1. What is Apostille?
An Apostille (pronounced “ah-po-steel”) is a French word meaning certification. It certifies the authenticity of a public document, signature or stamp. It is a form of authentication issued to documents for use in countries that participate in the Hague Convention of 1961. Here is a list of countries that accept Apostilles.
The apostille ensures that public documents issued in one member country will be recognized as valid in another member country. Since the introduction of the apostille as a form of notarial certification, the international transfer of documents has become far easier and faster. Apostilles require no further diplomatic or consular legalization.
2. What's the process of Apostille?
A. Have your documents notarized by a notary public (if any) or get an original document or a certified copy from the authorities.
B. Get the Apostille from the Secretary of State or the U.S. Department of State.
State-issued documents need to be apostilled by the Secretary of State where the documents were issued. A state-issued document with an apostille does not require additional certification by the U.S. Department of State or legalization by a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas to be recognized in a participating country.
Federally-issued documents need to be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State.
3. What countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention?
Albania
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Chile
China (Hong Kong)
China (Macau)
China (Mainland)
Colombia
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Estonia
Eswatini
Fiji
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malawi
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niue
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Republic of Korea
Republic of Moldova
Romania
Russian Federation
* Rwanda (will start to accept Apostille on June 5, 2024)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States of America
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
The above list is from here.
Tips: Please note that if the document is issued by or will be used in a Non-Hague Apostille Country, the document should be authenticated (not apostilled) by the competent authorities and need additional legalization by a Consulate or Embassy office.
American Notary Service Center Inc. provides fair, fast, confidential, and professional document notarization and certification services for our clients. We also provide various assistance services to small businesses led by socially and economically disadvantaged groups. Our service helps small businesses obtain federal government contracts, gain a foothold in the market, and boost their sales. For more information, please visit our website at www.usnotarycenter.com, and contact us by calling 202-599-0777 or by email at info@usnotarycenter.com.