# Apostille foundations for document holders

Learn what an apostille certifies, when a destination needs legalization instead, which office issues it and how to read an office listing on this site.

- Level: Foundations
- Length: 40 minutes
- Exam questions: 9, pass mark 80%, up to 3 attempts
- Certificate: valid for 12 months

## What you will learn

- Say what an apostille certifies and what it does not certify.
- Tell an apostille from consular legalization, and check which one your document needs.
- Find the issuing office for a document: the office follows the issuer, not the person.
- Read an office listing on this site and say what it does not prove.

## Lessons

1. [What an apostille certifies](https://apostilles.fyi/academy/apostille-foundations/what-an-apostille-certifies.md) (12 minutes)
2. [Find the issuing office](https://apostilles.fyi/academy/apostille-foundations/find-the-issuing-office.md) (14 minutes)
3. [Read an office listing](https://apostilles.fyi/academy/apostille-foundations/read-an-office-listing.md) (14 minutes)

## Questions

### Does this course tell me which documents I need?

No. The office or person that asked for your document decides what it needs. This course helps you ask them good questions and find the issuing office.

### Is the certificate a qualification to prepare documents for other people?

No. It is a certificate of completion from this site and records that you passed the exam. It is not a licence, an accreditation or a professional qualification.

### Where do the facts in the lessons come from?

From the guides on this site, each with an update date and sources, and from official pages such as the HCCH status table. Rules and fees change, so confirm every detail on the official page before you act.

Also on the [web page](https://apostilles.fyi/academy/apostille-foundations).