Apostille
A certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document for international use under the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, eliminating the need for further consular legalization.
What Is an Apostille?
An apostille is a standardized certificate issued under the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (1961), commonly called the Apostille Convention. It authenticates the signature, seal, or stamp on a public document so that the document is accepted in any other Convention country without further consular legalization. The Convention has more than 125 member countries, including the United States, EU member states, and most major trading partners.
Documents That Can Be Apostilled
- **Vital records**: birth, marriage, and death certificates - **Court documents**: judgments, orders, and notarial acts - **Educational documents**: diplomas, transcripts, and academic certifications - **Corporate documents**: articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing, board resolutions - **Notarial acts**: acknowledgments, jurats, and certified copies - **Powers of attorney**: properly notarized POAs for use abroad
Where to Obtain an Apostille
In the United States, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State of the state where the document originated. Federal documents (such as FBI background checks and IRS letters) are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State Authentications Office. The apostille is affixed directly to the document or to an attached page and includes 10 numbered fields specified by the Convention. Documents intended for non-Convention countries require legalization by the destination country's embassy or consulate, a longer and more expensive process. Many apostille services exist to handle the logistics, particularly for urgent international transactions.