
The most common documents that need apostilles are birth certificates, school diplomas and transcripts, power of attorneys, and marriage, birth, and death certificates.
Full Answer
Which documents need an apostille?
You will need an Apostille if all of the following apply:
- The country where the document was issued is party to the Apostille Convention; and
- The country in which the document is to be used is party to the Apostille Convention; and
- The law of the country where the document was issued considers it to be a public document; and
How to obtain an apostille or certificate of authentication?
- The name of the country requesting documents. (Countries require different certifications and the document cannot be authenticated without this information)
- A daytime phone number for questions
- Information on where the documents should be mailed after processing
- If documents are for a minor, please use the name of the person making the request
Is an apostille the same as a notary?
No, it is not the same. Some people function as an “Apostille Notary” which is essentially a notary who will handle the Apostille service for you. What is an Apostille anyway? An Apostille is a form of certification set out in the 1961 Hague Convention, which allows the data on a document to be understood by the receiving country regardless of the official language of the issuing country.
What does it mean to have a document apostille?
What does it mean to have a document apostille? To apostille documents is to authenticate the seals and signatures of documents such as cooperate certificates and personal documents, important documents from public authorities which need to be recognised internationally that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty. Published

How do I get something Apostilled in Michigan?
To authenticate a document or obtain an apostille at an office, schedule an office visit and provide: A completed and signed Authentication Request Form. Payment for the Document Certification Fee ($1 per document) A self-addressed and stamped return envelope (used to mail authenticated documents back to you)
Where can I get an apostille stamp in Michigan?
The Office of the Great Seal may issue an apostille on documents issued by persons on file, including: Michigan notaries public, Michigan county clerks, designated deputy county clerks, city registrars (Wayne County only), and the Michigan state registrar.
How long does it take to get Apostille in Michigan?
How To Order An Apostille Certificate From The Michigan Department Of State. An original or certified copy is required. You cannot order a certified copy of your articles and request an Apostille at the same time. Normal processing takes up to 20 days, plus additional time for mailing, and costs $1.
How long does it take to get an apostille stamp?
Most apostilles are issued in just 1-2 days.
What Apostille means?
An Apostille is a special certificate issued by DFAT under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. Similar to authentication, the Apostille is DFAT confirming that the Notary's signature and seal on your notarised document is genuine.
How do you pronounce Apostille?
0:010:27How to Pronounce Apostille - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis word as well as how to say more interesting but even confusing words including legal terms soMoreThis word as well as how to say more interesting but even confusing words including legal terms so make sure to stay tuned to the channel how do you say it a pastel stress on the second syllable.
How do you get a copy of your birth certificate in Michigan?
Order A Record Online from www.VitalChek.com. Fees are $58.50: $34 for the record, $12 for the RUSH fee, and $12.50 for the VitalChek processing fee. This is a two-week processing time. There is an optional overnight delivery fee of $19.75, for a total of $78.25, and you should receive the record in 1-3 business days.
How many countries are there in the Apostille?
There are 2 ways how to obtain the apostille. And it depends on what country is it for. There are 117 countries which are part of apostille convention. The list of which you can find it here
Where to go to find out where a notary was commissioned?
3) After you find out where your notary public was commissioned you will need to go to the circuit court or notary public section (Washington DC) where the notary public was commissioned. The will place an authentication certifying that the particular notary public was commissioned and official notary for the county/city.
How much does it cost to notarize a document?
Find the closest notary public to you. Most of the banks and The UPS store provide notary services. The price for the notary at the UPS store somewhere between $2-15 depends on the where you will perform the notary and most of the banks provide free notary services. Don’t forget you will need to provide unexpired photo identification to the notary public in order to a notary public to able to notarize the document
What is a traveling notary?
A traveling notary is going to make your life much easier when you need to get any kind of work done. My services include loan document signings, mortgage signings, real state acknowledgment, deeds of trust, title documents, escrow documents, quitclaim deeds, grant deeds, health documents, insurance documents, oaths and many others.
What is an apostille?
see all articles here. An apostille is a government seal that makes it legal to use certain documents outside of the United States. These documents include public documents like marriage, birth, and death certificates, as well as all types of court documents, diplomas, school records, and official certificates.
How much does an apostille cost?
The total cost of getting an apostille may include getting copies of all necessary documents. Depending on the county, some vital records offices may charge $10 and up per copy, for documents like birth or marriage certificates. Factor in the cost of a signing service, as well as the apostille itself, and you’ll have the total amount. To request an apostille from the Secretary of State, it’s generally $15 per copy, unless the apostille is for adoption proceedings, in which case the cost drops down to $10 per apostille.
What about documents written in a foreign language?
If you need documents apostilled that are not written in English, you’ll need to have the papers translated by a translator, then the notary signs on the translated documents. The notary would need to witness the translation as well as the translator signing the papers, then both the untranslated and translated copies would be turned in to receive the apostille.
Do notaries need to sign apostilles?
All apostilles require a legal signature and official seal of the participating agency.
Do you need an apostille to enter another country?
Documents that are apostilled require no further certification upon entering another country, including Embassy or customs certification. Check with state guidelines to ensure you have everything you need to request an apostille as well as the appropriate forms and notarized documents to expedite the process.
What is an apostille certificate?
An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document (e.g. , a birth, marriage or death certificate, a judgment, an extract of a register or a notarial attestation). The Model Apostille Certificate is reproduced at the beginning of this brochure. Apostilles can only be issued for documents issued in one country party ...
When is an apostille not required?
An Apostille may not be required if the laws, regulations, or practice in force in the country where the public document is to be used have abolished
Why do we need an apostille?
The country in which the document is to be used requires an Apostille in order to recognition it as a foreign public. An Apostille may never be used for the recognition of a document in the country where that document was issued – Apostilles are strictly for the use of public documents abroad!
Is there an apostille near me?
Apostille Near Me is not affiliated with the Department of State in Washington, DC nor with any of Secretary of States, local or state government agency. However, we are listed with the Secretary of State of California as an approved provider for all Apostille needs. The office of the Secretary of State is the main office that issues Apostilles & Authentications for documents to be used oversea.
Can an apostille be issued in another country?
Apostilles can only be issued for documents issued in one country party to the Apostille Convention and that are to be used in another country which is also a party to the Convention.
What documents can be apostilled in Georgia?
Documents the GSCCCA can apostille: Georgia Issued Vital Records, Court Documents and Corporations Division Documents: Publicly recorded documents must be official certified copies with the signature and seal of the issuing Georgia state or county official. These documents are never notarized. Birth certificates. Death certificate.
What is an apostille document?
Documents issued by a foreign country. (Contact that country.) Documents going to countries that are not parties to the Apostille Convention. Documents that will be used within the United States of America, its territories or possessions.
What is a notary certificate?
Certification of notary public, also called a certificate of authority, certifies that the notary public holds, or held, a notary commission during a particular term of office. The GSCCCA only issues this certification for documents that will be used within the U.S., a U.S. territory or U.S. embassy (typically visa requests).
What does a notary seal/stamp need to match?
The notary seal/stamp must match the name as it appears on the notary commission.
Do notaries have to include the date of notarization?
The notary must include the exact date of notarization on the notarial certificate .
Is a notary certification used in conjunction with an apostille?
are considered to be international documents going to that foreign country. (2) A certification of notary is not used in conjunction with an apostille.
WHERE CAN I APPLY FOR AN APOSTILLE?
The application for an apostille must be made by the holder of the document in the document’s country of issue. Each member state of The Hague Convention determines which authorities are responsible for issuing the apostille.
What is an apostille?
An Apostille is a certification provided under The Hague Convention of 1961 for authenticating documents for use in foreign countries. Its only function is to certify the authenticity of the signature of a document.
WHEN CAN THE HAGUE APOSTILLE BE USED?
An apostille may be used only between states which are members of the Multilateral Hague Convention.
WHAT DOES THE APOSTILLE CERTIFICATE LOOK LIKE?
An apostille is placed directly on the document to be authenticated in the form of a 9×9 centimetre stamp and must always be titled “Apostille” (Hague Convention of 1961).
Why do you need an apostille?
The law of the country where the document was issued considers it to be a public document; The country in which the document is to be used requires an Apostille in order to recognition it as a foreign public.
Do you need a translation of an apostille?
Generally, the authorities in the designated country will require a translation of the original. In this case, the translation must be certified instead of the original document. Depending on the type of document, you may need a translation from a sworn translator. This is an example picture of an Apostille: Hague Apostille example.
What documents do notaries need to get an apostille?
The most common documents that need apostilles are birth certificates, school diplomas and transcripts, power of attorneys, and marriage, birth, and death certificates.
What is an apostille?
According to the Hague Conference on Private International Law, An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document. In order for the apostille to be used, both the issuing and receiving countries must be party to the Apostille Convention. Additional information about the Apostille Convention can be found in ...
How old do you have to be to get an apostille in Texas?
Birth certificates requiring an apostille in the state of Texas cannot be more than three years old. You need to know your state's procedures. These are just a few of the steps involved in processing requests for an apostille. Check with your Secretary of State's Office for a more detailed explanation.
How much does it cost to get an apostille?
Each state handles the apostille request in a different manner. For instance, some states charge a fee per document. At the time of this writing, Texas charges $15 per document apostille. Indiana, on the other hand, does not charge a fee for apostille documents, while New Mexico charges $3 per apostille.
Which state issues an apostille?
For instance, I had a client who lived in Mexico, and he needed an apostille for his college transcripts to use in Mexico. He attended the University of North Carolina, so transcripts had to be notarized by the university's registrar and then forwarded to the North Carolina Secretary of State's Office for a Mexico apostille.
Can an apostille be processed in one article?
There are several different variables involved when determining how an apostille request should be processed. There is no way all of the variables can be covered in one article. However, the majority of the documents I've processed have been fairly simple and have only required an apostille from the Secretary of States Apostille Unit.
Do notaries warrant information?
We do not warrant the information gathered from those sources. It is your responsibility to know the appropriate laws governing your state. Notaries are advised to seek the advice of an attorney in their state if they have legal questions about how to notarize.
What is the size of apostilles in New Jersey?
Apostilles and certifications issued by the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services are one-page, 8.5 x 11 documents with a color laser print of the Great Seal of the State of New Jersey and the signature of the New Jersey State Treasurer.
Where to contact for international document exchange?
In all cases involving international document exchange, we recommend that you contact officials in the receiving country or visit the U.S. Department of State website for further information and guidance on the exchange process.
Can you issue an apostille for a vital record?
We cannot issue Apostilles or certifications for vital records from other states. Have out-of-state records authenticated in the state of origin. For documents in languages other than English, we recommend that you attach a notarized English translation.

How Do I Get A Document Apostilled?
How Much Does An Apostille Cost?
- The total cost of getting an apostille may include getting copies of all necessary documents. Depending on the county, some vital records offices may charge $10 and up per copy, for documents like birth or marriage certificates. Factor in the cost of a signing service, as well as the apostille itself, and you’ll have the total amount. To request an apostille from the Secretary of St…
What About Documents Written in A Foreign Language?
- If you need documents apostilled that are not written in English, you’ll need to have the papers translated by a translator, then the notary signs on the translated documents. The notary would need to witness the translation as well as the translator signing the papers, then both the untranslated and translated copies would be turned in to receive the apostille. All apostilles requ…
For More Information
- Looking for a convenient notary to help you get your apostille process moving? Contact Superior Notary Services at 877-507-4600for quick and easy document notarization. Our other services include real estate, auto loan, mortgage, and general notarizations at a convenient time and place for a reasonable fee. Browse our website to find out more about what we offer, or stop by our of…