What is an Apostille?
Apostille is a French word meaning certification, most commonly used to refer to the legalization of a document for international use (under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents). The Convention provides for the simplified certification of public (including notarized) documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention.
It is a device that many governments, both foreign and domestic, use to certify that a document of foreign origin is genuine, and a true copy of the original.
Many documents can be certified with an Apostille including corporate documents such as company bylaws, articles of incorporation, power of attorney, as well as domestic documents such as birth certificates, passports, wills, and many more.
See our FAQ below for more information, or contact one of our team members who can help you obtain an Apostille easily and affordably.
What is the difference between an apostille and notarization?
Apostille certificates allow public documents issued in one country to be accepted in another. The authentication of public officials' signatures on your documents are made to allow recognition outside the United States of America.
Notarization is the act of officially certifying a legal document by a public notary. The purpose of having a legal document notarized is to ensure the authenticity of the signatures that appear on the document. Notarized Documents are valid for use inside the US.
What kinds of documents can be authenticated with an Apostille?
The apostille is a favored form of document validation worldwide, even in countries that are not actually signatories to The Hague Convention. An Apostille certificate can be obtained for virtually any public document including:
- Certificates of Incorporation
- Certificates of Good Standing
- Adoption Certificates
- Affidavits
- Agreements & Mandates
- Awards & Degrees
- Baptism & Confirmation Certificates
- Bills of Sale & Proof of Ownership
- Birth Certificates
- Confirmation Judgments & Edicts
- Death Certificates
- Deeds
- Diplomas & Transcripts
- Executor of Will
- Marriage Certificates
- Notary Oaths
- National Identification Certificates
- Passports
- Permits
- Powers of Attorney
- Wills
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