An apostille is used as a way to validate the authenticity of the issuing party or a notary’s signature and, therefore, the authenticity of the document itself. In the United States, it usually comes as a separate page attached to the original document. When an apostille is included with a public record, it provides an added layer of proof that it is authentic. Florida apostilles can only be obtained through the Department of State. The apostille is placed on a special type of paper to prevent forgery or duplication and to further prove authenticity. Each apostille certificate also has an identification number.
Apostilles are necessary when a public or government document will need to be recognized by a foreign country. Documents issued in the United States are not automatically accepted in other countries, so having them authenticated prior to submitting them to foreign governments or agencies can streamline the process for international travelers or residents. Without having an apostille, it can be challenging to prove a document is legitimate, which can cause a whole host of problems. The Hague Convention established this system for certifying documents for legal purposes. The intention was that this would create a universally accepted method to prove the authenticity of documents originating from foreign countries. Member countries include Mexico, Belgium, South Korea, Australia, Namibia, Greece, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Chile, among many others, as there are currently 117 countries that are members of the Hague Convention. Nonmember countries are issued notarial certificates instead of apostilles. Our Florida apostille company can help you determine what the requirements are for your destination country.
The apostille requirement isn’t universal, which can make it complicated to determine how to approach traveling or moving abroad with vital documents. If you intend to travel internationally and think you may need to use a public document while in a different country, you’ll want to take all the necessary steps to ensure you’ll be allowed to do that. Our extensive experience with apostilles means that we have the knowledge to guide you through the authentication process seamlessly. While there are no hard and fast rules about when or where an apostille will be required, there are some general guidelines to refer to. It may be required to produce an apostille if you are traveling to a country that is a member of the Hague Convention or if the issuing country is a member. You will also need to determine whether or not the document is considered part of a legal process in the country in which you obtained it. In some circumstances, new laws in foreign countries may deem an apostille newly unnecessary, or vice versa. If you have questions, please contact Florida Apostilles and Filings for assistance.
Aside from this general list, there are a few additional rules and caveats that people requesting an apostille should be aware of. Any vital records should be obtained via the office of vital records and include a signature made by hand. Certain certificates, like birth and marriage, are not required to be notarized but must include a seal and signature. For documents issued by court clerks and Florida state officials, the Florida Secretary of State can also approve an apostille.
Please feel free to reach out to us if you have questions about your documents. Applying complex laws to various individual scenarios is no easy task, and there is no reason to feel discouraged if you don’t know what steps to take next. At Florida Apostille and Filings, we are proud to help our clients obtain apostilles in the most efficient way.
Navigating the complexities of regulations from multiple countries is not something most people feel equipped to handle. While it’s not impossible for individuals to complete the apostille process on their own, there is a considerable margin for error. There are also delays and significant complications that can arise if every requirement isn’t met. Working with a Florida apostille company means you don’t have to worry about filing paperwork, meeting deadlines, or including the necessary information because we will handle these details for you.
Our experts will take care of all these aspects to make sure your apostille is completed accurately. In addition, our apostille services company has nurtured a healthy working relationship with the Department of State office in Tallahassee, and the requests we submit have an incredibly short turnaround time. We provide fast and accurate apostille services in Florida, and you can feel confident that the specific requirements of your destination country will be met when you work with Florida Apostille and Filings.
First, you should ensure you have an original, certified copy of the document you need to apostille. The issuing office of apostilles requires that the original copy be submitted for authentication. The issuing office will either be the Secretary of State, the US Department of State, or both. Which office to submit to will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of document you’re attempting to have apostilled and the country you will be traveling or moving to. Our Florida apostille professionals offer expert guidance on obtaining the appropriate office’s authentication.
The original document is not the only submission requirement, however. There are other elements that you may need to include, such as a completed request form, return envelope, and appropriate payment.
In some cases, the authenticating agency or party can accept documents that have been certified as true copies by a notary public. Other document copies, however, must be approved by the Secretary of State. If you have questions about this, our team at Florida Apostille and Filings will be happy to help you. Generally, the following documents must be authenticated by the Secretary of State and not a notary:
It is important to understand the requirements, so time-consuming denials and resubmissions can be avoided. Ensuring that an original copy or, if allowed, a true certified copy of your document is included in the apostille request is crucial. If this aspect is missing from your submission to the authenticating agency, you can pretty much guarantee that the request will be denied.
If getting it right the first time is at the top of your priority list, let Florida Apostille and Filings take over the submission of your documents. Our experience and knowledge of this process translate to excellent success rates for our clients.
If you’ve been told you need to get a document authenticated, it might mean you need an apostille, depending on the type of document and where you intend to travel. Generally, authentication refers to apostilles or notarial certifications. Hague Convention member countries require you to apostille public or government documents for validation within their borders. However, countries that are not members of the Convention usually require notarial certifications. The concept is the same, but the process is different. If you’ve been advised to have your transcripts, birth certificate, or other important document authenticated, this is likely what was meant.
If you decide to utilize our apostille services in Florida, we ask that you mail all original documents to our office; FedEx, UPS, or 2-day US Postal Service packages are preferred. You will need to include a return label along with the documents to be apostilled. Prior to sending your papers to be processed by the competent authority, we will examine them to look for necessary and accurate notarial stamps or clerk signatures.
We provide this pre-screening step to ensure that the documents are likely to be approved for authentication once they reach the Secretary of State and that there are no delays in the processing of your documents. Denials and returned documentation can cost you time and money, which is why we make sure everything is in order before forwarding your request to the Department of State.
You may begin the apostille request process through walk-in services in the Department’s Tallahassee office or by mailing the necessary documentation to the Department of State. On average, the request process for apostilles takes up to two months, from the time you make the request to when you receive the completed documents. However, our Florida apostille experts make daily trips to the Secretary of State’s office. This means that our clients can expect short turnaround times in addition to stellar customer service and fair prices.
We know that you don’t always have the luxury of time when international travel is involved. Our turnaround time for approvals is approximately 24-48 hours due to our close proximity to the Department of State and thanks to the professional relationship we’ve maintained with them for the last 30 years. When you allow us to take care of your apostille request, you will have your completed documents back in your hands within two or three days after we receive them. We are happy to handle all of the necessary steps to remove the guesswork from this process and provide peace of mind to our Florida apostille clients.
Because there are so many variables to the apostille process, the exact procedure often varies from person to person. One requirement to be aware of is that any documents that are in a foreign language need to be translated by a certified translator, as well as notarized as a true English translation. The Secretary of State will not authenticate or provide an apostille for documents that are written in a language other than English. Once a translated copy is obtained, that version must be apostilled as opposed to the original foreign language version.
Another stipulation to be aware of is that in situations where both the court clerk and state competent authority must certify your document, it must clearly show that the clerk certified it first. This is crucial to the process because your apostille will not be processed without correct notarization methods.
Our service fee for the first apostille document is $50, while any additional documents sent for submission are $25 each. The Department of State also charges a fee of $10 per notarized document being apostilled and $20 for each document that is signed and stamped by a court clerk. If you have questions about what fees your specific documents will require, we are happy to discuss these details and clarify the associated costs.
At Florida Apostille and Filings, we work with state and federal offices, Embassies, and Consulates to ensure your papers are authenticated to the highest possible standards. Our Tallahassee office makes us centrally located for quick and easy access to the Department of State and other necessary Florida apostille services, so contact us today to get started or to learn more.