«Formule A» is an internationally recognized multilingual document certifying the fact of birth.
It is accepted without additional legalization in all countries party to the 1976 Vienna Convention, and can be used with an apostille in other countries.
The document has a standardized format and is issued in several languages, which significantly simplifies its use abroad.
1. What is «Formule A» and what is its purpose?
In accordance with Article 1 of the Convention on the Issue of Multilingual Extracts from Civil Status Records (hereinafter – the Convention), «Formule A» (Formül A in Turkey) is a multilingual standardized extract from a birth record.
The document is issued at the request of an interested person or when its use requires a translation.
«Formule A» is part of the system of standard forms provided for by the Convention:
- Formule A for birth
- Formule B for marriage
- Formule C for death
2. What is the historical context?
According to Article 14 of the Convention, it replaced the previous Convention on the Issue of Certain Extracts from Civil Status Records for Use Abroad, signed in Paris on 27 September 1956.
The previous version required providing information in seven languages, whereas the new version simplified the format.
The 1976 Convention also harmonized the document format with the Convention Introducing an International Family Record Book, signed in Paris on 12 September 1974.
After all participants of the 1956 Convention ratified the 1976 Convention, the old version ceased to be in effect.
The Convention entered into force on 30 July 1983 after ratification by five states (Article 13).
3. Which countries are parties to the Convention?
As of 2024, the following countries have joined the Convention:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Germany
- Spain
- Italy
- Cabo Verde
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Moldova
- The Netherlands (only in the European part)
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- North Macedonia
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Turkey
- France (only in Metropolitan France)
- Croatia
- Montenegro
- Switzerland
- Estonia
Greece has signed the Convention but cannot ratify it, and may only accede to the updated version.
4. What is the structure and content of the document?
An example of «Formule A» issued in Turkey.
4.1. Standardized fields
The document has a standardized form with numbered fields:
- Name of the country
- Name of the civil registry office
- Name of the document and its number
- Date and place of birth
- Surname
- Given name
- Sex
- Father’s details
- Mother’s details
- Additional information
- Date of issue, signature, and seal
- Place of registration
- Identification number
4.2. Formatting rules
Articles 4, 5, and 7 of the Convention set forth the following requirements:
- All entries are made in printed Latin characters, with the possibility of duplicating them in the alphabet of the language in which the original record was drawn up (Art. 4).
- Dates are indicated in Arabic numerals (day, month, year), with the day and month always in two-digit format (01–09) and the year in four digits.
- After the name of any place, the name of the state in which it is located must be indicated if it is not the state issuing the extract.
- If it is impossible to fill in a field due to the wording of the record, that field is to be crossed out.
4.3. Language requirements
On the front side, in accordance with Article 6, the names of all fields are given in at least two languages:
- The official language of the issuing state
- French
On the reverse side, translations into other languages provided for by the Convention are given.
5. What is the legal basis and purpose?
Extracts, including «Formule A», are drawn up on the basis of the original records and all subsequent annotations (Article 2).
According to Article 8, these multilingual extracts have the same legal force as extracts issued under the domestic law of the state of origin, and are accepted without legalization or similar formality in all States Parties to the Convention.
The purpose of the Convention is to simplify cross-border use of civil status records.
6. What are the rules for issuing the document?
6.1. General rules
In accordance with Article 1, extracts are provided only to persons entitled to obtain authentic copies.
According to Article 3, each Contracting State may supplement the annexed forms to the Convention by adding fields and symbols, subject to the prior approval of their wording by the General Assembly of the International Commission on Civil Status.
In accordance with Article 9, the fee for issuing multilingual extracts must not exceed the fee for issuing extracts under the domestic rules of the state of origin.
6.2. A practical example (Turkey)
Issuance is carried out by the competent authority of the country in which the birth record was drawn up.
In Turkey, this authority is the Nüfus Müdürlüğü (Population Directorate), where the document is issued after verifying the birth records in the national system (MERNİS).
7. What is the international recognition and legal status?
7.1. Recognition in member states
Under Article 8 of the Convention, extracts have the same legal force as domestic documents of the state of origin and are accepted without legalization or similar formality in all member states.
As of 2024, the Convention is in force in 23 European states and Cabo Verde (see Section 3).
7.2. Use in other countries
Although the 1976 Convention abolishes the need for legalization among its member states, when using the document in countries not party to the Convention, an apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention may be affixed.
This expands the geographical applicability of «Formule A» beyond the circle of member states.
7.3. Recognition in the European Union
The European Union has adopted a similar regulation establishing multilingual forms of documents for its Member States, allowing documents issued in one EU country to be accepted by others without translation or legalization.
8. Possibility of reservations and extending the scope of the Convention
Article 11 allows states to make a reservation excluding the application of the Convention to birth extracts of adopted children if their original filiation remains.
Article 16 provides for the possibility of extending the Convention’s application to non-metropolitan territories or territories for which a state bears international responsibility.
9. The role of the Swiss Federal Council
The Swiss Federal Council is the depositary of the Convention, notifying participants of ratifications, entry into force, denunciations, and other acts related to its application (Articles 12, 13, 17, 18).