Legalization by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA)

Need to legalize a Swedish document at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) before it goes on to a foreign embassy? DOX handles the entire process for you — submission at the MFA office at Malmtorgsgatan 3A in Stockholm, follow-up and secure return.

The MFA verifies that a signature, stamp or seal on a Swedish document is authentic. It is one of several steps in the legalization chain when documents are to be used in countries outside the Hague Convention.

Order MFA legalization – from 895 SEK Get a free quote

✓MFA fee 255 SEK included in fixed price

✓Submission at Malmtorgsgatan 3A

✓We follow up and collect

✓Secure return with tracked delivery

What is MFA legalization?

The Legal Department of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs issues legalizations of Swedish documents to be used abroad. The MFA verifies that the signature and the stamp on the document are authentic, and the capacity in which the signatory has signed.

A legalization says nothing about the content of the document — only that the signature and stamp are authentic. For the document to be used in the receiving country, subsequent embassy legalization at that country's embassy in Stockholm is normally also required.

Since 1 January 2005, the MFA no longer issues apostilles. Apostille is issued exclusively by Notarius Publicus and replaces the entire legalization chain for countries party to the Hague Convention.

📍 MFA office in Stockholm

Malmtorgsgatan 3A, Stockholm
Open weekdays Monday–Thursday 09:00–11:00
In-person: max 6 documents per visit, done while you wait

When is MFA legalization required?

MFA legalization is needed when a Swedish document is to be used officially in a country outside the Hague Convention. It is an intermediate step in the legalization chain: Notarius Publicus → MFA → foreign embassy.

Common situations:

✓the document is to be used in UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or other Gulf countries
✓the document is to be used in Egypt, Nigeria, Angola or other countries outside the Hague Convention
✓the document is then to be legalized by a foreign embassy in Stockholm
✓you have certified a private document at Notarius Publicus
✓you have a certified translation that needs to be legalized
✓a company is sending commercial documents abroad

✓ Documents the MFA can legalize

The MFA legalizes documents with an authentic signature, stamp or seal from a competent authority or person. Common examples:

✓general documents from Swedish state authorities
✓transcripts and certificates from universities and colleges
✓documents from the Social Insurance Agency and Public Employment Service
✓documents from the National Archives and regional archives
✓signatures from doctors and other professions licensed by the National Board of Health and Welfare
✓register extracts and police documents
✓documents signed by Notarius Publicus
✓marriage certificates from civil officiants
✓Chamber of Commerce documents
✓translations by translators authorized by Kammarkollegiet

✕ Documents the MFA can NOT legalize

Some document types cannot be legalized by the MFA. Other routes are needed instead, e.g. Notarius Publicus, the Chamber of Commerce or certification by a competent authority:

✕copies without an original signature
✕documents issued by private individuals
✕powers of attorney (require Notarius Publicus first)
✕transcripts from schools other than universities/colleges
✕invoices and trade documents (Chamber of Commerce)
✕documents from banks, lawyers and private companies
✕documents from regional and municipal archives
✕marriage certificates from non-civil officiants
✕translations by non-authorized translators

⚠️ New rules from 1 July 2025

Under Ordinance 2025:549, new requirements apply to MFA legalization. It is important to be aware of these before submitting a document:

Legalization must not be carried out if the document can clearly be questioned or used for unlawful purposes.
A Notarius Publicus certification of a copy must not be legalized if the original document can be provided with a competent person's signature.
The document must be written in, or translated into, Swedish or English.
Translations by non-authorized translators must be provided with a sworn statement before Notarius Publicus.

💡 We verify that your document meets the new requirements before submission.

How MFA legalization works via DOX

Document review

We verify that the document meets the MFA's requirements: stamp, original signature, name clarification and the right language (Swedish or English from 1 July 2025).

Send the document

Send the original to us by mail or courier. If translation is needed, we arrange certified translation by a Kammarkollegiet-authorized translator.

MFA legalization

We submit the document at the MFA office at Malmtorgsgatan 3A in Stockholm. The MFA verifies the authenticity of the signature, stamp or seal. The MFA's own fee is 255 SEK per legalization.

Embassy legalization if needed

After MFA legalization, the document normally also needs to be legalized by the foreign embassy in Stockholm. We can handle this step too if needed, so the entire chain is completed in one case.

Secure return

The legalized document is sent back with tracked delivery, ready for use abroad.

MFA legalization or apostille?

The MFA no longer issues apostilles — since 1 January 2005 this is done exclusively by Notarius Publicus. Apostille applies to countries party to the Hague Convention and replaces the entire legalization chain.

MFA legalization is needed instead for countries outside the Hague Convention, e.g. UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. For these, a full chain is required: Notarius Publicus → MFA → foreign embassy in Stockholm. Apostille →

EU exemption from legalization

Since 16 February 2019, certain official documents and certified copies are exempt from legalization and apostille within the EU under EU Regulation 2016/1191. This means documents to be used within the EU often don't need to be legalized at all.

Contact us if you are unsure whether your document is covered by the exemption — we check the requirements free of charge.

How long does MFA legalization take?

The MFA office is open weekdays Monday–Thursday 09:00–11:00. In-person, the legalization is done while you wait (max 6 documents per visit). By post, the MFA takes 1–2 weeks on average.

Via DOX we offer standard service with delivery in 3–5 business days and express service with delivery within 1–2 days for urgent matters.

Time can be affected by:

•whether the document first needs notarization
•whether translation is required
•the MFA's current workload
•subsequent embassy legalization
•postal and return-shipping time

Delivery times →

What does MFA legalization cost?

The MFA's own fee is 255 SEK per legalization (per signature or stamp to be verified).

Price from 895 SEK incl. VAT and handling.

Express: from 1,395 SEK

The price includes document review, submission at the MFA office, follow-up and secure return. Send us a copy of the document for a free quote.

Get a free quote Pricing for legalization →

MFA as part of the legalization chain

MFA legalization is often an intermediate step in a longer chain. For countries outside the Hague Convention, several steps are normally needed: notarization at Notarius Publicus, MFA legalization, and finally embassy legalization at the country's embassy in Stockholm.

DOX handles the entire chain in one case, which is both faster and cheaper than handling each step separately. We check in advance which steps are required for your specific document and receiving country.

Common countries we help with MFA + embassy legalization:

Legalization for UAE Legalization for Saudi Arabia Legalization for Qatar Legalization for Kuwait Legalization for Egypt Legalization for India

Frequently asked questions about MFA legalization

What does the Ministry for Foreign Affairs do when legalizing?+

The MFA verifies that a signature and seal/stamp on a Swedish document are authentic, and the capacity in which the signatory has signed. A legalization says nothing about the content of the document. After MFA legalization, the document normally also needs to be certified by the foreign embassy in Stockholm.

What does MFA legalization cost?+

The MFA's own fee is 255 SEK per legalization (per signature/stamp to be verified). MFA legalization via DOX costs from 895 SEK incl. VAT, including document review, submission at the MFA office, follow-up and return. Express from 1,395 SEK.

How long does MFA legalization take?+

The MFA office is open weekdays Monday–Thursday 09:00–11:00. In-person, the legalization is done while you wait (max 6 documents). By post, it takes 1–2 weeks. Via DOX we offer standard (3–5 business days) and express (1–2 days).

Which documents can the MFA legalize?+

The MFA can legalize documents with an authentic signature, stamp or seal from a competent authority or person — e.g. general documents from Swedish authorities, university transcripts, register extracts, police documents, documents signed by Notarius Publicus, and translations from Kammarkollegiet-authorized translators.

Which documents can the MFA NOT legalize?+

The MFA cannot legalize copies without an original signature, documents from private individuals, powers of attorney (require Notarius Publicus first), transcripts from schools other than universities, invoices (Chamber of Commerce), documents from banks/lawyers/private companies, or translations by non-authorized translators.

What is the difference between MFA legalization and apostille?+

The MFA does not issue apostilles — since 1 January 2005 this is done exclusively by Notarius Publicus. Apostille applies to countries party to the Hague Convention and replaces the entire legalization chain. MFA legalization is needed for countries outside the Hague Convention (e.g. UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia) and requires subsequent embassy legalization.

What new rules apply from 1 July 2025?+

Under Ordinance 2025:549: 1) Legalization must not be carried out if the document can clearly be questioned or used for unlawful purposes. 2) Certification of a copy must not be legalized if the original can be provided with a signature. 3) The document must be in Swedish or English. 4) Translations by non-authorized translators must be provided with a sworn statement before Notarius Publicus.

Does the EU exemption from legalization apply?+

Yes. Since 16 February 2019, certain official documents and certified copies are exempt from legalization and apostille within the EU under EU Regulation 2016/1191. This means documents to be used within the EU often don't need to be legalized at all.

What steps come after MFA legalization?+

After MFA legalization, the document normally needs to be legalized by the country's embassy in Stockholm. DOX handles the entire chain: Notarius Publicus → MFA → embassy. Common destination countries: UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Nigeria and Angola.

Can I order MFA legalization online?+

Yes, order easily online. Send the original by post and we handle the entire process — submission, follow-up and return with tracked shipping. We serve customers in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.

Related services and countries

Related services

Countries we often handle MFA + embassy legalization for

Need MFA legalization?

DOX handles the entire process for you — document review, submission at the MFA office, follow-up and secure return. We can also handle subsequent embassy legalization so the entire chain is completed in one case.

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