Apostille & Document Authentication

Get Apostille or Authentication for Your Documents Today!

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Some of the most common questions we get are:

• Do I need an Apostille to send public documents to a foreign country?
• Is there a mobile Apostille near me?
• Can you Apostille my Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or any other foreign document that the U.S. State Department’s Office of Authentications requires?
• Do you offer Hague Convention Apostille & Document Authorization for all countries?

The answer to these questions is YES!

What Documents Do I Need?

Before sending documents to a foreign country, you’ll have to prove they are legal & valid.  If you plan to use or transfer them overseas you will need to certify the documents & show legal proof of the certification and any of their seals.

You can go about this in two different ways:

1. Your documents can be streamlined through a process known as Apostille (pronounced “ah-pa-steel”) as long as the countries are part of The Hague Convention.
2. For countries that are not party to the Hague Convention, documents must undergo a more involved process known as authentication and legalization of documents.

In both cases,  you’ll need government agencies to review the notary or signatures on the documents.

1. In the U.S., offices of county clerks, the Secretary of State or equivalent state filing offices, and even some courts, may be involved in the certification process.
2. If you have documents that require legalization, they are routed for certification by the U.S. State Department’s Office of Authentications.
3. Once they’ve been certified the documents continue on to the embassy or consulate of the country of intent.

Get Apostille or Authentication for Your Documents in California Today!

Call Us (818) 636-3686

What’s The Difference in Apostille or a Document Authentication?

Apostille

Apostille and Authentication are two main ways to provide proof that a documents’ certification and any seals are legal and valid.

An Apostille is a certificate is often attached to a document to validate it for use outside the United States. There is a distinct process for how to obtain an Apostille.

1. First, a competent authority in the country of origin affixes its’ seal to the document.
   

   In the U.S., competent authorities include the Secretary of State or equivalent in U.S. states and the District of Columbia, the clerks and deputy clerks of U.S. federal courts, and the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications.

2. Once a document is fixed with an Apostille, it is acceptable for use in the foreign jurisdiction.
3. Remember, for an Apostille to be accepted, the document must have been issued and for use in countries that are party to the Hague Convention.

Get Apostille or Authentication for Your Documents Today!

Call Us (818) 636-3686

Authentication

In some instances, You may need more than an Apostille.

In these cases, a process known as Authentication is required. When Authentication is needed an Apostille may not be the only requirement, and the documents must be further certified.

1. You will need to start Authentication with the relevant party signing a document and having it notarized.
2. Then, county or state officials examine the notary acknowledgement.
3. And finally, the U.S. Department of State certifies the document.

For More Information or to get Apostille or Document Authentication Services, Call Us (818) 636-3686