Frequently Asked Questions
An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document.
The Apostille Convention only applies if both the country where the public document was issued and the country where the public document is to be used are parties to the Hague Convention.
If your public document was issued or is to be used in a country where the Apostille Convention does not apply, you should contact the Embassy or a Consulate of the country where you intend to use the document in order to find out what your options are. The Permanent Bureau (Secretariat) of the Hague Conference does not provide assistance in such cases.
The Convention only applies to public documents.
Each country that is party to the Convention must designate one or several authorities that are entitled to issue Apostilles such as the Secretary of State. These authorities are called Competent Authorities – only they are permitted to issue Apostilles.
Does the Apostille Convention apply in both the country that issued the public document and the country where I intend to use it?
The Apostille Convention is silent on the cost of Apostilles. As a result, the practice among Competent Authorities varies greatly.
An Apostille must be placed directly on the public document itself or on a separate attached page (called an allonge). Apostilles may be affixed by various means, including rubber stamps, self-adhesive stickers, impressed seals, etc.
An Apostille only certifies the origin of the public document to which it relates: it certifies the authenticity of the signature or seal of the person or authority that signed or sealed the public document and the capacity in which this was done.
No. An Apostille issued by the relevant Competent Authority is all that is required to establish that a signature or seal on a public document is genuine and to establish the capacity of the person or authority that signed or sealed the public document.
Each Competent Authority is required to keep a register in which it records the date and number of every Apostille it issues, as well as information relating to the person or authority that signed or sealed the underlying public document.
Apostilles issued in accordance with the requirements of the Convention must be recognized in the country where they are to be used. Apostilles may only be rejected if and when their origin cannot be verified.
The Convention does allow Competent Authorities to issue Apostilles in electronic form (e-Apostilles) and to maintain electronic registers of Apostilles (e-Registers).
Documents in a foreign language that have not been translated into English
No. You will need to provide the original certificate or a certified copy from your issuing states Department of Health’s Vital Records office. A notary public may not certify a photocopy of a document that is a vital record or a public record.
Yes. An English translation of the entire document must accompany the document submitted in the foreign language.
Yes, typically your Apostille or Certification will have an additional fee to expedite.
You may perform a preliminary notary public search on each Secretary of State website.