Apostilles and translations for Costa Rica: plan the right order

Begin with the document, country, and purpose

Create an inventory before ordering certificates. For each item, record the issuing country, issuing authority, applicant's name, date of issue, and immigration purpose. Confirm whether an original, certified copy, or other format is required. An expensive authentication cannot make the wrong document suitable for your application.

Authentication and translation do different jobs

Costa Rica's Foreign Ministry explains that an apostille verifies a signature, the signer's capacity, and the seal; it does not certify the document's contents. Eligible documents apostilled abroad do not require an additional approval from Costa Rica's Foreign Ministry. Documents outside the apostille framework may need the applicable legalization process. A Spanish translation makes the content usable in the application and is a separate step.

Confirm the sequence before commissioning work

Ask the person handling the route checklist which document pages and authentication pages must be translated, and who may provide that translation. DGME's 2024 procedural resolution addresses Spanish translations of foreign-language records, including apostilles. Provide a complete, legible set to the translator so an attachment does not have to be translated a second time.

• Check names and dates against your passport before authentication.
• Keep scans of the complete document and every attached certification.
• Confirm any validity period against the expected filing date.
• Retain original packaging or attachments when their integrity matters.

Use the first inquiry to identify gaps

Describe which records you have and where they were issued. There is no need to post civil certificates, passport numbers, or criminal records in a general contact form. A suitable document-sharing process can be agreed once the scope of assistance is clear.