Do You Need An Apostille For Your Documents?

Apostille is a form of legalization that can be used to authenticate the signature, contents, and the seal or stamp of a public document. It is an international certification comparable to a notarization in domestic law.

The Apostille Convention (1961), an international treaty that standardizes the process for authenticating official documents for use in foreign countries, was adopted by the United Nations in 1961 and entered into force on September 15, 1967. Every member country of the United Nations has signed and ratified it, with the exception of Belarus, Kazakhstan and South Sudan.

The Convention simplifies the procedures for authenticating public documents for use abroad by establishing a uniform procedure for certifying foreign public documents and their signatures. The Convention also exempts from legalization those other foreign public documents (apart from those issued in any contracting state) having no requirements to be authenticated by an apostille.

What Are Apostilles Used For?

Apostilles are used for the following: to certify the authenticity of public documents issued abroad, such as birth certificates and marriage licenses;

Apostilles are also used to certify that a document has been translated into another language.

To certify that a document is notarized, verified and authenticated by the competent authority in a foreign country;

To certify that information contained in a document from another country has been certified as true and correct;

To verify the authenticity of signatures on documents produced abroad.

Do You Need An Apostille in Austin, TX?

If you are wondering whether or not you need an Apostille in Austin, TX, the answer is yes. The Texas Secretary of State requires that all documents be authenticated by an Apostille prior to use in the state of Texas. Fortunately, there are professional Austin apostille services that can help you with the process. If you are planning to use your document in Austin, TX or elsewhere within the state of Texas, it’s important that it is properly prepared for submission.