Diplomas, transcripts, and birth certificates issued in Indonesia are not automatically recognized as valid by universities, immigration offices, or employers in other countries. Previously, the process involved multiple steps: documents were authenticated by the issuing agency, then sent to the Ministry of Law, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and finally to the embassy of the destination country. Four counters, four queues, and accumulating costs at each stage.
Since June 4, 2022, this chain can be simplified to a single certificate, called an apostille.
What has been simplified and what has not
Indonesia submitted the instrument of accession to the 1961 Apostille Convention on October 5, 2021, and the convention has been in effect for Indonesia since June 4, 2022. The consequence is straightforward: member countries agree to mutually recognize a single certificate, thus eliminating the need for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassy stages.
What has not been simplified is the first stage. Documents must still be valid at the issuing agency first. An apostille certifies the signature and position of the official who signs the document, not the accuracy of the document's content. This is also different from foreign diploma equivalency, which assesses academic levels and has its own procedures.
The rules have changed as of 2025
Many guides still circulating refer to Minister of Law Regulation Number 6 of 2022. This regulation has been replaced by Minister of Law Regulation Number 50 of 2025 concerning Apostille Services, which changes the nomenclature of services, signing authority, flexibility in certificate printing locations, and types of documents that can be submitted.
The entry point has also moved. Apostille and legalization applications are now submitted through the website layanan.ahu.go.id. Holders of old accounts on the previous portal need to update their accounts first to apply in the new system.
The fee amounts circulating on the internet are likely outdated
Rates will change on August 1, 2026, following Government Regulation Number 30 of 2026 regarding Types and Rates of Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) at the Ministry of Law. This regulation was established on July 2, 2026, and revokes parts of Government Regulation Number 45 of 2024.
- Regular apostille fees will increase from Rp150,000 to Rp200,000 per document.
- Fast-Track apostille will be available at a rate of Rp500,000 per document, with certificates printed on the same day. Applications are only open from 06:00 to 11:00 WIB; outside of these hours, the menu will be automatically locked.
- Legalization services, which are for countries that are not parties to the convention, will increase from Rp50,000 to Rp70,000 per document.
The last two amounts are often confused. The official announcement from the Directorate General of AHU dated July 28, 2026, titled the implementation of new fees for public document legalization services, mentions Rp70,000 per document. This amount is for legalization services, not the apostille fee.
For the regular pathway, verification will take a maximum of three working days.
Apostille stops at the borders of the convention
This part is often overlooked, and the error only becomes apparent when documents are rejected in the destination country. Apostille certificates are only valid between countries that are parties to the convention. As of the update on June 30, 2026, the number of member countries is 130.
This means that some destination countries still require the old consular legalization. Malaysia is still not a party. Thailand has acceded, but the convention will only take effect for Thailand on February 28, 2027. Vietnam will join on September 11, 2026. Conversely, Russia has been a party since 1992, so documents for studying there can simply use an apostille.
Check the status of your destination country before making a payment, not afterward.
One exception that comes from Indonesia itself
When acceding, Indonesia stated that documents issued by the prosecutor's office are not included as public documents exempt from legalization requirements under this convention. France, the Netherlands, and Germany expressed objections to this statement. These objections do not prevent the convention from being applicable between the three countries and Indonesia, but the exception remains recorded.
Therefore, for documents originating from the prosecutor's office, the old consular pathway remains the reference.
Sources
- HCCH, Status table of the Convention of October 5, 1961, on the Abolition of the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, updated June 30, 2026
- HCCH, Declaration, reservation, notification for Indonesia's accession along with objections from France, the Netherlands, and Germany
- JDIH BPK, Government Regulation Number 30 of 2026 concerning Types and Rates of PNBP Applicable at the Ministry of Law
- Minister of Law Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 50 of 2025 concerning Apostille Services, peraturan.go.id
- Directorate General of General Legal Administration of the Ministry of Law, announcement of the implementation of new fees for public document legalization services, July 28, 2026
- Tribun Pontianak, July 23, 2026, preparation for Fast-Track Apostille services at the West Kalimantan Ministry of Law Office
- Sumeks, July 22, 2026, mechanism for Fast-Track Apostille at the Bangka Belitung Islands Ministry of Law Office