How to Apostille Documents for Lithuania (African Guide)

Last checked: November 2026

The document that trips most people up is the police or criminal record certificate for the temporary residence permit (TRP). Below we explain which papers need an apostille or legalisation, how each country’s process works, and the mistakes we see most often. We went through this paperwork ourselves when we moved from Cameroon and Zimbabwe, so we know how slow the chain can be.

Which documents need an apostille or legalisation for Lithuania?

Not every document in your file needs it. The two that matter most are:

• • Police clearance / criminal record certificate. Required for the TRP if you are over 14. It must come from the country where you lived before Lithuania, and paper certificates must be apostilled or legalised.
  • Diploma or school-leaving certificate and transcript. The national recognition centre, SKVC, assesses foreign qualifications from scans. Its general documentation requirements ask for colour scans of originals and official translations where needed. They do not ask for legalisation. However, some universities ask you to bring apostilled or legalised originals when you register. VILNIUS TECH, for example, asks for the final certificate and transcript to be legalised in the country that issued them.

Bank statements and health insurance usually do not need an apostille. Birth or marriage certificates only become relevant if you bring family. Always check the current list on our Lithuania student visa documents guide and with your university’s admissions office.

Apostille vs double legalisation, explained simply

An apostille is one certificate, added by a designated authority in the country that issued the document. It tells Lithuania the signature and stamp are genuine. Lithuania has been a member of the convention since 19 July 1997, so it accepts apostilles from every other member.

Legalisation is the older, longer route for countries outside the convention. It usually works like this:

1. 1. Your Ministry of Foreign Affairs at home authenticates the document.
   2. Your country’s embassy that covers Lithuania stamps it. That embassy is often in another EU country, such as Sweden, Germany or Poland.
   3. The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vilnius, or a Lithuanian embassy accredited to your country, legalises it.

This is why people call it “double legalisation”. According to the HCCH status table, South Africa is a party (since 30 April 1995). Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Cameroon are not. If you are a student, you usually do not do step 3 alone. Lithuanian universities typically collect legalised police certificates and send them to the Ministry in batches.

Membership can change. African countries have been joining in recent years, so check the HCCH table the week you start.

Country-by-country: police clearance and apostille documents for Lithuania

Nigeria

Police clearance: the Police Character Certificate from the Nigeria Police Force. You apply through the POSSAP portal (possap.gov.ng), and your biometrics are taken at a police criminal registry. The fee for immigration purposes has been reported as ₦30,000.

Legalisation: authentication at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, then the Nigerian embassy that covers Lithuania. The Nigerian mission in Lithuania is listed for this step. Your university then arranges the Lithuanian MFA step. For the wider picture, see our guide on studying in Lithuania from Nigeria.

Ghana

Police clearance: the Police Clearance Certificate from the Ghana Police Service. Since May 2023, you can apply online at e-services.police.gov.gh and pay through Ghana.gov. Previously, every application went through CID Headquarters in Accra.

Legalisation: authentication at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Legal and Consular Bureau) in Accra, then the Lithuanian MFA. Any additional steps would need to be specified by the university.

Kenya

Police clearance: the Certificate of Good Conduct from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). You pay and fill in the form on eCitizen, then give your fingerprints at a DCI office, Huduma Centre or Kenyan embassy. The fee is about KSh 1,050 and processing takes roughly two weeks to a month.

Legalisation: authentication by the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, then the Lithuanian MFA.

Zimbabwe

Police clearance: issued by the CID Criminal Records Office of the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Harare. You buy the vetting forms from a stationer, get fingerprinted at a police station and pay the vetting fee. ZRP lists US$75 for fingerprints taken outside Zimbabwe. Applicants abroad courier the forms to CID Headquarters, Morris Depot.

Legalisation: authentication at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Harare, then then the Lithuanian MFA. See also studying in Lithuania from Zimbabwe.

South Africa

Police clearance: the SAPS Police Clearance Certificate, issued by the Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria. You apply at a police station with fingerprints.

Apostille: the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Legalisation Section in Pretoria. DIRCO says its legalisation service is free. It needs the original certificate, signed and stamped by SAPS and no older than six months. Booked walk-ins with up to five documents are usually done the same day. Some documents, such as notarised copies, are apostilled by the High Court instead. Mention “Lithuania” on your cover letter so you get an apostille and not a certificate of authentication.

Cameroon

Police clearance: first get an extrait de casier judiciaire (Bulletin n°3). You get it from the court registry of the Tribunal de Première Instance where you were born. Some groups apply at the Ministry of Justice in Yaoundé instead, including people born in the anglophone or northern regions and foreign nationals. Some countries also want a police certificate from the Direction de la Police Judiciaire in Yaoundé. Ask your university which one Lithuania expects.

Legalisation: authentication at the Ministry of External Relations (MINREX) in Yaoundé, then the Lithuanian MFA. The certificate will usually be in French, so plan for a translation.

Translations into Lithuanian

Lithuania does not have a “sworn translator” register like some EU countries. In practice, an official translation is done by a translation agency or a professional translator who signs it and adds a stamp. The translation is bound to the document or to a certified copy. Some offices also want it notarised.

• • For the TRP: the Migration Department expects documents in Lithuanian or English. Guidance on the criminal record certificate is mixed. Some sources say it must be translated, and some university checklists accept English. Ask your university’s international office before you pay.
  • For SKVC and admissions: documents in English are normally accepted without translation. French documents from Cameroon need an official translation into English or Lithuanian.
  • Translate after legalising. The apostille or legalisation stamps are part of the document, so they need to be translated too.

Validity periods, costs and timing

For a TRP, the criminal record certificate should be issued no earlier than 6 months before you apply. Kenya’s certificate is printed with a one-year validity, but Lithuania’s six-month rule is the stricter one.

Timing is where most delays happen when you get apostille documents for Lithuania, and even more so with legalisation. A realistic plan for a non-Hague country:

Lithuanian embassies abroad and the MFA in Lithuania charge around €30 per document for legalisation. Add courier costs on top, and Zimbabwe’s US$75 vetting fee if your fingerprints are taken abroad. Start about three months before your TRP or visa appointment. Do not start so early that the certificate is older than six months when you apply.

One useful exception: some Lithuanian university guides say electronic certificates do not need an apostille or legalisation if the issuing authority lets you verify them online at the application. Ask whether your country’s certificate qualifies before you pay for the full chain.

Common mistakes to avoid

These are the errors we see most often when people prepare apostille documents for Lithuania, or the legalised equivalent.

• • Getting an apostille from a non-member country. An “apostille” stamp from Nigeria or Kenya is not valid in Lithuania. You need legalisation.
  • Using a certificate that is too old. If it is over six months old on the day you apply, it can be refused.
  • Legalising a photocopy. The TRP needs the original; scans are not enough.
  • Skipping the embassy step. The Lithuanian MFA cannot legalise a document your own embassy has not stamped.
  • Using unregistered agents. DIRCO warns that agent-sourced police certificates are often fake. Read our guide to spotting scammers.
  • Getting the certificate from the wrong country. It must come from where you lived before Lithuania. If you have lived in more than one country recently, you may need more than one.

If you want someone to check your file before you spend money on couriers, our student visa and immigration support and application support services cover exactly this.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nigeria part of the Hague Apostille Convention?

No. Nigerian documents need legalisation: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, then the Nigerian embassy covering Lithuania, then the Lithuanian MFA.

Do I need to apostille my WAEC or degree certificate for Lithuania?

SKVC recognition works from scans and does not normally require legalisation. Some universities still ask for legalised originals when you register, so check your offer letter.

How long is a police clearance valid for a Lithuanian residence permit?

It should be issued no more than six months before you apply for the TRP, even if your home country prints a longer validity on it.

Can I get my police certificate legalised after I arrive in Lithuania?

Sometimes. Universities often submit students’ certificates to the Lithuanian MFA after arrival. Your home-country authentication and embassy steps still have to be done first.

Does the apostille itself need translating?

If the authority asks for a Lithuanian translation, yes. Translate the whole document, including all stamps.

Legalisation is slow and dull, but it is predictable once you know the order of steps. If you would like help planning yours around your visa and TRP dates, book a free consultation with us and we will go through your documents together.