Russian Document Certification for Libya

Libya is not among the list of countries party to the Hague Convention of 1961 drafted to simplify document certification procedure. In this article, we will be breaking down the method of certifying personal and commercial documents for the country.

Certification of personal documents for Libya, including education documents, consists of five stages:

1) Step 1: notarization of a copy of an original document. Exceptions are made for documents which were originally processed at a notary: powers of attorney, consent forms, notarized agreements, etc.

2. Step 2: translation of the Russian document into Arabic (the official language of Libya). If a translation into English is required at the location where you are submitting your document, the document must be translated both into Arabic and English. Don't expect to get by just translating it into English alone. It’s a requirement of the Libyan Embassy.

3) Step 3: you must have the translation certified at a notary.  In the case of a translation into Arabic and English, dual notarization is performed. This doesn't mean that the translation into Arabic must be certified separately from the translation into English. Rather, both languages are attached to the same notarial copy.

4) Step 4: the documents are submitted to the Ministry of Justice of Russia.

5) Step 5: the documents are submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Final stage: the documents are submitted to the Consular Department of the Embassy of Libya in Moscow.

REMEMBER!

When submitting education documents to the Libyan Embassy for certification, be sure to bring the original documents with you!

Details of certifying Russian commercial documents for Libya

Certification of Russian commercial documents (unified state register of legal entities record forms, notarial powers of attorney on behalf of the company for a representative in Libya, contracts, agreements, accords, certificates, founding documents, delivery documents, bills, etc.) must be performed via the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation.

This certification method is completed in four stages:

• Stage 1: translation of the documents into Arabic (the state language) or Arabic and English;
• Stage 2: notarization of the translations;
• Stage 3: certification of the documents at the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation;
• Stage 4: certification of the documents at the Libyan Embassy in Moscow.

The wait period for certification at the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation is 1 business day. The wait period for certification at the Libyan Embassy is from two business days and to a calendar week (depending on whether the standard or expedited fee was paid).

REMEMBER!

1. Be ready for the possibility that the Libyan Embassy may not observe the established certification period.
2. Before engaging in commercial document certification procedure, clarify at the

Libyan Embassy the list of documents for certification after the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation.

3. Notarial copies can also be certified via the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation (not only copies of the originals).
4. In 2020, the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation introduced

a new rule. Going forward, applicants for commercial documents to be certified via the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation must have two additional documents with them:

• a power of attorney from the company;
• a letter from the company.

Both documents are to be executed using a company form and contain the CEO signature and seal (we will provide you templates after you place your order).

A power of attorney is not required to submit documents to the Libyan Embassy. The document owner is not required to be present.