EU public documents: when you do not need an Apostille and when a translation may not be required
Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 does not mean “no Apostille anywhere in the EU”. Categories, multilingual forms, limits and translation.
October 12, 2026 · 3 min
“Between EU countries you never need an Apostille” is a wrong summary. Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 simplifies the circulation of certain public documents issued by an authority of one Member State and intended for an authority of another Member State. Outside that scope, Apostille and legalisation remain the ordinary tools.
What it covers (categories)
The Regulation applies, among other things, to public documents that establish: birth; that a person is alive; death; name; marriage (including capacity to marry and marital status); divorce, legal separation or annulment; registered partnership and similar events; parentage or adoption; domicile or residence; nationality; absence of a criminal record; active and passive voting rights in certain elections. The full text is on EUR-Lex: the list should be read in the Regulation, not from a partial summary.
Limits
It does not cover every “public” document: left out, for example, are records that fall outside those situations, many academic documents, contracts, judgments outside those categories, and extra-EU documents. The exemption applies only to the categories and recipients covered by the Regulation.
No legalisation or Apostille — if it applies
For covered documents presented to an authority of another Member State, the Regulation dispenses with legalisation and similar formalities (Apostille). That does not mean the authority must accept any photocopy, or that the document is valid for a private recipient or one outside the EU.
Standard multilingual forms
To get past the language barrier there are standard multilingual forms (Annexes I–XI), issued and signed by an authority of the issuing State. The e-Justice portal is clear: the forms are not for citizens to download and fill in. They have no independent legal value: they accompany the national document.
| Instrument | What it does | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| National public document | Proves the fact | Original language |
| Multilingual form | Helps translate the headings | Does not replace the record; you do not issue it |
| Translation | If the authority is not satisfied with the form | In Italy, often sworn |
A translation may still be needed
The Regulation simplifies translations; it does not ban them. An authority can still ask for a translation if the form is not enough or was never issued, or if the document falls outside the categories. In that case, in Italy, sworn translation.
- Spanish criminal records: certificate from Spain
- Apostille/translation order (especially Italy → abroad): order of the pieces
- Checklist for an Italian certificate to apostille: before you apostille
If, after checking EUR-Lex and the receiving office, your document does need a translation into Italian: request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Spanish degree exempt from Apostille in Italy?
Academic qualifications are not the core subject of this Regulation. Do not use 2016/1191 as a shortcut for university diplomas.
Is the multilingual form enough on its own?
No. It must be presented together with the public document it translates.
