What Is Apostille?

What exactly is an "apostille"? In today's interconnected world, documents frequently traverse borders, often bearing the signatures of notaries or other public officials. However, distinguishing whether these signatures are genuine poses a challenge for recipients.

An apostille is a certificate issued by a government agency to verify the authenticity of a notary public's or other public official's signature. Put simply, it confirms that the seal and signature affixed by the notary on a document are valid, making the notarization acceptable to the receiving agency in the foreign country.

Primarily utilized for documents destined for the 156 countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention, apostilles streamline the authentication process. For documents bound for nations outside the Hague Convention, additional certification from the U.S. Department of State might be necessary.