Apostilles and Authentication Certificates

An apostille is a special certificate used for documents that will be sent to countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention. It verifies the signature and seal of the official who signed the document, making it easier for foreign countries to recognize the paper as legitimate. For documents going to countries that do not participate in this convention, a different process called an authentication certificate is typically used.1

The office that issues an apostille depends on where the document came from:1

• State-issued documents, such as birth certificates or notarized papers, are usually handled by that state’s Secretary of State.

• Federal documents, such as FBI background checks or federal court papers, must be sent to the U.S. Department of State.