National Apostille – Blog

Apostille Meaning

January 16, 2020 by admin

Are you interested to know what is the Apostille Meaning?

Why do documents need to be apostilled in the first place? Why won’t other countries accept the original documents without the apostille?

In a nutshell, an apostille is a certificate attached by the state authenticating the official who has signed your documents. An apostille is typically letter size (8.5 x 11) and attached to the official document by a staple(s) or rivet. Some states may attach a ribbon. An apostille does not authenticate the content of the documents just the official signatures.

Quick links:
What is an apostille?
Hague Apostille Countries
State Apostille Examples

Here is typically what’s included in a Apostille:

Country … [country name] This public document
has been signed by … [name]
acting in the capacity of … [function]
bears the seal/stamp of … [authority] certified
at … [location]
the … [date]
by … [name]
No … [apostille registration number]
Seal/stamp … [of the authority giving the apostille]
Signature … [signature of authority giving the apostille]

In the U.S., there are 52 different apostilles. Apostilles are issued by all 50 states, the District of Colombia, and the U.S. Department of State. In order for another country to accept your documents, they must receive an apostille. Countries who are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention will generally not receive an apostille unless the apostille has a disclaimer. Also, countries who are non-members will take an average of three steps to complete (AKA: Embassy Consulate Legalization).

Without an apostille, how would the foreign country even know if your documents are legitimate? It’s basically a check and balance system allowing apostille member countries to accept each other’s documents without the need for you to travel or the expense of the three step legalization process.

Note: Beware of web-sites that ask you to upload your documents! Only original documents can receive an apostille from the Secretary of State.

Obtaining an apostille can be complicated and time-consuming. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-800-903-2470 or email: support@nationalapostille.com

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Marriage Apostille

January 12, 2020 by admin

Do you need to apostille your marriage certificate?

At National Apostille, Inc., we take the guesswork out of obtaining an apostille on your marriage certificate. We can apostille marriage certificates issued from all 50 States and the District of Columbia (Washington DC).

In order to apostille your certificate, you must mail in the original or a certified copy issued by the County Clerk or State Registrar to our office for processing. Marriage certificates can only be authenticated from the State of origin. For example, if your marriage certificate is from the State of California, the State of California is the only State that can issue a California apostille. Another example is if your marriage certificate is from New York, only the State of New York can issue a New York apostille.

Note: Vital record documents cannot be color copied, emailed, notarized, or uploaded to any website. Beware of web-sites that ask you to upload your documents! Only original documents can receive an apostille from the Secretary of State.

Not every marriage certificate can qualify for an apostille. Some States have set time limits on how old a certificate can be. For example, a marriage certificate issued from the State of Wisconsin and Virginia can not be older than 12 months. We recommend that you mail in the certificate you currently have for review. If we have any questions or concerns, we will contact you by phone and email.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Secretary of State Apostille

January 8, 2020 by admin

Are you looking for Secretary of State Apostille?

What is an apostille? Quite simply, an apostille is a certificate attached to your original document that authenticates the official who has signed it. Documents originating from the U.S. can only be processed from the state of issue.

For example, a California birth certificate can only receive a California apostille. A Florida birth certificate can only receive a Florida apostille.

We can apostille the following types of documents:

Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificates
Death Certificates
Divorce Decree
Travel Consent
Single Status Affidavit
Driver’s License
Passports

State Background Check
Power of Attorney
Transcripts
Diploma
Articles of Incorporation
Certificate of Good Standing
Authorization Letter
and more!

We can apostille documents issued from any US State including documents issued by the US Federal Government (U.S. Federal Apostille). Our eight offices are strategically located in California (Los Angeles & San Francisco), Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Colorado, and Washington, D.C. to help expedite the processing of your documents.

We can process documents issued from all 50 U.S. States and the U.S. Federal Government. Do you have additional documents from another State?

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

FBI Apostille for South Korea

January 6, 2020 by admin

Do you need to apostille your FBI background check for South Korea?

Are you planning to teach English in South Korea? Have you been asked to obtain an apostille on your FBI background check and your University Degree?

If you are planning to teach English in South Korea, the most common documents you will need to apostille are your educational degree and your FBI background check.

An FBI background check must be issued within the past 90 days and it also must receive an apostille through the US Department of State in Washington, D.C. An FBI background check can only be processed through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Because this document is a U.S. Federal document, it cannot be processed through any Secretary of State office nor can it be notarized.

The first step is to contact an approved FBI Channeler to assist you in obtaining your FBI background check. We can provide you a recommend list of FBI channelers when you contact our office and speak to one of our agents. You can also utilize the live chat feature during regular business hours.

If the FBI Channeler is unable to help, please contact the FBI directly. More information here: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks

If you receive your FBI background check in a digital format (PDF copy), go ahead and e-mail it to us with the completed order form and payment. If you receive your FBI background by regular mail (Hard copy), go ahead and mail it to our Washington DC office with our order forms (see below). We can process a digital PDF copy or a hard copy. It’s your choice.

Below is an example of an FBI Background Check in a digital format (PDF Copy) and a hard copy printed on special tamper resistant paper.

To get started, please contact our Washington DC office here:

Processing time: 4 business days (Estimated)
Cost: As low as $75 for each apostille.
Free Return Shipping: FedEx priority overnight by 10:30 AM (Estimated)
Office Hours: 8am – 7pm Monday – Saturday
Customer Support: 1-800-903-2470
Email: WashingtonDC@nationalapostille.com

Download our order forms:
National Apostille, Inc. – Washington DC Order Form (PDF Format)
National Apostille, Inc. – Washington DC Credit Card Authorization Form (PDF Format)

Obtaining an apostille on an FBI background check can be complicated and time-consuming. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Birth Certificate Apostille

January 3, 2020 by admin

Do you need to apostille your birth certificate?

In order to obtain an apostille on a birth certificate, you will need to mail in the original or a County Clerk issued certified copy (Basically as good as the original) or a certified copy issued by the State Registrar. You can contact the County Clerk’s office (County of Birth) for instructions on how to obtain a new certified copy. You can also try to order a new copy online through Vital Check.

There are many reasons why a foreign country will request an apostille on your birth certificate. The most common reasons are:

Dual Citizenship
Marriage
Distribution of Assets/Inheritance
Long Term Visa
New Job
Continue Education

Most states will accept original birth certificates. The only exception is the states of Virginia and Wisconsin. Birth certificates issued from these two states should be issued within the past 12 months.

Rule of Thumb: Disregard what you read on other websites regarding how old a birth certificate can be. We recommend that you mail in what you currently have now so we can present it to the state office. If the state does not accept your document, we will contact you with detailed instructions.

How to apostille a birth certificate?

Please download the order forms that corresponds with the state your birth certificate originates from. For example, if your birth certificate originates from NY, be sure to download our New York Apostille order forms. If your birth certificate originates from Illinois, be sure to download our Illinois Apostille order forms. All of our apostille order forms can be downloaded by clicking the following link and choosing your state: Order Forms

If you have any questions, please call us:

Office Hours: 8am – 7pm Monday – Saturday
Customer Support: 1-800-903-2470
support@nationalapostille.com

Obtaining an apostille on a birth certificate can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.