e.g., Power of Attorney, Assignment) notarized in your home country.
Submit to Competent Authority: Present the document to your country’s designated authority (such as the MEA, FCDO, or Department of State).
Apostille Issuance: The authority attaches an apostille certificate (either paper or digital).
Send to Bangladesh: The apostilled document can now be used in Bangladesh without further embassy or MoFA attestation.

Example:A UK-based company can now submit an apostilled Deed of Assignment directly for trademark registration in Bangladesh, bypassing embassy legalization.

✅ Apostille Process for Bangladeshi Documents Used Abroad

If you're sending a Bangladeshi document (like an affidavit or POA) to another country:

Notarize in Bangladesh: Have your document notarized locally.
MoFA Submission: Submit the document to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for apostille.
e-Apostille Issuance: MoFA issues a QR-coded e-Apostille.
International Use: The apostilled document is valid in over 120 member countries.

◻️ Are Apostilled Documents Accepted for IP Filings in Bangladesh?

Yes, apostilled documents are now accepted by the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT) in Bangladesh for:

Trademark and patent assignments
Change of name or address
Affidavits and declarations
Power of Attorney (POA)
Licensing agreements, MOUs, and deeds

Important:Some countries, such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands, have formally objected to accepting apostilled documents from Bangladesh. In these cases, documents must still be legalized.

📊 Legalized vs. Apostilled: Key Differences

Feature	Legalization	Apostille (Now Accepted in Bangladesh)
Used Between	Non-Hague countries	Hague Convention member countries
Issued By	Embassy + Foreign Ministry	Competent Authority (e.g., MoFA, MEA, etc.)
Attestation Required	✅ Embassy + MoFA	❌ No embassy required
Time & Cost	⏱ Slower, 💰 Costly	⏱ Faster, 💰 Cheaper
Accepted by Bangladesh	✅ Yes (default method before 2025)	✅ Yes (since March 30, 2025)
IP Use (Assignment, POA)	✅ Accepted	✅ Accepted in most cases
Risk of Rejection	Low	Moderate (check if issuing country objected)

◻️ Countries Objecting to Bangladesh’s Apostilles

The following countries have formally objected to accepting apostilled documents from Bangladesh. For these destinations, documents must be legalized: