What is Apostille

Apostille on public documents

Personal or business documents, such as birth, marriage or death certificates, divorce decrees, FBI clearance certificates, by-laws, certificates of incorporation, business agreements or contracts, or such notarized documents as powers of attorney, affidavits are statements, are sometimes needed to be used in a foreign country. However, before a document is used overseas it must be authenticated. The legalization process is usually expensive and awkward as it includes a chain of individual processes and involves numerous official departments and agencies.

Understanding an Apostille

So, what is Apostille?
An ‘Apostille’ certificate is attached to an official legal document in order to verify that the document is authentic and contains the genuine signature of a person who is recognized and authorized to act on behalf of the official agency or an organization that issued the document. When a legal document is presented in a foreign country, it can be tremendously difficult to verify the authenticity of the document. The process for legalizing documents that are intended to be used overseas was simplified in 1961, under the Hague Convention (Apostille)/ Complicated “chain legalization” was replaced by a plain certificate of authenticity, known as an Apostille. Each Apostille certificate contains an Apostille Stamp and a unique reference number, dated and registered in the local office of the U.S. Department of State.
Apostille is recognized in 69 signatory states of the Hague Convention. The governing authorities or official agencies in foreign countries can tell you whether the documents that you are going to present to them need to be authenticated or undertake the process of embassy legalization. By attaching the Apostille certificate, you can reduce the chances of your foreign document being rejected overseas. Guidance on the legality of documents can be obtained from the proper government agency, the embassy of the country, or consulate of the country in which the documents are to be used.

Apostille or Embassy legalization

If neither the country where the document was originated nor where it is to be presented accepts Apostille because does not recognize the Apostille Treaty, you can find out what your options are by contacting the consulate or embassy of the country where the document is to be taken to.

Apostille stamp

Almost all official documents must be apostilled when they are used in a foreign country; they can include, but are not limited to vital records (birth certificates, marriage certificates or death certificates), court documents and judgments, patents, notarized attestations, statements and powers of attorney, academic diplomas along with transcripts from schools or universities. The law of the country specifies when a document is to be considered as public.
Bodies that are authorized to issue an Apostille are known as Competent Authorities. Some countries may have only one Competent Authority, while others may have more than a few, because various government agencies may be in charge for different public documents. If there are several authorities, make sure that you apply to the proper one to fill your request.

Apostilles are usually available on the same day that they are requested. However, in some states, such as NJ for example, one should pay $1000 fee to obtain an NJ Apostille Stamp the same day you bring the documents for legalizatio

Before you request an Apostille, there are a few things that should be considered:
– Both, the country where the original document was issued and the country where it is to be used, must recognize an Apostille
– Depending on a document the Apostille procedure varies
– The document should be considered as a public document under the law, in the foreign country where it will be presented
– You may or may not be able to request an Apostille certificate by mail, and this may be difficult if you live abroad.
– The cost of the Apostille certificates and acceptable payment methods differ from state to state.
– The documents should be translated into the language of the country where you plan to use them.

Apostille New York NYC

Still wonder what is Apostille and how to start the process in order to obtain  one? If so, hiring a professional Apostille services agency in New York or any other state or country might be the best solution if you live overseas or not very familiar with document legalization procedure.
At Apoling Solutions we’ll help you to obtain an Apostille Stamp on your document or legalize it in embassy or consulate if needed. Also we will provide you with neither professional certified document translation and make your document ready for use in any country of the world.
For a free quote, please contact us. We’ll be glad to assist.