Hague Participating Countries
The following countries are participating members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Any documents destined for these countries only require an apostille from the Secretary of State. We are here to answer your questions. Call 800.807.1260 (ext 3).
Brief History of the Hague Convention
In 1961, many countries joined together to create a simplified method of “legalizing” documents for universal recognition. Members of the conference, referred to as the Hague Convention, adopted a document referred to as an Apostille that would be recognized by all member countries. Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been a participant in the Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.
Note: If the country you will use your documents in is NOT a part of the Hague Convention (Non-Apostille) your documents will need to undergo the Authentication/Embassy Legalization process though the U.S Department of State in Washington D.C and the attestation at the Embassy or Consulate. We service all types of documents and every country. Let us know how we can help you. (Learn More)
What An Apostille Should Include
The Apostille Convention requires that all Apostilles be numbered consecutively, with individual numbers applied to each Apostille issued. The recognized standard Apostille contains a seal and 10 mandatory references: name of country from which the document emanates, name of person signing the document, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted, in the case of unsigned documents, the name of the authority that has affixed the seal or stamp, place of certification date of certification, the authority issuing the certificate, number of certificate, seal or stamp of authority issuing certificate and signature of authority issuing certificate.
Apostille Checklist
The checklist below will make sure you meet all requirements for an Apostille.
- Documents must be properly notarized in English by a Notary Public within your state.
- Some states will overlook a notary requirement as long as the document(s) bear the seal and signature of an elected official. We must contact your Secretary of State for their specific guidelines.
- If notarized, the documents must contain an acknowledgement statement in English for every signature on each document.
- Some states will require that all documents in a foreign language have been translated to English and contain a proper affidavit and notarial acknowledgement in English. However, some states within the USA only require that the Notary and Notary Seal be in English. We must contact your Secretary of State for their specific guidelines.
- Documents should be originals, certified copies or true and perfect copies, authenticated by the notary. A notary may not certify a photocopy of a document that is a vital record or a public record.
- Submit documents to be apostilled to your states Secretary of State’s office along with the proper fees: Each state fee and requirement may vary. Contact us for pricing at 800-807-1260 ext. 3.
Note: An Apostille is not valid when traveling to countries that are not part of the Hague Convention. You will need a Certificate of Authentication. We service all types of documents and every country. Let us know how we can help you.
Typical Wording Of An Apostille
Country … [country name]
This public document has been signed by … [name],
acting in the capacity of … [function],
bearing the seal/stamp of … [authority].
Certified at … [location],
the … [date],
by … [name],
No … [apostille registration number].
Seal/stamp … [of the authority giving the apostille]
Signature … [signature of authority giving the apostille]
The overall estimated processing time is about two weeks (14 days). If your travel plans are imminent, we offer expediated services.
Call 800.807.1260 (ext 3) for more information.
The Most Common Documents We Can Apostille Are:
- Marriage Certificates
- Wedding Certificates
- Birth Certificates
- Divorce Decrees
- Petition for Name Change
- Single Status Affidavit
- Child Custody
- Travel Consent Letter
- Death Certificates
- Power of Attorney
- Corporate Power of Attorney
- Business Documents / Agreements / NDA’s / Contracts
- Certificate of Free Sale (FDA) (Can also be issued by the local Chamber of Commerce or State office)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration – FDA
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office – USPTO
- Patent / Trademark
- Articles of Incorporation
- Office of Personnel Management – OPM
- Certificate of Origin & Commercial Invoice (Can also be issued by the local Chamber of Commerce or State office)
- US Department of Agriculture – USDA
- Environmental Protection Agency – EPA
- Animal/Plant Certifications
- Animal Health Certifications
- Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product – FDA
- US Department of Health and Human Services – HHS
- Certificate to Foreign Governments
- Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product
- Certificate of Free Sale / Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
- Certificate of Export
- Copy U.S. Passport
- Social Security
- Copy Drivers License
- Driving Record (DMV)
- Vehicle Title Registration (DMV)
- Car Title
- Boat Title
- Education Degrees / GED / Diplomas / Degrees / Transcripts
- Online Version for International Students Living Abroad
- TEFL / Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certification
- TESOL / Teachers of English of Other Languages
- Authorization of Agent
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Military Documentation
- U.S. Coast Guard Letters
- Federal Aviation Administration Letters & Documentation (FAA)
- Certificate of Foreign Government (CFG)
- Background Checks/Screening
- US Department of Justice – DOJ
- U.S. Federal Court Documents
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security – DHS
- U.S. Department of Transportation – DOT
- Federal Aviation Administration – FAA
- National Archives and Records Administration – NARA
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Certification of Nonexistence of Record
- USCIS Form G-24 – Certification of Documents
- Local / State / Background Screening
- FBI Background Checks
- IRS Form 6166 Apostille
- US Department of Treasury – TRE
- Social Security Administration – SSA
- Income and Benefits Letter
- Internal Revenue Service – IRS
- Federal Tax Return Apostille
- W2 Forms
Please Note: We can only help you with documents originating from or notarized within the United States. Notaries247.com are experts in obtaining an Apostille on your documents. We can provide you the most up-to-date information by phone, e-mail and contact forms.