Innovation of the Apostille Service at Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility

Abstract

This study assesses the impact of implementing a fully electronic apostille (e apostille) at Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility. A mixed methods, quasi experimental design compared baseline metrics from the in person process with a three iteration electronic pilot. We measured cycle time, user and administrative costs, error/rework rates, digital channel adoption, and user experience (SUS, NPS). The solution integrates document capture and validation, online payments, issuance with electronic signatures and trusted timestamps, and public verification via QR/canonical URL. Pilot results (illustrative figures) indicate significant reductions in cycle time (–75%), total user cost (–62%), and error rates (–62%), alongside improvements in usability (SUS +19) and satisfaction (NPS +35). We discuss alignment with international digital government frameworks (OECD/IDB), lessons from regional e APP implementations, and security requirements (PKI, signature policies, auditing). Main limitations include early adopter bias and seasonality; we propose nationwide scaling, stronger interoperability and accessibility measures, and a research agenda centred on A/B experimentation and causal impact evaluation. We conclude that the e apostille represents a high public value innovation delivering measurable benefits for citizens and government, while enabling technology reuse across consular and notarial services.