Apostille Translation

1. What is Apostille? WWW.UNIVERSAL-TRANSLATION-SERVICES.COM Apostille is a type of a certificate, used by the countries who are members of The Hague Convention titled “Abolishing the Requirement of Consular Legalization for Foreign Public Documents of 1961”. Under this Convention, member countries agree to facilitate the exchange and verification of documents, and one such instrument is an apostille – essentially an international certification of a notarized document in any country that participates in the convention.

2. Apostille is affixed by competent authorities designated by the government of a country which is party to the convention. Apostille is done for personal documents like birth, marriage, death certificates, affidavits, educational documents like degrees, diplomas, secondary level certificates etc. Apostille stamp is a square shaped computer generated sticker, pasted on reverse of the original documents. Apostille stamp is a unique sticker having a unique identification number, through which any member country of The Hague convention can check its authenticity online. Under normal circumstances, once the document has been Apostilled, it does not need to be attested any more from the concerned foreign embassy.

3. Only countries belonging to The Hague Convention can issue and accept apostilles. In the United States, all 50 states and the Federal Government can issue apostilles. However, an apostille can only be obtained for the correct jurisdiction. So, if your original document is from New York State, then the New York Secretary of State apostilles it. The apostille itself is a separate certification. It gets attached to your original document usually by a staple, a rivet or a ribbon. It may contain a raised seal, a gold seal, a ribbon, or any other design elements agreed upon by its issuing body.

4. Do I Need Apostille? You will need an apostille when your document will be used in a foreign country. You will also need an apostille when your document will be used in a foreign consulate within your home country. If you are translating and notarizing a document in the USA that is going overseas to the country that is part of the convention, you do need the apostille. If the destination country is not a member of the convention, you don’t need to obtain the apostille certification, because it is not going to be recognized anyway. There is a growing need for apostille translations and Apostille services for documents to be used abroad. In fact, certified translations of apostille documents are required in many international situations including marriage, citizenship, adoption, business transactions and legal proceedings.

5. How Do I Get a Document Apostilled? The Office of the Secretary of State for each state is empowered to place the stamp on documents for use in foreign countries. The website of the secretary of state is the best place to find information on the process, as it can vary somewhat from one state to the next. You’ll need to have all of Do I Need to Translate Apostille? Yes, werecommend that you obtain certified translation of the apostilled document, as well as the certified translation of the apostille certificate attached to it. your documents in order. This means you’ll need original copies of your state-issued documents, notarized within that state and made official. You’ll also need the name of the country requesting that document, so your notary can double check the document requirements due to the fact that each country has their own set of specific guidelines regarding document apostilles. Any vital records must come from their country of origin. You can request an apostille online or in person, and you’ll need to go through the appropriate channels, per your state guidelines, to get to the right department and request the apostille. The applicant sends the form, the original document that requires the stamp and a fee to the secretary of state for processing. The time frame could be up to seven days, so give yourself some flexibility if you need an apostille; you may not be able to get it immediately.

6. 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. All apostilles require a legal signature and official seal of the participating agency. 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.

7. Where Can I Get My Document Translated and Apostilled? You may contactUniversal Translation Services with all your certified document translation and apostille needs in any foreign language and English. The Apostille must be affixed at the government agency in the country which issued the original document in the foreign language. If that foreign country is a member of The Hague convention, then you will be able to easily locate the contact information for the appropriate authorities in the pertinent foreign country on The Hague Convention’s website.