Yesterday, the Official Gazette of the Federal Executive published the decree 8742 of May 4^th 2016 (“Decree”), which rules the notarial and civil registry acts, as well as the dismissal of the legalization procedure of foreign documents by Consular Authorities. This Decree revokes the decree 84451 of January 31^th, 1980.

Seeking the decentralization and, consequently, to speed up the legalization procedure of foreign, the Decree allows the consular authorities to sign the documents submitted to the legalization procedure, in opposition to what was set forth in the revoked decree.  The Decree also provides for the possibility of digital certification of documents and authorizes embassies and consulates to clarify questions related to the authenticity of signatures issued by consular authorities to embassies and consulates, unburdening the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and simplifying the procedure.

Finally, the decree also establishes the end of the requirement of legalization of documents issued by signatory countries of bilateral and multilateral treaties, such as The Hague Convention recently ratified by Brazil and that encompasses a large number of countries, for instance United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Russia, France and Argentina.