Just like getting a document notarized in the United States verifies authenticity and provides witness that the document is legal and properly signed, obtaining an Apostille provides this verification for documents begin used in foreign countries. Specifications for this type of verification process were established during the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, also referred to as the Apostille Convention.
Prior to the issuance of this treaty, any documents needed for establishment of identity, marriage, Power of Attorney, birth, and education had to be legalized both in the country of issuance and the country being visited. This represented a time-consuming and often frustrating process that sometimes resulted in the rejection of the legal documents by the foreign country. To avoid this, the Apostille Convention created an agreement among a list of signatory states that agreed documents legalized in those states and featuring an authentic Apostille were legal in the other states. In some situations, specific signatory states do not accept Apostille from some others.
Some of these signatory states include:
- The United States
- Albania
- Belize
- Bulgaria
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- Finland
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- India
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Liberia
- Mexico
Different types of Apostille are available for different types of documents. Using a licensed, experienced Apostille services ensures you get the proper Apostille stamp for your document. Getting authentication for a personal document such as an Apostille on a diploma is obtained by submitting the official document to the Secretary of State. Authentication for a document issued by a Federal agency, such as an Apostille for an FBI background check, must be obtained by submitting to the document to the US Department of State.
Particularly in the case of a Department of State Apostille, using our service expedites the entire process. Rather than you having to mail your documents to the Department office and wait for the Apostille, we submit the request in person, hastening the submission and acceptance process.
If you have questions regarding your particular documents and whether they need an Apostille stamp or other form of legalization, do not hesitate to get in touch with us so we can describe the process and get your request underway.