How the Apostille Works Between Bangladesh and Ukraine
The Hague Apostille Convention of 1961 replaced consular legalisation with a single certificate, the apostille, issued by a designated authority of the country where the document was issued. Bangladesh acceded on 29 July 2024 and the Convention entered into force for Bangladesh on 30 March 2025. Twelve states objected to the accession (among them Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, France and the Netherlands); Ukraine is not among them, so the Convention applies between Bangladesh and Ukraine.
The competent authority in Bangladesh is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It issues apostilles as e-Apostilles through MyGov; the apostille e-register is at mofa-servicedirectory.apostille.mygov.bd. Consular legalisation at the Embassy of Ukraine is no longer needed for Bangladeshi public documents.
| Hague Convention status | Bangladesh: accession 29 July 2024, in force 30 March 2025; Ukraine raised no objection (HCCH status table) |
|---|---|
| Competent authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh (e-Apostille through MyGov) |
| Step 1 | Notarisation by a Bangladeshi notary public, only where the MFA requires it for that document type |
| Step 2 | Apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh |
| Step 3 | Ukrainian translation of the document and the apostille, with the translation certified by a notary (Resolution No. 322, para. 13) |
| Embassy of Ukraine step | No longer part of the chain |
| Typical documents | Degrees, birth certificates, marriage certificates, police clearance when requested, court documents, business documents, power of attorney |
| Passports | For the DSZ work-permit file the employer submits copies of your passport data pages with a certified Ukrainian translation (Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 42-2); no apostille of the copy is required |
Which Documents Need an Apostille
A Bangladeshi document needs an apostille when a Ukrainian authority asks for it. Typical cases:
- Educational degrees and diplomas, when an employer, a university or a regulated profession asks for them (they are outside the DSZ work-permit file, Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 42-2)
- Birth certificates (family-based TRP)
- Marriage certificates (family-based TRP)
- Police clearance certificates (when requested, for example for an immigration permit — Law No. 2491-III, Art. 9 — or by a consul for a visa, Resolution No. 118, para. 10)
- Court judgments and legal decisions
- Corporate and business documents issued in Bangladesh
- Power of attorney documents
Step 1 — Notarisation Where Required
Some documents need a notary before the MFA will apostille them; official certificates that already carry a government seal often go to the MFA directly. Check with the MFA apostille desk which documents need prior notarisation.
Step 2 — Apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh
The MFA verifies the signature and seal on the document and issues the apostille. Apply through the MFA apostille service on MyGov and check the current fee and processing time there before you start; both are set by the MFA.
The apostille can be checked in the MFA e-register (mofa-servicedirectory.apostille.mygov.bd). An apostille that does not appear there is a warning sign.
Step 3 — Certified Ukrainian Translation
Documents issued abroad are filed in Ukraine with a Ukrainian translation certified by a notary (Resolution No. 322, para. 13). Translate the apostille page together with the document. In practice this is done in Ukraine: a Ukrainian notary certifies the signature of a translator known to the notary. Ask the translation bureau for the current price before ordering.
The apostilled original plus the certified Ukrainian translation is what Ukrainian authorities (DMSU, courts, notaries, universities) accept.
Timing and Cost
The chain now has two steps in Bangladesh at most (notary where needed, then MFA apostille) and one in Ukraine (translation). Take the MFA fee and processing time from the MFA apostille portal, add courier time to Ukraine and the translation bureau's quote. Budget for the MFA apostille fee and the certified translation; there is no Ukrainian embassy legalisation fee.
Common Errors and How to Avoid Them
- Fake "apostille" from an agent: only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh issues apostilles on Bangladeshi documents. Check every apostille in the MFA e-register before you rely on it.
- Paying for an embassy legalisation step: since 30 March 2025 a Bangladeshi document with an MFA apostille needs no further legalisation for Ukraine. An agent selling an extra "Embassy of Ukraine stamp" is charging for a step that no longer exists.
- Translating before the apostille: translate the document together with its apostille, so do the apostille first.
- Apostilling documents nobody asked for: the DSZ work-permit file needs only passport pages with a certified translation and a photo from you (Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 42-2). Ask which documents the authority actually needs.