Guidelines by country – document certification • NACID

Guidelines by country – document certification

Information on the legalization of:

- documents certifying completion of secondary education obtained in a foreign country school;
- documents certifying that the document for completion of secondary education entitles to continue education at higher education institutions;
- documents with grades that are not included in the document for completion of secondary education.
I. When documents are issued in countries that have not signed the Hague Convention:
1. Authenticity is certified by an authorized body in the respective country, which certifies the signature on the document.
2. When there is no authorized body in the respective country, which can certify the signature on the document, a notary or other authorized authority certifies its authenticity.
Note: A certification attesting the accuracy of a copy of a document cannot be accepted as equivalent to a certification attesting the authenticity of the document.
3. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the respective country certifies the signature of the person who performed the certification under item 1 or item 2. When the signature of the person who performed the certification under item 2 is certified by another authorized body, his or her signature is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the respective country.
4. The signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the respective country is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in that country or by the Embassy of the country in the other country, after which it is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in that country.

Information about the embassies where the relevant legalization is carried out can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria in the section “Consular Services”, subsection “Certifications and Legalizations” by opening the relevant country here: https://www.mfa.bg/bg/embassyinfo.
II. When the documents are issued in countries that have signed the Hague Convention:
1. Authenticity is certified by an authorized body in the respective country, which certifies the signature on the document with an Apostille.
2. When there is no authorized body in the respective country, which can certify the signature on the document with an Apostille, a notary or other authorized authority certifies the authenticity of the document.
Note: A certification attesting the accuracy of a copy of a document cannot be accepted as equivalent to a certification attesting the authenticity of the document.
3. An authorized authority certifies the signature of the person who performed the certification under item 2 with an Apostille.

Information on the national authorities authorized to issue Apostille certificates can be found on the Hague Convention website by opening the relevant country here: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/authorities1/?cid=41.
When the issued Apostille certificate can be verified in an electronic register by visualizing the certified document and the issued Apostille, the original document may not be submitted.
Information about the electronic registers where you can check whether your document is displayed in its entirety can be found on the Hague Convention website by opening the relevant country here: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/specialised-sections/operational-e-registers.
III. The documents must be translated into Bulgarian. If they are translated in the Republic of Bulgaria, they must contain a notarial certificate on the translator's signature. If they are translated at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in the respective country, they must contain a certification of the translator's signature, performed at the embassy.

Austria

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in Austria, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Reifeprüfungszeugnis / Reife- und Diplomprüfungszeugnis) shall be attached to the application; this document is obtained after successfully passing the secondary school final exams (original, copy certified by a notary or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body in the relevant federal province, which certifies the signature on the document certifying completion of secondary education (of the school principal/representative or the chair of the examination board) with an Apostille.

The authenticity of the document may be certified by officials at the Austrian Ministry of Education or its regional offices, whose signatures are certified in the relevant federal province with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. The document certifying completion of secondary education contains a statement certifying the right to pursue higher education at higher education institutions in the Republic of Austria; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body in the relevant federal province, which authenticates the signature on the document with an Apostille. The authenticity of the document may be certified by officials at the Austrian Ministry of Education or its regional offices, whose signatures are authenticated in the relevant federal province with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was performed there.

Apostille certificates in Austria cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

Cameroon

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in Cameroon, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education shall be attached to the application (original, copy certified by a notary or by the school). There are two educational systems in the country, hence there may be two types of documents:
A) GCE (General Certificate of Education) containing results in at least four Ordinary Level subjects and GCE (General Certificate of Education) containing results in at least two Advanced Level subjects, or a document certifying results in at least two Advanced Level subjects, when the Advanced Level certificate is in the process of being issued, must be submitted; these documents are issued by the Cameroon General Certificate of Education Board.

B) A Baccalauréat de l’Enseignement Secondaire diploma must be submitted; this document is issued by the Cameroon Baccalaureate Office (Office du Baccalauréat du Cameroun).

The authenticity of the documents is certified by the Ministry of Secondary Education in Cameroon, after which the signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Secondary Education is authenticated by the Ministry of External Relations of Cameroon. The certification by the Ministry of External Relations of Cameroon includes a code printed on the sticker, issued by the Ministry, and can be verified on the website https://www.minrexeservice.com/legalis/index.php?task=6&lang=en.

Note: Please check in advance whether the document’s data appears in the Ministry’s electronic registry to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon is authenticated by the Embassy of Cameroon in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Embassy of Cameroon, is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application stating that the document referred to in point 1 entitles the holder to pursue higher education. This document is issued by the Ministry of Higher Education or by the school, where the education was completed.

The authenticity of the document, issued by the school, is certified by the Ministry of Secondary Education in Cameroon. The signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Ministry of Secondary Education, or at the Ministry of Higher Education, if the document was issued by it, is authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon. The certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon includes a code printed on the sticker, issued by the Ministry, and can be verified on the website https://www.minrexeservice.com/legalis/index.php?task=6&lang=en.

Note: Please check in advance whether the document’s data appears in the Ministry’s electronic registry to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon is certified by the Embassy of Cameroon in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person. who performed the certification at the Embassy of Cameroon. is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

3. For the issuance of an official note a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested must be attached to the application.

When documents under point 1(A) of these guidelines are submitted, the grades for Ordinary Level subjects on the GCE (General Certificate of Education) shall be equated in an official note, if one has been requested. Only the grades in Advanced Level subjects are equated in the certificate.

When recognition is based on a document under point 1(B) of these guidelines, an official note must be requested for the equivalence of grades from an academic transcript.

The authenticity of the documents is certified by the Ministry of Secondary Education in Cameroon, after which the signature of the official, who performed the certification at the Ministry of Secondary Education, is authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon. The certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon includes a code printed on the sticker issued by the Ministry and can be verified on the website https://www.minrexeservice.com/legalis/index.php?task=6&lang=en.

Note: Please check in advance whether the document’s data appears in the Ministry’s electronic registry to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon is authenticated by the Embassy of Cameroon in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person who performed the certification at the Embassy of Cameroon is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

4. The documents referred to in points 1, 2, and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian Embassy if the translation was performed there.

England

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in England or in schools that conduct teaching and assessment according to the English education system, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or a verification letter, a document/documents with the results of at least three Advanced Level subjects or BTEC National Extended Diploma, or Access to Higher Education Diploma, or T-level certificate (original documents, a copy of the documents, certified by a notary or by the school) shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document must be attached to the application, certifying that Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level certificate gives the right to continue education at higher education institutions. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

Official letter № 04-01-100/18.11.2025 and № 04-01-100/16.02.2026 from the Embassy of Bulgaria in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland certifies that the document/documents with the results of at least three Advanced Level subjects or BTEC National Extended Diploma entitles to continue education at higher education institutions and therefore there is no need for presenting additional documents regarding this circumstance.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document/documents with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in items 1, 2 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing them and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in England cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

France

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in France, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Diplôme du baccalauréat général/technologique/professionnel or Attestation de réussite*) shall be attached to the application, either as an original or a copy, the authenticity of which is verified by a notary, the relevant academy, or the mayor's office.

Some French secondary education documents, issued after 2020, have a QR code that can be scanned using the CycladesVerif mobile app. The app displays all the information from the diploma and the original document may not be submitted.
Note: Please check in advance whether the data in the document corresponds to the data in the app in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

If there is no QR code and it is not possible to verify the document through an electronic register, a request for authenticity is sent to the relevant academy that issued the document. For documents issued by the academies of Créteil, Paris, and Versailles, the request is submitted via the website of SIEC (Inter-academic Service for Examinations and Competitions).

Based on letter ref. no. 99-00-160-1/03.12.2025, issued by the Notarial Association for the Management of Apostilles and Legalizations of the High Council of Notaries in France, documents for completed secondary education do not need to be certified with an Apostille.

2. Pursuant to Article L612-3 of the Education Code (Code de l'éducation), "the first cycle (first year of higher education) is open to all holders of a secondary school diploma," therefore no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document with the grades (Relevé de notes) for which equivalence is requested, shall be attached to the application, either as an original or a copy, the authenticity of which is verified by a notary, the relevant academy, or the mayor's office.

Some French documents with grades, issued after 2020, have a QR code that can be scanned using the CycladesVerif mobile app. Only part of the data from the documents with grades is displayed there, so a request for authenticity is sent to the relevant academy that issued the document. For documents issued by the academies of Créteil, Paris, and Versailles, the request is submitted via the website of SIEC.

In order to facilitate the verification of the authenticity of the documents with grades, access credentials to the applicant’s profile at https://candidat.examens-concours.gouv.fr may be provided, if the document is available there.

Note: Please check in advance whether the data in the document corresponds to the data in the app in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

Based on letter ref. no. 99-00-160-1/03.12.2025, issued by the Notarial Association for the Management of Apostilles and Legalizations of the High Council of Notaries in France, documents with grades do not need to be certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in items 1 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature, when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy in France, when the translation is performed there.

Apostille certificates in France cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

*Attestation de réussite is issued by the relevant academy or by SIEC for diplomas issued by the academies of Créteil, Paris, and Versailles at an applicant’s request, when the diploma has been destroyed/lost, or before the issuance of the secondary education diploma in the period from graduation to October/November of the same year. This document may be submitted instead of the diploma, including in cases where the diploma does not contain a QR code, in order to facilitate verification of completed secondary education.

Germany

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in Germany and for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or a verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife), which is obtained after successful passing of final exams (Abitur), must be attached to the application (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body in the respective federal state, who certifies the signature on the secondary education document (of the school principal/representative or the chair of the examination board) with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. The secondary education document contains text certifying the right of the holder to continue education at higher education institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany, therefore no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document with the grades, for which equivalence is requested, must be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body in the respective federal state, who certifies the signature on the document with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in items 1 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.
When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing it and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in Germany cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

India

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Republic of India, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document for completed secondary education shall be attached to the application - Higher Secondary Certificate; Intermediate Certificate; Senior Secondary Certificate, issued by a recognized education board. A list of the members of the Council of Boards of School Education in India is published on the following website: https://www.cobse.in/new/list-of-members/

Note: Please check in advance whether the educational board that issued the document, certifying completion of secondary education, is listed in the public electronic register to avoid refusal of recognition.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of External Affairs, which certifies the signature on the secondary education certificate with an Apostille, or by a notary public who, on the basis of the Notaries Act, 1952 and the Notaries Rules, 1956, attests the authenticity of the secondary education certificate, after which the document is certified by a sub-divisional magistrate by signature and seal and by the Ministry of External Affairs with an Apostille.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application, stating that the document referred to in point 1 entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions.

The authenticity of the document shall be certified by the Ministry of External Affairs, which shall certify the signature on the document with an Apostille, or by a notary public who, on the basis of the Notaries Act, 1952 and the Notaries Rules, 1956, attests the authenticity of the document, after which the document is certified by a sub-divisional magistrate by signature and seal and by the Ministry of External Affairs with an Apostille.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application.

4. The documents referred to in points 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall bear the notary certification of the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in India cannot be viewed in an electronic register and the original document must therefore be submitted.

International Baccalaureate

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), and for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or a verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a diploma certifying completion of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (Diploma / Bilingual Diploma of the International Baccalaureate) or a document with the results of the applicant, certifying that a diploma is awarded (original, copy certified by a notary public or by the school).

If the diploma has not yet been received or does not contain an authentication stamp, NACID conducts a verification through the International Baccalaureate Information System (IBIS). The applicant selects NACID as an institution to which the IBO should send the results (link: https://rrs.ibo.org/replacement_orders/index.cfm). The verification by NACID should confirm that the applicant has been awarded a diploma (Diploma awarded or Bilingual Diploma awarded), in which case an Apostille is not required.

If NACID is not granted access to the results in the IBIS, a certification of the authenticity of the document is required – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified with an Apostille or a notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document, after which the signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary/lawyer, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. Official letter Ref. No. 99-00-37/17.03.2026, received from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), certifies that a diploma, awarded upon completion of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, entitles the holder to pursue higher education, and therefore no additional document regarding this circumstance is required.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the document IB Diploma Programmе Results with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary/lawyer, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

Ireland

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in Ireland, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a Leaving Certificate or the results of the corresponding exams in at least six subjects shall be attached to the application (original, copy certified by a notary public or the school). The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary public/attorney, which is attested in the text of the certification - the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary public/attorney explicitly states that they have verified the authenticity of the document. The notary’s or attorney’s signature is certified with an Apostille.

2. Based on letters with ref. No. 99-00-28/25.02.2026 and No. 99-00-28/11.03.2026 from Quality and Qualifications Ireland, the Leaving Certificate or results from the corresponding exams in no fewer than six subjects, with a minimum Irish grade of 5 (five) at ordinary level (O5) in five of them entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document must be attached to the application containing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear on the Leaving Certificate. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary public or attorney, which is attested to in the text of the certification - either the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary public or attorney explicitly states that they have verified the authenticity of the document. The notary’s or lawyer’s signature is certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and must include a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if the translation was done in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature by the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document, or when the information contained in the paper document can be verified by consulting an official electronic register by displaying it, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.
Apostille certificates in Ireland cannot be viewed in an electronic register; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

Italy

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Italian Republic, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter a document for completed secondary education shall be attached to the application – a diploma certifying the results of the final state exams at the end of the course of study (Diploma di superamento dell’esame di stato conclusivo del corso di studio) or a document certifying the results of the final state exams at the end of the course of study and the awarding of a diploma, when the diploma for the relevant academic year has not yet been issued (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by officials at the Italian Ministry of Education or its regional offices, whose signatures are certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille.

Authenticity can be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille certifying the signature of the school principal or the representative of the commission who signed the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the official who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application stating that the document referred to in point 1 entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions. The authenticity of the document shall be certified by officials of the Ministry of Education in Italy or its regional offices, whose signatures shall be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille.

Authenticity may be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille certifying the signature of the school principal who signed the document.

Pursuant to Article 11, paragraph 3 of the Regulations for the review of the organizational, disciplinary and educational structure of high schools (licei), issued on the basis of Article 64, paragraph 4 of Legislative Decree No. 112 of June 25, 2008, amended by Law No. 133 of August 6, 2008, adopted by Decree of the President of the Italian Republic of March 15, 2010, No. 89, after successfully passing the state exam at the end of high school (liceo), a secondary education diploma is issued, specifying the type of high school and any specialization, choice, or section chosen by the student. The diploma allows admission to universities and higher education institutions specializing in the arts, music, and dance, higher technical institutes, and higher technical education and training programs referred to in Chapters II and III of the Prime Ministerial Decree of January 25, 2008, published in Official Gazette No. 86 of April 11, 2008, without affecting the validity of the diploma itself for all other purposes established by law, for which reason no additional document is required in this regard. 3. For the issuance of an official note a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document shall be certified by officials of the Ministry of Education in Italy or its regional offices, whose signatures shall be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille.

Authenticity may be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille certifying the signature of the school principal who signed the document.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in Italy cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

Nigeria

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completed secondary education (West African Senior School Certificate), issued by The West African Examinations Council, shall be attached to the application (an original document, a copy certified by a notary or by the school).
The authenticity of the West African Senior School Certificate is certified by the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria. The certification contains a QR code and can be verified on the website of the ministry (https://ess.education.gov.ng/) using the verification code on the sticker issued by the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria.
Note: Please check in advance whether the document is displayed in the electronic register of the ministry to avoid a refusal of recognition.
The authenticity of the certification by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria is verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application stating that the document referred to in point 1 entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions. The document shall be issued by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria or by the school where the education was conducted.
When the document is issued by the school, its authenticity is certified by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria. The certification contains a QR code and can be verified on the website of the ministry (https://ess.education.gov.ng/) using the verification code on the sticker issued by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria.
Note: Please check in advance whether the document is displayed in the electronic register of the ministry to avoid a refusal of recognition.
The authenticity of the certification by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria is verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application.
The document shall be issued by the school where the education was conducted and its authenticity shall be certified by the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria. The certification contains a QR code and can be verified on the website of the ministry (https://ess. education.gov.ng/) using the verification code on the sticker issued by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria.
Note: Please check in advance whether the document is displayed in the electronic register of the ministry to avoid a refusal of recognition.
The authenticity of the certification by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria is verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
4. The documents referred to in points 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain a notarized certification of the translator's signature, when translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy, when the translation is performed there.

Russian Federation

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Russian Federation, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying secondary general or secondary vocational education (аттестат о среднем общем образовании or диплом о среднем профессиональном образовании) (an original document, a copy certified by a notary or by the school) shall be attached to the application. For documents issued before January 1, 2014, a document certifying primary vocational education, confirming the completion of secondary (complete) general education or obtained on the basis of secondary (complete) general education, is equivalent to a document certifying secondary vocational education and qualification.
The authenticity of the document is certified with an Apostille affixed by the competent authority of the Russian Federation, which certifies the signature on the document. Electronic apostilles issued in the Russian Federation cannot be opened due to limited access to the verification website, therefore electronic apostilles accessed via a QR code should not be provided. Please provide only paper documents or electronic documents signed with an electronic signature.
Note: An apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the true copy of the original document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.
Secondary education documents are entered in a public electronic register of the Russian Federation – https://obrnadzor.gov.ru/gosudarstvennye-uslugi-i-funkczii/7701537808-gosfunction/formirovanie-i-vedenie-federalnogo-reestra-svedenij-o-dokumentah-ob-obrazovanii-i-ili-o-kvalifikaczii-dokumentah-ob-obuchenii/, where the data from them is displayed upon request. The register contains secondary education documents issued after 1992. When a secondary education document is entered in the public electronic register, its authenticity is verified by NACID in the electronic register and does not need to be certified with an Apostille.
Note: Please check in advance whether the data from the secondary education document corresponds to the data in the public electronic register to avoid a refusal of recognition. If you cannot find the document in the electronic register, please notify the relevant school to enter the data in the register.

2. Pursuant to Article 69, paragraph 2, in conjunction with Article 60, paragraph 6, subparagraph 1 of the Federal Law on Education in the Russian Federation, adopted on December 29, 2012, No. 273-FZ, persons with secondary general education, the attainment of which is confirmed by a document certifying secondary general education (аттестат о среднем общем образовании), have access to bachelor's degree programs. According to point 5 of Annex No. 1 to Order No. 821 of November 27, 2024, of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, admission to higher education programs requires secondary general or secondary vocational education. For documents issued before January 1, 2014, a document of initial vocational education, confirming the completion of secondary (complete) general education or obtained on the basis of secondary (complete) general education, is equivalent to a document of secondary vocational education and qualification. When submitting the listed documents, on the basis of the regulatory provisions set out, it is not necessary to provide an additional document confirming that these documents entitle the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions.

3. For the issuance of an official note a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application.
The authenticity of the document shall be certified with an Apostille affixed by the competent authority of the Russian Federation, which certifies the signature on the document. Electronic apostilles issued in the Russian Federation cannot be opened due to limited access to the verification website, therefore electronic apostilles accessed via a QR code should not be provided. Please provide only paper documents or electronic documents signed with an electronic signature.
Note: An apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the true copy of the original document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.
Appendices to diplomas are not entered in the public electronic register of the Russian Federation, therefore they require certification with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall bear the notary certification of the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register is also provided and the original document may not be submitted.

Scotland

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in Scotland, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document/documents with Higher and/or Advanced Higher results (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school) must be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified by an Apostille.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application stating that the document under item 1 entitles to continue education at higher education institutions. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille. The document certifies the right to continue education in higher education institutions, given by the document under item 1, and there is no requirement for the applicant's name to appear on it.

Note: The document should certify that the results give the right to continue education in higher education institutions, i.e. to study in higher education institutions, not to apply for studying.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document/documents with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in items 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.
When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing them and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in Scotland cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

Turkey

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Republic of Turkey, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Lise/Lisesi Diploması or a certificate of lost diploma) (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school) must be attached to the application.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the district administrations, who certify the signature on the secondary education document (of the school principal/representative or the regional directorate of national education) with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

When the secondary education document is issued after 2008, the authenticity of the document is verified by NACID in the public electronic register: https://eokulyd.meb.gov.tr/IlkOgretim/MEM/IOM00010.aspx. Please, check in advance whether the data in the secondary education document corresponds to the data in the public electronic register in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document must be attached to the application, certifying that the document in point 1 gives the right to continue education at higher education institutions.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the district administrations, who certify the signature on the document with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document with the grades, for which equivalence is requested, must be attached to the application.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the district administrations, who certify the signature on the document (of the school principal/representative or the regional directorate of national education) with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by displaying it, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be submitted.

Apostille certificates in Turkey cannot be viewed in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

Ukraine

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in Ukraine, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document for a complete general secondary education shall be attached to the application (Атестат про повну загальну середню освіту - until January 1, 2019; Свiдоцтво про здобуття повноï загальноï середноï освiти – from January 1, 2019) (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school). The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which certifies the signature on the document with an Apostille.
Since 2000, documents have been entered into a public electronic register of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine - https://info.edbo.gov.ua/edu-documents/, where the data from them is displayed upon request. When the document for a complete general secondary education is entered in the public electronic register, the authenticity of the document can be verified by NACID in the electronic register and it is not necessary to certify the authenticity with an Apostille.

Note: Please check in advance whether the data from the document for complete general secondary education corresponds to the data in the public electronic register in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

2. Pursuant to Article 5 of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the mutual recognition of educational documents, academic degrees, and academic titles (in force since June 24, 2002, published in State Gazette No. 78/2002), secondary education documents issued in the Republic of Bulgaria and the complete general secondary education documents issued in Ukraine, which entitle their holders to apply for admission to higher education institutions in the territory of the respective country, shall be mutually recognized, and therefore there is no need for presenting additional documents regarding this circumstance.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be certified by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which certifies the signature on the document with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in items 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing them and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in Ukraine can be verified in the following electronic register: https://enic.in.ua/index.php/en/aporegen, where the contents of the secondary education document are displayed and the original document therefore may not be submitted.

Note: Please check in advance the Apostille certificate and the data from the complete general secondary education document, which are displayed when checking it in the public electronic register, in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

Uzbekistan

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school) shall be attached to the application.
The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which certifies the signature on the document with an Apostille. When the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan certifies with an Apostille the signature of the notary who certified the document, the notary must expressly state that he certifies the authenticity of the document for completed secondary education – the certification contains text stating that the original document is legal and valid.
From 2022, documents certifying completion of secondary education are entered in a public electronic register, where the documents can be visualized: https://diplom.edu.uz/. If the document can be visualized in the public electronic register, the original document may not be presented and does not need to be certified as authentic with an Apostille.
Note: Please check in advance whether the data in the document corresponds to the data in the electronic register in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

2. Pursuant to Article 11 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Education, adopted by the Legislative Chamber on May 19, 2020, persons who have completed general secondary education (eleven years of education), specialized secondary education (nine years of basic secondary education and two years of specialized secondary education), initial vocational education (nine years of basic secondary education and two years of initial vocational education), as well as persons who have completed secondary specialized vocational education (nine years of general secondary education and three years of secondary specialized vocational education) are eligible to continue their studies in higher education institutions, and therefore no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note a document with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application.
The authenticity of the document shall be certified by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which shall certify the signature on the document with an Apostille. When the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan certifies the signature of the notary who certified the document with an Apostille, the notary must expressly state that he certifies the authenticity of the document for completed secondary education – the certification contains text stating that the original document is legal and valid.
If the document is entered and displayed in the public electronic register, the original document may not be presented and does not need to be certified as authentic with an Apostille.
Note: Please check in advance whether the data in the document corresponds to the data in the electronic register in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by displaying it, data for access to the register is also provided and the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in the Republic of Uzbekistan cannot be visualized in an electronic register together with the document to which they relate, and therefore the original documents must be submitted.