What is an Apostille and How Does it Work?

Apostille is a legal document that verifies the authenticity of a document. It is issued by the government and is recognized internationally. Apostille is used to certify documents for use in foreign countries, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and educational diplomas.

The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, which was signed in 1961, established the apostille system. The convention aimed to simplify the process of legalizing documents for international use by eliminating the need for multiple certifications and authentication.

An apostille is a stamp or a printed certificate that is attached to the document. It contains the name of the country where the document was issued, the name of the document, and the date of issue. The apostille also includes a unique identification number that can be used to verify the authenticity of the document.

To obtain an apostille, the document must be certified by the appropriate government agency in the country where it was issued. In the United States, for example, the Secretary of State is responsible for issuing apostilles. The document must be accompanied by a written translation if it is not in English or French, the two official languages of the Hague Convention.

Apostilles are recognized in over 100 countries, including most European countries, Canada, Australia, and the United States. They are widely used for documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, wills, and powers of attorney.

In summary, an apostille is a legal document that verifies the authenticity of a document and is recognized internationally. It is issued by the government and can be used to certify documents for use in foreign countries.