HELPFUL INFORMATION

STATE – FEDERAL – EMBASSY/CONSULATES

At the U.S. state level, the word “apostille” indicates one of two things:

1. The state’s legalization of a properly prepared document to be presented in a foreign country belonging to the Hague Convention of October 1961.
2. The state’s legalization of any properly prepared document to be presented in any foreign country, whether or not it belongs to the Hague Convention of October 1961.

Several states issue an “Apostille” legalization for documents destined to be presented in Hague Convention countries, and a “Certification” or “Authentication” legalization for Non-Hague Convention countries. However, the state of  California issues a universal  “apostille” that is applicable for both Hague and Non-Hague countries.

STATE – FEDERAL – EMBASSY/CONSULATES

Embassy: The official main office of a foreign county.

Consulate: A regional office of foreign country. (Some countries have several)

The California Apostille (Apostille Stamp) is a legalization issued by the California Secretary of State for non-federal documents, certifying the proper signature(s) of documents destined for any foreign country. Only the signature of a California Notary Public and the following California officers and their deputies may be legalized as such in the State of California: County Clerk or Recorder, Court Administrator of the Superior Court, Officers whose authority is not limited to any particular county, Executive Clerks of the Superior Court, Executive Officers of the Superior Court. (The Apostille process for other states follow similar guidelines. You may call us for additional information.)

The U.S. Department of State Apostille is a legalization issued by the U.S. Dept. of State for federal documents that are destined for presentation in a Hague country wherein these documents are signed by a federal official and contain the proper seal, title and legible name  of the signer. State issued documents can not receive this type of legalization.

The U.S. Department of State Authentication is a legalization issued by the U.S. Dept. of State for documents destined for presentation in Non-Hague countries that have been  properly signed by a federal officer with the required seal and title, or the Secretary of State in which the doc was executed or the signatures of federal agency docs and courts docs executed by the District of Colombia which contain the proper elements. This type of legalization is usually required for docs destined for Non-Hague Convention countries.

The Clerk of the Court Apostille certifies documents of a Federal Court of the U.S. as authentic for presentation in foreign countries. It is issued by the respective federal Clerk of the Court. This type of Apostille is applicable only to Federal Court Documents.

Embassy/Consulate Legalizations are authentications that are required and applied by Non-Hague Convention Countries. In most cases the respective Embassy or Consulate attaches their own authentication to the document after the document has been legalized by the U.S. Department of State. (However, there are Non-Hague Convention countries that require only the state legalization as a mandate for issuing their respective embassy/consular authentication.)