Also: Hague apostille. Form of authentication and legislation introduced between the countries bound by the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the requirement for legalization of foreign public documents in order to facilitate international legal transactions. The apostille is in the shape of a square measuring 8 x 8 cm and is placed on official public documents. It confirms the authenticity of a public document following presentation of the original, thus waiving the requirement for verification by the consular officials of the country in which the document is intended for use. The apostille is issued by the administrative bodies of the relevant administrative sector. Apostilles for judicial documents are issued by the courts.