Apostille
Apostille Agent
American Notary & Signing Services offers full, end-to-end facilitation of the document Apostille, Authentication, and Embassy Legalization process. Our expertly trained staff will save you time, stress, wasted expenses and guesswork of knowing the confusing requirements of various government agencies. Please contact us for details.
What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is a document that verifies the authenticity of the signature on a document; the capacity in which the person signing the document acted; and the identity of any stamp or seal affixed to the document. The Apostille is a specific form of authentication for countries that participate in the Hague Convention of 1961.
An Apostille does not certify the contents of the document to which it relates. It is issued by a country that is a party to the Hague Convention of 1961 to be used in another country which is also a party to the Convention.
NOTE: If the destination of the document is to a Non-Hague country, a more complex process for legalization at the federal level involving Department of State, consulates and/or embassies is required.
American Notary stands ready to serve as your trusted Apostille agent.
Authentication Certificate Requirements
Before submitting documents requiring authentication, you must:
Notarize each document in front of a notary public:
For notaries public commissioned through the county: Documents must first be certified by the clerk of court in the county where the notary is commissioned, and then certified by the secretary of state in the state where the document was notarized.
For notaries public commissioned through the state: Documents must only be certified by the secretary of state in the state where the document was notarized.
If you do not have the correct notarization(s) before you submit your documents your request will be rejected by the respective governmental entity.
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All seals and signatures must be originals
Document copies are not acceptable unless they are “true certified copies” from a notary public. Please note that birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees, court documents, and federally-issued documents cannot be certified by a notary public as “true copies.”
Requirements also vary based on the type of document you submit. Select the type of document below to learn more.
State and Local Documents
Examples of state and local documents include:
Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificates
Death Certificates
Divorce Decrees
Probate Wills
Judgments
Requirements for state and local documents include:
Original or certified document must include the raised and/or stamped seal of the court or department of vital records.
Federally-Issued Documents
Examples of federally-issued documents include:
Animal/Plant Certifications (issued by U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA)
Animal Health certifications (issued by USDA)
FBI – Background check (issued by U.S. Department of Justice, or DoJ)
U.S. Federal Court Documents check (issued by DoJ)
U.S. Bankruptcy Court check (issued by DoJ)
Immigration Certifications (issued by U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
Certificate of Foreign Governments (issued by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS)
Certificate of Pharmaceutical/Export (issued by HHS)
Trademark (Issued by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)
Other documents issued by Environmental Protection Agency, Social Security Administration, or Office of Personnel Management
Requirements for federally-issued documents include:
Must be executed by U.S. federal agencies
Must include a legible signature of the official's name, printed name and title, and seal of the agency
Must be on agency letterhead
Documents issued by the District of Columbia Superior Court and Court of Appeals
Examples include:
Marriage Certificates (Issued in the District of Columbia)
Requirements:
Document must have the original official signature and the raised seal of the court.
Other Documents
Examples of other documents include:
Affidavits
Agreements
Articles of Incorporation
Bylaws
Commercial Invoices
Copy of a U.S. Passport (identification page only)
Deeds of Assignment
Diplomas
Home Study
Income Verification
Powers-of-Attorney
Single Status
Transcripts
Other business documents
Apostille Requirements
If you do not have the correct notarization(s) before you submit your documents your request will be rejected by the respective governmental entity.
All seals and signatures must be originals
Document copies are not acceptable unless they are “true certified copies” from a notary public. Please note that birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees, court documents, and federally-issued documents cannot be certified by a notary public as “true copies.”
U.S. Department of State-Issued Apostille Requirements
Federally-issued documents for use in countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention may need to be authenticated with an apostille issued by the U.S. Department of State. Documents signed by the following officials require an apostille issued by the U.S. Department of State:
U.S. federal official
U.S. consular officer
A military notary, judge advocate (10 USC 1044a), or a foreign consul diplomatic official registered with the U.S. Department of State's Office of Protocol
Note: All certifications must include a legible signature of the official's name, title, and seal of the agency.