On October 27, 2020, the Russian President signed the Federal Law On Ratification of the European Convention on the Abolition of Legalisation of Documents Executed by Diplomatic Agents or Consular Officers.

The Convention provides for a simplified procedure for accepting documents issued by the embassies and consulates of the signatory states. The Contracting Parties to the Convention shall exempt from legalisation documents executed by diplomatic agents or consular officers.

This European Convention was signed by the Russian Federation on January 22, 2016. According to Paragraph 3, Article 6 of the Convention, it will take effect in Russia three months after the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification with the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, who is the depository of European agreements.

The Convention was signed by 24 countries, including the UK, Germany, France and Turkey. About a million and a half Russians live in the countries which have signed the Convention.

The simplified procedure for accepting documents specified in the European Convention will also apply to the citizens of the signatory states who submit documents which have been issued to them by the diplomatic missions or consulates of these countries to Russian organisations.

Source: web-page of the President of Russia