Business
Trade register extract legalisation
A trade register extract needs no notary: as an official document it goes straight to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, or to the DVV apostille for apostille countries. The UAE embassy classifies the extract as a commercial document. We handle the whole chain for your company.
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Trade register extract legalisation: the key facts
- Notary
- Not needed. The extract is an official document: for the full chain it goes straight to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, for apostille countries straight to the DVV apostille.
- Extract
- Legalisation needs a fresh, signed official extract from PRH (not just a printout), preferably in English. Many destination authorities accept only an extract a few months old.
- UAE
- The embassy classifies the extract as a commercial document: fee AED 2 000 (about €468). On top come the Ministry for Foreign Affairs €30 per signature and the service fee €100.
- Price
- For apostille countries from €138 (DVV apostille €38 + service fee €100). Kuwait package from €350 per document. Qatar: Finnish stages from €130 + the embassy fee.
- Time
- UAE Finnish stages typically 2 to 3 working days, Kuwait and Qatar about 1 to 2 weeks. Apostille as an express service in 1 to 2 working days.
- Invoicing
- Agreed per company: e-invoice or email invoice. New and foreign customers may be asked for an advance payment.
What's needed
When does a trade register extract need legalising?
When a company sets up a subsidiary or branch abroad, applies for work permits for staff or takes part in an international tender, the destination authority usually requires a legalised trade register extract. The destination decides whether an apostille is enough or full consular legalisation is needed, GCC countries typically require the full chain.
Process
How legalisation proceeds
- 01
1. Fresh extract from PRH
The trade register extract is an official document, so no notary is needed. Order a fresh, signed official extract from PRH, preferably in English; a plain printout cannot be legalised.
- 02
2. Ministry for Foreign Affairs
The Finnish MFA legalises the document for the full chain (€30/signature).
- 03
3. Embassy
The destination country's embassy in Helsinki attests the document.
- 04
4. Destination MFA
Final attestation at the destination country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on arrival.
Destinations
Which countries are trade register extracts usually legalised for?
Trade register extracts are legalised especially for corporate arrangements and export. Common destinations include:
- United Arab Emirates (UAE) · full legalisation
- Kuwait and Qatar · full legalisation
- Saudi Arabia · apostille (since 2022)
- Hague Convention countries · apostille
Destinations
Chain and fees by country
The destination country decides which chain the document goes through. Below are the requirements, authority fees and chain steps for each country; you get an exact quote and timeline before we start.
The UAE
Setting up a branch, opening a bank account and public tenders require a legalised trade register extract. The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not accepted. The document goes through the full consular chain. We handle every stage for you.
Chain steps
- 1Fresh PRH extract
- 2Ministry for Foreign Affairs
- 3Embassy legalisation
- 4Confirmation at destination
The total consists of authority fees (MFA €30 per signature; the embassy charges about €35 (AED 150) for standard documents and about €468 (AED 2 000) for commercial ones, the classification decides) and our service fee (€100).
Kuwait
Kuwait is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not accepted. The document goes through the full consular chain. We handle every stage for you.
Chain steps
- 1Fresh PRH extract
- 2Ministry for Foreign Affairs
- 3Embassy legalisation
- 4Confirmation at destination
The total consists of authority fees (MFA €30 per signature; the Kuwaiti Embassy in Stockholm confirms its own fee per order) and our service fee (€100).
Qatar
Qatar is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not accepted. The document goes through the full consular chain. We handle every stage for you.
Chain steps
- 1Fresh PRH extract
- 2Ministry for Foreign Affairs
- 3Embassy legalisation
- 4Confirmation at destination
The total consists of authority fees (MFA €30 per signature; the embassy fee depends on document type and is confirmed once the embassy has received the documents) and our service fee (€100).
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 7 December 2022, so a DVV apostille is all that is needed. The full consular chain no longer applies. We still confirm the receiving party's requirements, as some authorities additionally ask for an official translation.
Chain steps
- 1Fresh PRH extract
- 2DVV apostille
The total consists of the DVV apostille (€38) and our service fee (€100).
The cost builds up step by step: MFA €30/signature (the extract needs no notary), DVV apostille €38 for apostille countries, an embassy fee that depends on the country and document class, our service fee €100. The final cost depends on the destination country.
See legalisationFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Wondering what happens after you order? The stages, the timings and who handles what are on one page.
See how your order progresses