Countries of the World and their Languages

The information herein is believed to be correct at publication date but some elements may become out of date and new features will be updated as and when possible.

 

The information regarding legalisation refers solely to documentation emanating from the United Kingdom. Requirements will differ for documents from other jurisdictions.

Notes:

(1) Official language means the official language(s) used for court proceedings.
(2) Other language(s) mean other languages in regular use in or all part of the country.
(3) Types of Legalisation:
An Apostille is a certificate affixed to a document in accordance with the Hague Convention of 1961: In the UK this is done by the Foreign Office
Direct, i.e. the Notary's signature and seal are directly legalised by the Consulate concerned
Foreign Office, plus Consulate: A non-Apostille stamp is obtained from the Foreign Office, then this is in turn certified by the Consulate concerned
Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, plus Consulate: The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce certifies the document,  plus the Consulate
No Diplomatic representation in UK , or Legalisation restricted - consult John Venn & Sons for advice on how to proceed.

 

JOHN VENN & SONS ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS LIST


SELECT THE INITIAL LETTER FOR THE COUNTRY YOU ARE INTERESTED IN:

A  B  C D  E  F G  H  I J  K  L M  N  O P  Q  R S  T  U V  W  X  Y  Z


Afghanistan: Official languages - Dari, Pushtu; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Albania: Official language - Albanian; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Algeria: Official language - Arabic; Other languages - Berber and French; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Andorra: Official language - Catalan; Other languages - French, Spanish; Legalisation - Apostille
Angola: Official language - Portuguese; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Anguilla: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required , but an Apostille is available if requested
Antigua and Barbuda: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required , but an Apostille is available if requested
Argentina: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Apostille
Armenia: Official language - Armenian; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Aruba: See Netherlands
Australia: Official language - English; Other languages - sundry aboriginal languages; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Austria: Official language - German; Legalisation - Apostille
Azores: See Portugal


Bahamas: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Bahrain: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Bangladesh: Official language - Bengali; Other language - English; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Barbados: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Belarus: Official languages - Belarussian, Russian; Legalisation - Apostille
Belgium: Official languages - Dutch, French (depending on part of country); Other languages - Flemish and in border areas, some German; Legalisation - Apostille
Belize: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Benin: Official language - French; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Bermuda: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Bolivia: Official language - Spanish; Other languages - Aymara and Quechua; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Bosnia Official language - Bosnian; Legalisation - Apostille
Botswana: Official language - English; Other languages - Setswana; Legalisation - No further legalisation required , but an Apostille is available if requested
Brazil: Official language - Portuguese; Legalisation - Direct
British Virgin Islands: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Brunei, Sultanate of: Official language - English; Other language - Malay; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Bulgaria: Official language - Bulgarian; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Burkina Faso: Official language - French; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Burma – see Myanmar

Burundi, Republic of: Official language - French; Other languages - Kiswahili, Kirundi; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons


Cameroon: Official languages - French, English; Other languages - Fang, Peul; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Canada: Official languages - English, French; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Cape Verde Islands: Official language - Portuguese; Other languages - French, English; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Cayman Islands: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Central African Rep: Official language - French; Other language - Sango; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Chad: Official language - French; Other language - Arabic; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Chile: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
China (P.R.): Official languages - Mandarin, Cantonese; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Colombia: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Apostille
Congo: Official language - French; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Costa Rica: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Direct
Croatia: Official language - Croatian; Legalisation - Apostille
Cuba: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Cyprus: Official language - Greek; Other language - Turkish in Northern Cyprus; Legalisation - Apostille (Northern Cyprus has separate requirements – consult John Venn & Sons)
Czech Republic: Official language - Czech; Legalisation - Apostille


Denmark: Official language - Danish; Legalisation – Direct, but generally no further legalisation required
Dominica Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Dominican Republic: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate


Ecuador: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Egypt: Official language - Arabic; Other language - Noub; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
El Salvador: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Apostille
Eritrea Official language - Arabic; Other languages - English and other at least 9 regional languages; Legalisation - consult John Venn & Sons 
Estonia Official language - Estonian; Legalisation - Apostille
Ethiopia: Official language - Amharic; Other language - English; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate


Faroe Islands: Official languages - Danish, Faroese; Legalisation - Apostille
Fiji: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Finland: Official languages - Finnish, Swedish; Legalisation - Apostille
France: Official language - French; Legalisation - Apostille


Gabon: Official language - French; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Gambia: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Germany: Official language - German; Legalisation - Apostille
Ghana: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Gibraltar: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Greece: Official language - Greek; Legalisation - Apostille
Greenland: Official language - Danish; Other language - Eskimo; Legalisation - Direct
Grenada: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Guadeloupe: See France
Guam: Official language - English; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Guatemala: Official language - Spanish; Other language - Mayan; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Guyana: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested


Haiti: Official languages - French, Creole; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Honduras: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Hong Kong: Official languages – English, Mandarin; Other language -, Cantonese; Legalisation - Apostille

Hungary: Official language - Hungarian; Legalisation - Apostille


Iceland: Official language - Icelandic; Legalisation - Direct
India: Official language - (16 major languages, including English, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, Kashmiri, Tamil, Sindhi and Napali); Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate or no further legalisation required
Indonesia: Official language - Indonesian; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Iran: Official language - Farsi; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Iraq: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Legalisation restricted - consult John Venn & Sons
Ireland: Official languages – Irish, English; Legalisation - Apostille
Israel: Official language - Hebrew; Other language - Arabic; Legalisation - Apostille
Italy: Official language - Italian; Other language - German spoken in South Tirol; Legalisation - Apostille
Ivory Coast: Official language - French; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate


Jamaica: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Japan: Official language - Japanese; Legalisation - Apostille
Jordan: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate

 

Kazakhstan: Official language – Kazakh, Other language – Russian; Legalisation - Apostille
Kenya: Official languages – English, Kiswahili; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Kiribati Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Korea: Official language - Korean; Legalisation - Direct
Kuwait: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, plus Consulate


Latvia: Official language - Latvian; Legalisation - Apostille
Lebanon: Official language - Arabic; Other language - French; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Lesotho: Official languages – Sesotho, English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Liberia: Official language- English; Legalisation - Apostille
Libya: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Liechtenstein: Official language - German; Legalisation - Apostille
Lithuania: Official language - Lithuanian; Legalisation - Apostille
Luxembourg: Official language - French; Other languages - German and Luxemburgish; Legalisation - Apostille


Macao: Official language - Portuguese; Other language - Mandarin; Legalisation - Apostille
Macedonia Official language - Macedonian; Other language - Greek; Legalisation - Apostille
Madagascar: Official language - Malagasy; Other language - French; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Madeira: Official language - Portuguese; Legalisation - Apostille
Malawi: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Malaysia: Official languages – Malay, English; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate,  but often no further legalisation required
Mali, Republic of: Official language - French; Other languages - Bambara, Peul; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Malta: Official language - Maltese; Other language - Arabic; Legalisation - Apostille
Mauritania, Islamic Republic of: Official languages – Arabic, French; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Mauritius: Official language - English; Other languages - French, Creole; Legalisation - Apostille
Mexico: Official language - Spanish; Other languages - some Indian dialects, e.g. Mayan; Legalisation - Apostille
Monaco, Principality of: Official language - French; Legalisation - Apostille
Montserrat: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Morocco: Official language - Arabic; Other languages - French, Berber; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Mozambique: Official language - Portuguese; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate

Myanmar: Official language - Burmese; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate

 

Namibia:  Official language: - English; Legalisation - Apostille
Nepal: Official language - Nepali; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Netherlands: Official language - Dutch; Legalisation - Apostille
New Caledonia: See France
New Zealand: Official language - English; Other languages - Maori; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Nicaragua: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Niger: Official language - French; Other language - Hausa; Legalisation - No Diplomatic representation in UK - consult John Venn & Sons
Nigeria: Official language - English; Other languages - Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Norway: Official language - Norwegian; Legalisation - Apostille


Oman: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate


Pakistan; Official language – Urdu, English; Other languages – Pashto, Baluchi, Sindhi; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Panama: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Apostille
Papua New Guinea: Official languages – English, Pidgin, Motu; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Paraguay: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Direct
Peru: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Direct
Philippines: Official language – Filipino, English; Other language - Spanish; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Poland: Official language - Polish; Legalisation - Apostille
Portugal: Official language - Portuguese; Legalisation - Apostille
Puerto Rico: Official languages – English, Spanish; Legalisation - Apostille


Qatar: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate


Réunion:See France
Romania: Official language - Romanian; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Russian Federation: Official language - Russian; Legalisation - Apostille


Samoa: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
San Marino, Rep. Of: Official language - Italian; Other language - San Marinese dialect; Legalisation - Apostille
Saudi Arabia: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, plus Consulate
Senegal: Official language - French; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Serbia & Montenegro (former Yugoslavia): Official language - Serbian; Legalisation - Apostille
Seychelles: Official languages – English, French; Other language - Creole; Legalisation - Apostille
Sierra Leone: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Singapore: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Slovakia: Official language - Slovak; Legalisation - Apostille

Slovenia: Official language - Slovene; Legalisation - Apostille
Solomon Islands: Official languages – English, Pidjin; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Somalia: Official language - Somali; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
South Africa: Official languages – Afrikaans, English; Other languages - Xhosa, Zulu; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Spain: Official language - Spanish; Other languages - Catalan, Galician, Basque: Legalisation - Apostille
Sri Lanka: Official language – Sinhala, Tamil; Legalisation - No further legalisation required (occasionally Foreign Office, plus Consulate)
St Kitts-Nevis: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
St Lucia: Official language - Patois, English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
St Vincent & the Grenadines: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Sudan: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Surinam: Official language - Dutch; Legalisation - Apostille
Swaziland: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Sweden: Official language - Swedish; Legalisation - Direct
Switzerland: Official language – German, French, Italian, Romansch (depending on Canton); Legalisation - Apostille
Syria: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, plus Consulate


Tahiti: See France
Taiwan: Official languages – Mandarin, Cantonese; Legalisation - Direct
Tanzania: Official languages – English, Swahili; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Thailand: Official language - Thai; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Togo: Official language - French; Other languages – Ewe, Kabié; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Tonga: Official languages – Tongan, English; Legalisation - Apostille
Trinidad & Tobago: Official language - English; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Tunisia: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Turkey: Official language - Turkish; Legalisation - Apostille
Turks & Caicos Islands: Official language - English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested
Tuvalu: Official languages – Tuvaluan, English; Legalisation - No further legalisation required


Uganda: Official language - English; Other language - Swahili; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Ukraine: Official language – Ukrainian; Other language  - Russian Legalisation - Apostille

United Arab Emirates: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
United States of America: Official language - English; Legalisation - Apostille
Uruguay: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate


Vanuatu: Official languages – English, French, Bislama; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Venezuela: Official language - Spanish; Legalisation - Apostille
Vietnam: Official language - Vietnamese; Other languages – English, French; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate


Yemen: Official language - Arabic; Legalisation- Foreign Office, plus Consulate


Zaire: Official language - French; Other languages - Swahili, Ciluba, Lingala; Legalisation - Foreign Office, plus Consulate
Zambia: Official language - English; Other language - Bemba; Legalisation - No further legalisation required
Zimbabwe: Official language - English; Other languages - Shona, Ndebele; Legalisation - No further legalisation required, but an Apostille is available if requested

For further translation information please contact:


The Translation Department
 

For further legalisation information please contact:
Notary@johnvenn.co.uk
 
John Venn & Sons, 95 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4JF, UK
Tel: +44-20-7395-4300


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