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Paula's Apostille & Notary
What is an Apostille?
An apostille validates the document seals and signatures, allowing it to be used in a foreign country.
An apostille validates the document seals and signatures, allowing it to be used in a foreign country.
State or Federal Apostille?
Federal Documents are obtained from the federal government and must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C.. Examples include:
U.S. Passports
Federal Court Documents
Social Security Administration (SSA) Documents
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Documents
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Documents
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Documents
Consular Reports of Birth, Death, and Marriage of U.S. Citizens Abroad:
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Documents
This will typically be background checks
Federal Documents from other agencies:
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may also need to be apostilled if used internationally.
State Documents are obtained from the issuing state and must be apostilled by that Secretary of State. Examples include:
Birth Certificates
Death Certificates
Divorce Decrees
Judgments in state court cases
Marriage Certificates
Probate Wills
Driver’s license
High school Diploma / college degree
If your document is signed by one of the following officials, you must get an apostille certificate:
U.S. federal official
U.S. consular officer
Foreign consul registered with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Protocol
Military notary or judge advocate
Legalization Authentications
(Embassy) legalization authentications function the same as an apostille. Authentications may require more steps to satisfy all requirements of the destination country. While over 100 countries have agreed to the apostille process, many countries have additional requirements.
(Embassy) legalization authentications function the same as an apostille. Authentications may require more steps to satisfy all requirements of the destination country. While over 100 countries have agreed to the apostille process, many countries have additional requirements.
Understanding the Apostille Process
An apostille is a form attached to your US document that verifies the authenticity of the seals and signatures, and is commonly used when submitting documents to other countries.
An apostille is a form attached to your US document that verifies the authenticity of the seals and signatures, and is commonly used when submitting documents to other countries.
Apostilling documents can be a complex process. In most cases, you must obtain an original or certified copy of the document you are required to apostille. Once received, the document must be submitted to the issuing office of authentications, such as the Secretary of State, the US Department of State in Washington, DC, and the embassy or consulate.
Apostilling documents can be a complex process. In most cases, you must obtain an original or certified copy of the document you are required to apostille. Once received, the document must be submitted to the issuing office of authentications, such as the Secretary of State, the US Department of State in Washington, DC, and the embassy or consulate.
The biggest challenge in the apostille authentication process is the unique requirements of each document one must meet before the paperwork is valid for apostille. This is why ensuring your documents meet all the requirements for apostille or embassy legalization is important.
The biggest challenge in the apostille authentication process is the unique requirements of each document one must meet before the paperwork is valid for apostille. This is why ensuring your documents meet all the requirements for apostille or embassy legalization is important.
We can prepare, file, and obtain the apostille for every state. We can sometimes provide same-day apostille service for documents originating in Oregon or Washington. However, federal documents from the US Department of State will always require more time.
We can prepare, file, and obtain the apostille for every state. We can sometimes provide same-day apostille service for documents originating in Oregon or Washington. However, federal documents from the US Department of State will always require more time.
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