Apostille for Personal Records

Whether for legal or professional apostille for official original documents, it’s increasingly common for individuals and businesses to need to submit official documents to authorities in foreign countries. Navigating the apostille process can be difficult, but with the right resources and information, it’s possible to get your documents authenticated in a timely manner.

Apostille for Personal Records

An apostille is a way to verify the authenticity of public documents that will be used abroad, such as birth certificates, marriage licenses or educational transcripts. The process is governed by the Hague Convention of 1961. In order for a document to be eligible for an apostille, it must first be issued by the county clerk or state official where the document originated.

Documents that have been notarized or signed by a notary can be authenticated with an authentication certificate rather than a full apostille, depending on the destination country. An authentication certificate verifies that the signatures, seals or stamps on the document are genuine and were affixed in accordance with state law.

Apostilles and authentications are only valid for use in countries that have signed the Hague Convention of 1961. For a more comprehensive list of countries that recognize the apostille, please see the U.S. Department of State’s website. Each state determines its apostille or authentication process, so it’s important to know which process your document will need. If your document is private, it will need to be apostilled by a designated authority, generally the secretary of state’s office. If it is a Maryland-issued document or a federal document, it will need to go through the full legalization process.