Credential verification rules: a dated timeline

1. 5 October 1961Historical

   Apostille Convention concluded

   The HCCH Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents is dated 5 October 1961. It replaces consular legalisation with a single Apostille certificate ³.

2. 24 January 1965In force

   Apostille Convention in force, including the UK

   The convention entered into force on 24 January 1965, the same date it took effect for the United Kingdom ².

3. 15 October 1981In force

   Apostille Convention in force for the United States

   The HCCH status table gives 15 October 1981 as the date of entry into force for the US, which acceded in December 1980 ².

4. 1986In force

   US National Practitioner Data Bank set up

   Congress set up the NPDB in 1986 under the Health Care Quality Improvement Act. Its reports on malpractice payments and adverse actions are confidential and not public ⁶.

5. 5 July 1988In force

   Cut-off date in UK unrecognised degrees law

   Section 214 of the Education Reform Act 1988 gives a defence for awards made under authority a foreign institution conferred on or before 5 July 1988 ¹⁷.

6. 30 April 1995In force

   Apostille Convention in force for South Africa

   South Africa acceded on 3 August 1994 and the convention took effect on 30 April 1995 ².

7. 14 July 2005In force

   Apostille Convention in force for India

   India acceded on 26 October 2004 and the convention took effect on 14 July 2005 ². The MEA apostilles degrees and other educational documents ⁷.

8. 2006In force

   Electronic Apostille Programme launched

   The HCCH launched the e-APP in 2006 to support electronic issuing and checking of Apostilles ¹.

9. 31 July 2006In force

   Dentists Act 1984 amended

   The GDC says two legal frameworks have applied to restoration since 31 July 2006. Erased dentists wait 10 months under the old rules and five years under the new ¹³.

10. 1 January 2008In force

    Start of NMC published sanction history

    The NMC register search shows nurses and midwives suspended or removed since 1 January 2008 ¹⁵.

11. July 2012In force

    India stops taking apostille documents directly

    From July 2012 the MEA has not accepted documents for attestation or apostille directly from individuals. They go through outsourced service providers ⁷.

12. 18 January 2016In force

    EU deadline for 2013 qualification rules

    Member states had to transpose Directive 2013/55/EU, including the European Professional Card and the alert mechanism, by 18 January 2016 ⁵.

13. 14 August 2016In force

    Apostille Convention in force for Brazil

    Brazil acceded on 2 December 2015 and the convention took effect on 14 August 2016 ².

14. 21 December 2016In force

    India ends postal order payments for apostilles

    The MEA says payment of its Rs 50 apostille fee by postal order stopped from 21 December 2016 ⁷.

15. 1 July 2018In force

    California two-year physician licence term

    California physician certificates run on a two-year term counted from issue, under a rule applying from 1 July 2018 ¹⁰.

16. 1 January 2019In force

    India decentralises apostille services

    From 1 January 2019 attestation and apostille services moved to Branch Secretariats and Regional Passport Offices in 16 cities ⁷.

17. 13 August 2019In force

    South Africa NQF Amendment Act signed

    Vuk'uzenzele reported that the President signed the NQF Amendment Act 12 of 2019 on 13 August. It allows a fine or up to five years in prison for misrepresenting a qualification ⁸.

18. November 2019Historical

    UNESCO adopts the Global Convention

    UNESCO's General Conference adopted the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education at its 40th session ⁴.

19. 2020In force

    Irish nursing register goes real time

    NMBI says its register was first published in real-time searchable form in 2020 ¹⁶.

20. 16 September 2021In force

    Apostille Convention in force for Singapore

    Singapore acceded on 18 January 2021 and the convention took effect on 16 September 2021 ².

21. 4 June 2022In force

    Apostille Convention in force for Indonesia

    Indonesia acceded on 5 October 2021 and the convention took effect on 4 June 2022 ².

22. 5 December 2022Historical

    Global Convention reaches 20 ratifications

    The Global Convention received its 20th ratification on 5 December 2022 ⁴.

23. 5 March 2023In force

    Global Convention enters into force

    UNESCO's Global Convention on higher education qualifications entered into force on 5 March 2023 ⁴.

24. 9 March 2023In force

    Apostille Convention in force for Pakistan

    Pakistan acceded on 8 July 2022 and the convention took effect on 9 March 2023 ².

25. 7 November 2023In force

    Apostille Convention in force for China

    China acceded on 8 March 2023 and the convention took effect on 7 November 2023 ².

26. 11 January 2024In force

    Apostille Convention in force for Canada

    Canada acceded on 12 May 2023 and the convention took effect on 11 January 2024 ².

27. 5 June 2024In force

    Apostille Convention in force for Rwanda

    Rwanda acceded on 6 October 2023 and the convention took effect on 5 June 2024 ².

28. 3 February 2025Official finding

    India reports 21 fake universities

    A Lok Sabha written answer said 21 institutions were on the UGC fake universities list and 12 had been closed since 2014 ¹⁸.

29. 30 March 2025In force

    Apostille Convention in force for Bangladesh

    Bangladesh acceded on 29 July 2024 and the convention took effect on 30 March 2025 ².

30. 15 May 2025In force

    W3C Verifiable Credentials 2.0 published

    The W3C published the Verifiable Credentials Data Model v2.0 as a Recommendation on 15 May 2025 ⁹.

31. 9 July 2026In force

    Apostille Convention in force for Algeria

    Algeria acceded on 5 November 2025 and the convention took effect on 9 July 2026 ².

32. 24 August 2026In force

    Ireland ratifies the Global Convention

    UNESCO reported Ireland's ratification of the Global Convention on 24 August 2026 ⁴.

33. 11 September 2026In force

    Apostille Convention in force for Viet Nam

    Viet Nam acceded on 31 December 2025 and the convention took effect on 11 September 2026 ².

34. 30 September 2026In force

    Australian medical registration renewal date

    General, specialist and non-practising medical registration in Australia renews on 30 September, followed by a one-month late period ¹².

35. 1 October 2026In force

    SRA renewal window opens

    Practising certificate and registration renewals for solicitors in England and Wales ran from 1 to 31 October 2026 ¹¹.

36. 29 October 2026In force

    Lesotho ratifies the Global Convention

    UNESCO reported Lesotho's ratification of the Global Convention on 29 October 2026 ⁴.

37. 30 November 2026Announced

    Australian fast-track route closes for 2026

    The Medical Board of Australia said the 2026 fast-track process for lapsed doctors is open until 30 November 2026 ¹².

38. 31 December 2026Announced

    UK architects' CPD and 2027 fee deadline

    The ARB said CPD declarations and the 2027 retention fee must be completed before midnight on 31 December 2026 ¹⁴.

39. 28 February 2027Announced

    Apostille Convention to take effect for Thailand

    Thailand acceded on 30 June 2026. The status table gives 28 February 2027 as the entry into force date ².

Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@thecredentialregistry.com.