What is an Apostille?
An Apostille (pronounced "ah-po-steel") is simply the name for a specialized certificate, issued by the State Government. The Apostille is attached to your original document, to verify it is legitimate and authentic, and therefore it will be accepted internationally.
If the country where you intend to use your document is a member nation of the Hague Convention you require an Apostille.
On October 5, 1961 the several nations joined to create this simplified method of legalizing documents through the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.
MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE HAGUE CONVENTION TREATY
The folowing countries accept the Apostille as a form of international document legalization.
Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, China (Macau), China (Hong Kong), Colombia, Cook Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Republic of, Latvia, Lesotho, , Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Republic of, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niue, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom (U.K.), United States of America, Venezuela.
Who issues an Apostille?
The Apostille certification is from the State government, after reviewing the document's signature and validating it's legitimacy. It is an official state government certification. Apostille has two forms like a full 8 1/2" X 11" page certificate or a seal. The Apostille is permanently attached, and you cannot remove the staples or separate it from your original document.
Is an Apostille different for different countries or different documents?
All Apostille certificates will look the same for all the countries you request an Apostille for. There is no difference between an Apositlle which will be used for Mexico and an Apostille for Russia. Similarly, there is no difference between an Apostille for a Birth Certificate and an Apostille for a Marriage Certificate, or a Power of Attorney or a Court Divorce Decree. The Apostille will look the same. However, a few countries have a different requirement other than an Apostille, and your document would receive a Legalization Certificate instead.
Embassy Legalization
If the country where you intend to use your document is a non-member nation of the Hague Convention, you require an Embassy Legalization.
An Embassy Legalization is required, when the country where you intend to use your documents is a non-member of the Hague Convention.
NON-MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE HAGUE CONVENTION TREATY
We provide document legalization services from the folowing Embassies in Washington, DC.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba *Cuba Interests Section, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea - Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran *Iran Interests Section, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine *Palestine Mission (PLO), Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan , Tanzania , Thailand , Togo, Tunisia , Turkmenistan , Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Documents for Apostille
Almost every type of document can be Apostilled or Legalized through the Embassy or Consulate including:
* Birth Certificate
* Adoption Documents
* Marriage Certificate
* Divorce Decree
* Death Certificate
* Report of Birth Abroad
* Single proof letter (to marry)
* Naturalization Documents
* Power of Attorney
* Diploma and/or Transcripts
* Corporate Documents
* Certificate of Good Standing
* Incorporation documents
* ISO Certificate
* Bylaws
* Affidavits
* Identity documents and/or Passports
* Proof of Citizenship
* Deeds or Titles
* Wills
* Agreements
* Assignments
* Trademark and Patent documents
* Letter of Invitation
* Letter of Debt
* Invoices
* Bills of Sale
* Proof of Ownership
* Police Records
* Private Documents