légalisation

Source : ([Loi, sur les Suisses de l'étranger, RS 195.1 10.2.2016.](https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified-compilation/20133127/index.html))

Source : Bundesgesetz über Schweizer Personen und Institutionen im Ausland, BBI 2014 [7229](https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/federal-gazette/2014/7229.pdf) (8.10.2015).

Source : Legge federale concernente persone e istituzioni svizzere all’estero, FF 2014 [6213](https://www.admin.ch/opc/it/federal-gazette/2014/6213.pdf) (8.10.2015).

‘Attestation’ and ‘attest’ are best reserved for the process of witnessing the signing of a written instrument. An ‘attestation clause’ is a provision at the end of an instrument, e.g. a will, that is signed by the witnesses. The attestation strengthens the presumption that all the statutory requirements for signing the will have been met.

Source : Federal Act on Swiss Persons and Institutions Abroad, SR [195.1](https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/20133127/index.html), Article 50 (31.10.2016).

‘Authentication’ and ‘authenticate’ are the terms to use when referring generally to the process of authenticating documents, signatures, identities, transactions, corporate existence, etc.

Source : FDFA website, [Authentication of Civil Documents](https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/countries/countries-content/philippines/en/Authentication_Civil_Doc_EN.pdf) (6.3.2019).

‘Certification’ and ‘certify’ are often used by UK lawyers (solicitors) in the sense of authentication above. However, ‘certification’ and ‘certify’ on their own are not always clear. It is best to use ‘certify’ in combination with terms such as ‘authenticity’ or ‘genuine’, e.g. ‘certify the authenticity of a document’ or ‘certify that a document is genuine’.

Source : FCh website, Factsheet for the certification of documents by the Federal Chancellery (6.3.2019).

‘Legalisation’ is a legal term of art that specifically refers to the process laid down in the Hague Apostille Convention. ‘Legalisation’ and ‘legalise’ should therefore be reserved for situations involving the Hague Apostille Convention process. More commonly, ‘legalise’ means to make something that was previously illegal permissible by law, which has nothing to do with authentication.

Source : ([Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, 5.10.1961](https://assets.hcch.net/docs/b12ad529-5f75-411b-b523-8eebe86613c0.pdf))

‘Notarisation’ and ‘notarise’ are somewhat vague terms that can be used to refer to any process performed by a notary. The terms do not clearly signal ‘authentication’ or ‘authenticate’ in the above sense.

Source : SBFI website, OPET/FDFA brochure, [Swiss diplomas in the EU](https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/dam/sbfi/en/dokumente/schweizer_diplomeindereuschweizerinnenundschweizerindereu.pdf.download.pdf/swiss_diplomas_intheeuswissnationalsintheeu.pdf. ) (6.3.2019).