Which kind of apostille and authentication service should I choose?

Many of our clients have questions about the service type they should choose. To determine which kind of apostille and authentication service you need to order online, it is essential to have a clear understanding of your document type and the country in which the document will be used.

Usually, if the document is issued in the U.S. or by the U.S. authorities, and will be used in another country, a certification process will be required before its use. The certification process may be called Apostille, Authentication (Great Seal), and Legalization.

Depending on the document type and the destination country, one or more of the above processes could be required.

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1. Documents issued by a state, local agency, or a local notary public.

Examples of state/local documents and documents notarized by a notary public include:

• Birth Certificates

• Marriage Certificates

• Death Certificates

• Divorce Certificates/Decrees

• Probate Wills

• Judgments

• Local Court Documents

• Powers-of-Attorney

• Single Status Affidavit

• Affidavit of One and The Same Person

• Gift Affidavit

• Other Affidavits

• Waiver of Inheritance

• Petition for Name Change at a local court

• Copy of a U.S. Passport (identification page only)

• Deeds of Assignment

• Diplomas

• Transcripts

• Home Study

• Income Verification

• Background Check by a local police department

• Agreements

• Articles of Incorporation

• Bylaws

• Board Resolution

• Shareholder's Resolution

• Commercial Invoices

• Other business documents

The above is a non-exhaustive list.

1.1 State/local documents used in a Hague Apostille Country

1.2 State/local documents used in a Non-Hague Apostille Country

2. Documents issued by a federal agency or notarized by a U.S. Consular Officer.

2.1 Federally-issued documents used in a Hague Apostille Country

2.2 Federally-issued documents used in a Non-Hague Apostille Country

If you have any questions and do not know which service to order, please contact us by describing ① the type of the document, ② which state the doc is from, and ③ in which country the doc will be used, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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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.