When a foreign authority performs a notarial or other official act on a document intended to be used in the jurisdiction of the Republic of the Philippines, the official character of the foreign executing official is verified by a duly commissioned consular officer of the Philippine Embassy where the document was sourced, through the reigstered mark, stamp, or signature of the foreign government official.

This authentication service is necessary in order for the foreign document to have a valid legal force and effect in the Philippines.

APPLICABILITY

Based on specimen signatures on record at the Embassy, the Philippine consular officer can issue a certificate of authentication for foreign documents sourced from / issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran,  or from Turkmenistan which fall under two general categories:

A. Official Documents
Foreign documents issued by government agencies such as police certifications, court decrees, scholastic records, permits, licenses, and other government documents intended for submission to a requesting entity in the Philippines.

B. Private Documents
Documents of private individuals that have been notarized, such as instruments of transfer, powers of attorney, statutory declarations and affidavits intended for use in the Philippines.

The authentication service is only valid for foreign documents sourced from states/countries which are NOT party to the Apostille Convention. With the Philippines’ accession to the Apostille Convention becoming effective on May 14, 2019, authentication services between the Philippines and state-parties to the Convention will no longer be necessary.

As the Republic of Uzbekistan is a Contracting Party to the Apostille Convention, documents issued in Uzbekistan for use in the Philippines after having been apostilled by Uzbekistan's national apostille authority, do not have to be authenticated by the Philippine Embassy in Tehran.

PROCESSING

Before going to the Philippine Embassy in Tehran for authentication services, clients must ensure that the foreign-sourced documents must have been verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the source countries (Iran or Turkmenistan), and affixed with a seal and/or stamp, with a signature of a qualified official certifying its validity. If the foreign document is not in English, an official translation needs to be attached.

Messengers or representatives intending to avail of authentication services are expected to be in possession of a letter of introduction (on company letterhead if applicable) signed by the document owner authorizing the representative to transact with the embassy.

Once accepted by the Philippine Embassy for authentication, the documents can be released after three (3) working days. This is under the presumption that a specimen signature of the foreign official is on record. If a specimen signature of the foreign official is not available at the Philippine Embassy, the document will be held pending for release until a specimen is received officially from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing state, or returned to the applicant.

AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS ISSUED IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippine Embassy in Tehran does not authenticate Philippine-sourced documents which have been authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs. DFA-authenticated documents must be verified and passed upon by the foreign consular official of the country where the document is intended to be used, following internationally accepted procedures of document legalization. This is especially true for non-Apostille Convention contracting parties.

Philippine-issued documents intended to be submitted to authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran after being authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs should then be submitted to Iranian consular authorities at the Iranian Embassy in Manila, before these documents can be deemed acceptable in Iran.