Apostille and Document Legalization Services
What is an Apostille and when do I need one? An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document (e.g., a birth, marriage or death certificate, a judgment, an extract of a register or a notarial attestation). The Model Apostille Certificate is reproduced at the beginning of this brochure. question question 1 What is an Apostille and when do I need one? www.hcch.net > Apostille Section Apostilles can only be issued for documents issued in one country party to the Apostille Convention and that are to be used in another country which is also a party to the Convention. You will need an Apostille if all of the following apply: • the country where the document was issued is party to the Apostille Convention; and • the country in which the document is to be used is hague conference on private international law | conférence de la haye de droit international privé party to the Apostille Convention; and •the law of the country where the document was issued considers it to be a public document; and • the country in which the document is to be used requires an Apostille in order to recognise it as a foreign public document.
With the increasing global nature of society in general and companies and individuals in particular, the need for document authentication for international use continues to grow.
People need apostilles for all kinds of reasons:
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Adoptions,
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Destination weddings,
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Real estate deals,
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Overseas employment,
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Study abroad,
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Even inheritance claims
The authentication or legalization process is something that can be done by the general public, however, the process can be complex and include mulitiple administrative hurdles that can trip up the casual user which can cause delays and/or costly mistakes.
Allowing Meticulous to handle these critically important documents for you helps ensure its done correctly the first time.
Our team has the expertise and the resources to complete your Apostille or authentication request (which can include translation services if needed), efficiently, professionally and accurately.
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APOSTILLE SERVICE PACKAGES START AT $125
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Contact us at Meticulous for a custom quote which will be based on your Apostille or authentication wants and needs such as:
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Number of documents requiring authentication.
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Your timeline (Next day, 2-3 days, 5-7 days).
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State of origin for the documents.
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Number of documents requiring notarization.
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Destination country for documents.
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Need of document translation.
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I can also provide Apostille Courier service for
out of area and out of state Apostille Agents.
What is an Apostille and when do I need one? (Hague Convention countries)
An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document (e.g., a birth, marriage or death certificate, a judgment, an extract of a register or a notarial attestation). Apostilles can only be issued for documents issued in one country party to the Apostille Convention and that are to be used in another country which is also a party to the Convention. You will need an Apostille if all of the following apply: •The country where the document was issued is party to the Apostille Convention; and •the country in which the document is to be used is party to the Apostille Convention; and •The law of the country where the document was issued considers it to be a public document; and the country in which the document is to be used requires an Apostille in order to recognize it as a foreign public document. •The country in which the document is to be used requires an Apostille in order to recognize it as a foreign public document.
Embassy Legalization (Non-Hague Convention countries)
The process for a document destined to be used in a non-Hague country is similar to an Apostille, however has a distinct process called embassy legalization. Embassy legalization has a three-tier process: •First, the document is presented to the Competent Authority where the document originatedfor state-level authentication. •Second, the document is presented to the U.S. Department of State for embassy legalization. •Third, if the client requests that you do so, the document is presented to the embassy of the country of destination.
Types of documents requiring Apostillisation or Legalization
•Personal Documents: Birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, adoption papers, and passports. •Educational Documents: Diplomas, academic certificates , and transcripts. •Legal Documents: Court orders, affidavits, and other legal documents that require authentication . •Business Documents: Articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing, contracts, powers of attorney, and other corporate documents.