What Is an Apostille?

An apostille is a certificate that verifies the origin of a public document so it will be recognized in another country. It is issued under the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, an international treaty that simplifies the process of authenticating documents across borders.

If you need to use a U.S. document in another country, that country may ask for an apostille to confirm the document is genuine. Without it, your document may be rejected by foreign government offices, employers, schools, or courts.

What documents can be apostilled?

Common documents that receive apostilles include:

• Birth, marriage, and death certificates
• Divorce decrees and court orders
• Diplomas, transcripts, and school records
• Powers of attorney
• Articles of incorporation and certificates of good standing
• FBI background checks
• Notarized documents

Who issues an apostille?

In the United States, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State in the state where the document originated, or by the U.S. Department of State for federal documents. For example, a California birth certificate receives a California Secretary of State apostille, while an FBI background check receives a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State.

What does an apostille look like?

An apostille is typically a separate certificate attached to your document. It includes information such as the country, the authority that issued it, the signature being verified, and a unique identification number.

Do all countries accept apostilles?

Only countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention accept apostilles. If the destination country is not a member, a different process called authentication or attestation is usually required.

At MJM Signings, we help clients determine whether an apostille, authentication, or attestation is needed, and we handle the filing so the documents are processed correctly the first time.

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