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What is an "Apostille" or "Authentication?" | |
Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been part 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. Under the Hague Convention, signatory countries have agreed to recognize public documents issued by other signatory countries if those public documents are authenticated by the attachment of an internationally recognized form of authentication known as an "apostille". The Apostille ensures that public documents issued in one signatory country will be recognized as valid in another signatory country. |
The sole function of the Apostille is to certify the authenticity of the signature on the document; the capacity in which the person signing the document acted; and the identity of any stamp or seal affixed to the document. | |
An Apostille issued by the Secretary of State is a one page document embossed with the Great Seal of a State. The Apostille includes the facsimile signature of the individual issuing the certificate. | |
The Convention applies only to public documents. These are documents emanating from an authority or official connected with a court or tribunal of the State (including documents issued by an administrative, constitutional or ecclesiastical court or tribunal, a public prosecutor, a clerk or a process-server); administrative documents; notarial acts; and official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private capacity, such as official certificates recording the registration of a document or the fact that it was in existence on a certain date and official and notarial authentications of signatures. The main examples of public documents for which Apostille are issued in practice include birth, marriage and death certificates; extracts from commercial and other registers; patents; court rulings; notarial acts and notarial attestations of signatures; and academic diplomas issued by public institutions. Diplomas issued by private institutions may not receive an apostille (apostillised) directly; however, a "private" diploma may, however, bear an official certificate issued by a notary, Solicitor, Agency or any other person or authority competent under the law of the State of origin of the diploma to authenticate the signature on the diploma. This official certificate is a public document under the Convention and thus may receive an apostille. There are currently over 60 member states of the Hague convention and in addition to those countries many other countries will also recognize an Apostille certificate |
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.
Albania Liberia
The Hague Legalization Convention is in force in the following countries.
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
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
Latvia
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malawi
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Moldova, Republic of
Monaco
Montenegro
Namibia
Netherlands
New Zealand
Niue
Norway
Panama
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Serbia
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