An apostille is not something that the average person thinks about. However, when you have an official document that you must send outside of the United States, you may be required to authenticate your document with this feature. Here is some of the important information you need to know about the process.
Requirements
The requirements as to when you do and do not need an apostille vary from situation to situation. However, with certain types of documents, it's generally best to err on the side of caution. For example, when it comes to marriage and birth certificates, or official school records, such as a transcript, you will often need the document to be authenticated more often than you would not. Certain financial records may also require an apostille.
Guidelines
In addition to the types of documents that require an apostille, there are also guidelines specific to each document. If you fail to adhere to these requirements, an apostille will not be able to handle the materials for you. For example, all birth records must be presented in their original form. You cannot bring a copy of the original birth certificate to have it authenticated. Additionally, the apostille must come in the country of origin of the document. So all U.S. documents require a U.S. based apostille.
Cost
In terms of cost, putting an exact cost on the service is hard to do without further information. The reason it's hard to gauge a price is that the type of document you need authenticated matters. Consider someone who needs to validate a birth certificate, for example. If the person does not have a copy of the birth certificate, they will have to pay to have the document researched and authenticated. Someone who already has a copy of their document will likely encounter fewer costs.
Translation
If you need an apostille for documents that include information in a language other than English, the material must be translated first. The translator must also sign the document to verify that they attest to the information they provide. In some instances, the apostille would also have to witness the translator signing the document. A copy of the original record and the translated document typically must be sent together.
If you need a document authenticated with an apostille, it's imperative that you go about the process the correct way with the help of companies such as ApostilleInt. An error during the process can delay whatever transaction you are attempting to complete. Speak with an attorney for more detailed directions specific to your document.
Share30 July 2018
Like many people, I once found learning about law very intimidating. My brother went to law school and I remember glancing through a few of his books and wondering if I was actually reading English due to all of the legal jargon in them! However, when I ended up in a sticky legal situation due to accidentally breaking a small law I didn't know existed, I realized that I needed to learn more about the law, so I could make sure to follow it precisely in the future. My brother helped to break down some complicated legal concepts to me, and I have since been studying up online. I want to post what I have learned and continue to learn about law in the future on my new blog, so my knowledge cannot only help myself, but also help others!