World Legalization FAQ

What is Document Legalization?

A. Document must be authenticated or legalized to be used in a foreign country. This happens
by having the document notarized and then having official seals from US states Federal
government bodies as well as the Consulate or Embassy of the destination country placed on
the document so that they can be recognized as a legal document outside the US. Procedures
can vary, depending on the country where the document will be served.
Q. What kind of document services does World Legalization provides.
A. World Legalization provides Apostille service for all 50 U.S. States including the U.S.
Department of State in Washington, D.C. and Embassy / Consulate Legalization Services in
Washington, D.C.
World Legalization provides also document retrieval, Document preparation and document
translation.
Q. What type of services does your company offer?
A. We offer only Apostille service: APOSTILLE SERVICES. If you are going to use your
document in a member country of the Apostille Section of the Hague convention you need an
Apostille. Check the list of the country below.
LEGALIZATION TERMS:
Apostille is a certification provided under the Hague convention of 1961 for authenticating
documents for use in foreign countries. The sole function of the Apostille or Exemplified
certificate is to certify the authenticity of the signature of the document.
Certification is a document issued by the Secretary of State which is destined to a country
who is NOT a member of The Hague Apostille convention.
Authentication This is what the Secretary of State and the US Department of State does.
They authenticate the signature of the person who signed the document.
Legalization Refers to what the Consul or Embassy does.
Attestation Refers to being sworn in that everything is true and correct written on the
document. Basically taking an oath.
Q. What is authentication?
A. An authentication is the placing of the consular seal over the seal of a foreign authority

whose seal and signature is on file with the American Embassy or Consulate. A consular
authentication in no way attests to the authenticity of the contents of a document but merely
to the seal and signature of the issuing authority.
Q. What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is a form of certification set out in the 1961 Hague Convention, to which the
United States became a subscriber in. It is a form of numbered fields, which allows the data
to be understood by the receiving country regardless of the official language of the issuing
country. /
A. an Apostille can be better summarized as the simplified certification of public documents
(including notarized), for their international use in all nations that have joined the Apostille
Section of the Hague Convention. Signatory countries have agreed under the Apostille
Section of the Hague Convention to recognize public documents certified by the Apostille.
This certification ensures that public documents are valid within the country where the
document was originally issued or notarized. The main function of the Apostille is to certify
the authenticity of the signature on the document(i.e.: State Registrar, County Clerk, Judge,
Vital Records Officer or Notary Public).
The Apostille also certifies the capacity in which the person signing the document acted and
the identity of any stamp or seal affixed to the document. The apostille must be issued in the
State where the document was issued, or got notarized. The Apostille is a one page document
embossed with the Great Seal of a State and includes the facsimile signature of the
individual issuing the certificate.
There are currently over 60 members states of the Hague convention, and in the future,
many other countries will join the Apostille Section of the Hague Convention to be able to
recognize the Apostille for the international legalization of documents.
The Apostille is applied only to public documents, signed by an authority or official connected
with a court or tribunal of the State (including documents issued by an administrative,
constitutional or ecclesiastical court or tribunal, a public prosecutor, a clerk or a
process-server); administrative documents; notarial acts; and official certificates which are
placed on documents signed by persons in their private capacity, such as official certificates
recording the registration of a document or the fact that it was in existence on a certain
date and official and notarial authentications of signatures.
Almost every kind of document including: Birth Certificate, Adoption Certificate, Marriage
Certificate, Divorce Decree, Death Certificate, Power of Attorney, School Diploma and/or
Transcripts, Corporate Documents, Affidavits, Identity documents and/or Passports, Deeds
and Wills, Agreements, Bills of Sale, Proof of Ownership, Private Documents.
Q. What does an Apostille do?

A. The object of the Apostille is to "abolish the requirement of diplomatic or consular

legalization for foreign public documents". The completed Apostille certifies the authenticity
of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted, and
identifies the seal/stamp which the document bears
Q. Who issues Apostilles?
A. Each subscribing nation may designate those authorities which may issue Apostilles for
their jurisdiction. The United States has appointed the Secretary of State (or their
counterpart) of the various states as said authority.
Q. What kind of documents do I need an Apostille for?
The Apostille may be obtained to transmit public documents executed in one subscribing
country to another subscribing country wherein the documents need to be produced. The
Hague Convention defines 'public documents' as:

those originating in a court, clerk of a court, public prosecutor or process server,

administrative documents,
notarial acts,
official certificates placed on documents

These types of 'public documents' would include birth/death certificates, marriage licenses,
divorce decrees, school transcripts and diplomas/degrees, among others.
Q. Where do I obtain a copy of my Birth, Death, Marriage, or Divorce record?
A. The office where you may obtain a copy of a Birth, Death, Marriage or Divorce Record
(vital record) will depend on where the original document was filed.
Q. Where do I obtain a copy of my Diploma or other Educational Documents?
A. Educational documents such as transcripts, diplomas or certificates must be obtained from
an official of the school, college or university that you attended.
Q. How long will it take to process my request for an Apostille or Certificate of
Authentication?
A. The processing of documents submitted by mail is usually completed within 4 business days
of receipt in this office.
Please note that Apostilles/Certificates of Authentication are returned by first class mail.
You may request that your documents be returned to you by overnight delivery service by
enclosing a prepaid shipping label with your request. Requests for overnight delivery service
that do not include a prepaid shipping label will be returned by first-class mail.

The processing of documents submitted in person is usually completed while you wait.
Please note: Subject to volume and staffing levels, documents submitted within one hour of
closing time may not be processed until the following business day. Any document which the
department is unable to process while you wait will be returned to you by mail or will be
available for pick up at the customer service counter the following business day.
Q. How do I verify that an Apostille or Certificate of Authentication was issued by World
Legalization, Inc.?
The Department of State now allows you to verify whether an Apostille or Certificate of
Authentication was issued by the World Legalization. If you are unable to locate an Apostille
or Certificate of Authentication or you wish to verify an Apostille or Certificate of
Authentication issued, please contact the ___________________________________.
Q. How do I get information about international adoptions?
A. Visit the U.S Department of State website for information about adopting children from
foreign countries.
Q. How do I authenticate documents issued by federal courts?
A Documents issued under the seal of a federal court should have a preliminary
authentication by the Justice Management Division. After the seal of the Justice
Management Division is on the document, it can be authenticated by the U.S. Department of
State Authentications Office. The final step is to obtain the seal of the foreign embassy or
consulate in the United States. Usually, foreign embassies or consulates in the U.S. can only
authenticate the seal of the U.S. Department of State. Some foreign embassies and
consulates maintain sample seals of state authorities.

Q. Can you tell me what I need to get dual citizenship for my child?
You need to check with the foreign consulate or embassy to find out what documents you
need to have the authentication/apostille attached to.
Q. Which do I need, an authentication or an apostille?
A. World Legalization uses the same form for both kinds of certificates, so you don't need
to know which certificate the destination country requires. Our form works in all countries.
However, if you need a certificate for OTHER countries, which is not listed below, you can
indicate that on your order

Q. I was born/married outside of the United States. How can I have my birth/marriage
certificate authenticated?
A. If you were born to U.S. parents abroad, contact the U.S. Dept. of State, Passport
Services, Correspondence Branch, 1111 19th St. NW, Suite 510, Washington, DC 20522-1705,

telephone 202-955-0307202-955-0307 FREE. Or visit the U.S. Dept. of State Passport

Services website for your birth certificate. Let them know you need it authenticated for use
outside of the United States.
Locally, you can check with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration office:
USCIS Application Support Center
721 S.W. 14th Ave., Portland, OR 97205-1904
Or visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration website.
Otherwise, you need to check with the country of origin for a certified copy of those
certificates. Be sure to let them know you need them authenticated.
Q. What States does World Legalization provides Apostille for?
A. World Legalization provides Apostille for all 50 States.
Q. What is the guidance about the propriety of authenticating or legalizing certain
notarized documents as provided by the U.S. Department of State?
A. The Apostille does not provide any form of immunity. It is inappropriate to place the
Apostille certificate on a document that suggests that the Apostille has such an effect.
Moreover, the Apostille should not be placed on any document by state Secretaries of State
or Notary Public Administrators if the document is intended for use in the United States or
in a country not party to the Hague Legalization Convention. It is only for documents to be
used in countries that are party to the Convention.
Q. What is the Hague Convention and the purpose of it?
A. The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public
Documents, the Apostille Convention, or the Apostille Treaty is an international treaty
drafted by the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
Q. Who are the Hague convention member countries?

Albania

Andorra

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

B
Argentina

Armenia

Belgium

Bosnia
Herzegovina

Brazil

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Belarus

and

Canada

Chile

China,
Republic of

I
People's

Costa Rica
Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Egypt

Estonia

Netherlands

India

New Zealand

Ireland

Norway

Israel

Italy

Panama

Paraguay

Japan

Peru

Jordan

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Finland

France

Georgia
Germany
Greece

Korea, Republic of

European Union

Morocco

Iceland

K
Ecuador

Montenegro

Hungary

Latvia

Romania

Lithuania

Russian Federation

Luxembourg

Serbia

Malaysia

Singapore

Malta

Slovakia

Mauritius

Slovenia

Mexico

South Africa

Monaco

Spain

Sri Lanka

Suriname

Sweden

Switzerland

Yugoslav Republic
Macedonia

Tunisia

Turkey

Ukraine

United Kingdom of
Great
Britain
and
Northern Ireland

former

States

Uruguay

Venezuela

Viet Nam

Zambia

Dominica

East Timor

Egypt

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Ethiopia

o Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Grenada

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

The

United
America

of

Q. What are the non-Hague countries?

A

Botswana

Afghanistan

Brunei

Algeria

Burma (Myanmar)

Angola

Antigua
Barbuda

and

Central
Republic

Cameroon

Argentina

Bahamas

Bahrain

African

Chad
G
Comoros
Congo, Rep. of

Bangladesh

Congo, Dem. Rep. of

Barbados

Cte d'Ivoire

Benin

Bhutan

Bosnia
Herzegovina

Croatia

D
and

Djibouti
H

of

Haiti

Malawi

Qatar

Honduras

Malaysia

Maldives

Russia

Indonesia

Marshall Islands

Iran

Mauritania

St. Kitts and Nevis

Iraq

Micronesia

St. Lucia

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

So
Prncipe

Tom

Nauru

Saudi Arabia

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan

St. Vincent and the

Grenadines

Samoa

Kiribati

Nepal

Serbia6

Korea, North

Nicaragua

Sierra Leone

Korea, South

Niger

Singapore

Kuwait

Nigeria

Slovakia

Kyrgyzstan

Solomon Islands

Oman

Somalia

South Sudan

Laos

Lebanon

Pakistan

Sudan

Liberia

Palau

Suriname

Libya

Papua New Guinea

Syria

and

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Tonga

Trinidad
Tobago

Tuvalu

and

Uganda

Ukraine

Tunisia

United
Emirates

Turkmenistan

Vanuatu

Yemen

Zambia

Arab

Uzbekistan

Zimbabwe
Q. What kind of documents can be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State?
A. All federally issued documents, All Secretary of States Apostilled documents.
Sample of Federally issued documents (FBI Background Checks, U.S. Federal Court
Documents, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Documents, IRS Documents, INS Documents,
Naturalization Certificates, Immigration Certification, Military Birth Certificates, Social
Security Administration documents, USPTO Patent Certificate, Trademark Certificates,
Certificate of Exportability, Certificates of Free Sale, Health Certificates, and others.
Q. What is an authenticated Certificate of Naturalization?
A. Authenticated Certificate of Naturalization Means: getting Certified True Copy
Q. What fees are charged for consular notarial and authentication services abroad?
A. Effective July 13, 2010 there is a $50.00 fee for each notarial service. Also effective July
13, 2010, there is a $50.00 fee for each authentication service provided by a U.S. Embassy or
Consulate abroad. Fees may be paid in cash or by certified check or money order. No personal
checks are accepted. Certified checks or money orders should be made payable to the
American Embassy or Consulate. (For example, American Embassy Kingston.)
Q. Can a notarizing officer's seal be further authenticated?
A. Yes, the Department of State's Authentication Office can authenticate the seal of a
notarizing officer. The Authentication Office is located at 518 23rd St., N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20520, tel: (202) 647-5002(202) 647-5002 FREE; 1-800-688-98891-800-688-9889
FREE, and choose option 6 after you press 1 for touch tone phones. Walk-in service is
available from 8 a.m. to 12 noon Monday-Friday, except holidays. The fee for this service is
currently $8.00.
Q. How do you get a document notarized overseas?

A. Notarizing officers at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad can provide a service similar
to the functions of a notary public in the United States. It is also possible to have a document
notarized by a local foreign notary and then have the document authenticated for use in the
United States. In countries that are party to the Hague Apostille Convention, this is a
simplified process.
Q. Is there a treaty authority permitting consular officers to perform notarial and
authentication services abroad?
A. Notarial functions of consuls are included in the earliest treaties dating back to the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In modern times, Article 5(f) of the multilateral Vienna
Convention on Consular Relations of 21 U.S.T. 77 authorizes consular officers to perform
notarial functions. Bilateral consular conventions frequently include similar provisions.
Q. How do the notarial functions of U.S. Notarizing officers differ from those of a U.S.
Notary public?
A. Notarizing officers at U.S. Embassies and Consulates require the personal appearance of
the person requesting the notarial service; establish the identity of the person requesting
the service; establish that the person understands the nature, language and consequences of
the document to be notarized; and establish that the person is not acting under duress. (22
C.F.R. 92.31). In addition, the notarizing officer must be satisfied that the act does not come
within the purview of the regulatory bases for refusal to provide the notarial service set
forth at 22 C.F.R. 92.9. This requires that the notarizing officer be generally familiar with
the laws of the foreign country, U.S. law, and treaty obligations, or consult the Department
of State when a matter is in doubt. In addition to the usual functions of notaries related to
oaths, affidavits and acknowledgments, most notarizing officers may authenticate documents,
a governmental act which is not performed by notaries in the United States. Note that not all
notarizing officers are authorized to authenticate documents.
Q. Do U.S. Embassies and Consulates provide notarial and authentication services for
non-U.S. Citizens?
A. Yes. Provides that these services may be performed for any person regardless of
nationality so long as the document in connection with which the notarial/authentication
service is required is for use within the jurisdiction of the United States.
Q. What are some examples of notarial/authentication acts?
A. Acknowledgment: To "acknowledge" is to admit, affirm, or declare; to recognize one's acts,
assuming obligation or incurring responsibility. For example, if you sign a deed before a
notarizing officer, you acknowledge your signature.
Oath: Any form of an attestation by which a person signifies that he or she is bound in
conscience to perform an act faithfully and truthfully. A person who intentionally makes false
statements under oath before a U.S. notarizing officer is punishable for perjury (22 U.S.C.

4221).
Affirmation: A solemn and formal declaration that an affidavit is true, that the witness will
tell the truth, etc.
Affidavit: A written or printed declaration or statement of facts, made voluntarily, and
confirmed by the oath or affirmation of the person making it, taken before an officer having
authority to administer such an oath.
Attestation: The act of witnessing an instrument in writing, at the request of the party
executing the document, and subscribing it as a witness.
Corporate Acknowledgment: Officials of corporations who desire to execute an instrument in
their capacity as corporate officials before a consular notarizing officer must present
adequate proof of their corporate identity.
Q. Do I need to notarize the document?
A. All documents must be notarized by a notary public in order to be authenticated and
legalized, or to receive apostille except official, certified government issued documents.
Q. How do I notarize a document?
A. A notary public is a person trained and authorized by the state to certify documents. It is
necessary to notarize certain legal documents in order for them to be valid. A notary public
must witness a person signing a document and verify his or her identity to notarize a
document. Getting a document notarized is a simple process once you have located a notary
public to provide this legal service
Q. What is Notary Certification?
A. This is when the County Clerk of Court at the courthouse puts their seal on a document to
authenticate that the document has been witnessed by a valid notary registered in their
county. This can be done at the courthouse, after the document is notarized.
Q. Do I need Notary Certification from the local Clerk of Court?
A. Documents that have been notarized for legalization must be taken to the local courthouse
in the same county as the notary public for notary certification; this proves that this notary
is authorized to endorse this document in the state where the document originates.
Q. What is (State) Secretary of State Authentication?
A. Documents issued by a US court or government agency can be submitted directly to the
State Secretary of State for authentication. Other types of documents must first be
notarized and certified with the county clerk of courts seal, before sending the documents

to the Secretary of State. If the document will be used in a country that is a member of the
Hague Convention, the Secretary of State will issue an apostille. If the destination country is
not a member of the Hague Legalization Convention, the Secretary of State will issue a seal
authenticating the document, so that the document can be legalized.
Documents need either apostille from the State Secretary of State to be used in a Hague
Convention member country, or they need a seal from the State Secretary of State in order
to be legalized by the US Department of State and the Embassy or Consulate of the
destination country. Therefore all documents need to be submitted through the Secretary of
State in the US State where the document originates.
Q. Do I need a US Department of State Seal?
A. The seal is needed for all most Non-Hague convention countries. Unless the country where
the document will be used is a member of the Hague Legalization Convention, most documents
must have a seal of authentication from the US Department of State and a seal from the
appropriate Embassy or Consulate legalizing the document. World Legalization will process
the authentication and legalization for you.
Q. Is the US a member of the Hague Legalization Convention?
A. The United States has been part of the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement
of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents since October 15, .
Q. What kind of documents can be authenticated/legalized?
A. Commercial Documents/ Shipping Documents
Business/Corporate Documents
Personal & Legal Documents
Federal Documents.
Educational Documents
Q. What countries do you provide Apostille, Authentication, and Legalization services?
A. We handle all Hague and Non-Hague convention countries. Please contact us if you do not
see your country.
Q. What type of documents preparation does World Legalization handle?
A. We do preparation for many documents and here are some of these documents:

Commercial Documents:

7.
Certificate
Conformity

of

Agreements
4. Corporate Resolution

1. Commercial Invoice

8. Certificate of Weight
5. Bylaws

2. Pro Forma Invoice

3. Packing Slip

9.
Market
Certificates

Price
6. Bill of Sale

Corporate Documents:

Personal Documents:

1. Power of Attorney

1. Power of Attorney

2. Letter of Intent

2. Affidavit

4. Packing List
5. Certificate of Origin
6. Power of Attorney

3.
Confidentiality
3. Bill of Sale
Q. Does World Legalization provide translation of document?
A. Yes, World Legalization provides Certified and non-certified translation for most
languages. Please contact us for prices and lead times.
Q. What shipping carriers does World Legalization use?
A. We use FedEx and DHL mainly, but clients can send us their documents using any of these
carriers, UPS, and USPS.
Q. Does World Legalization offers special rates for shipping documents domestic and
internationally.
A. Yes, World Legalization offers great rates for shipping documents domestic and
internationally. We use FedEx & DHL. We offer great discounts. Please check our rates or
call for specific shipment.
Q. What payment methods does World Legalization accept for your services?
A. World Legalization accepts the following means of payments.
Visa, MasterCard, American Express cards, Discover cards, Money Order, Cashiers Checks,
Company Check & Personal Checks ( we have the right to delay the process of documents until
all checks clear payment ). Wire Transfer. Western Union. We accept also PayPal.
Q. Does World Legalization handle authentication of documents for someone who is located
outside the United Stets of America.
A. Yes, you can send us your documents via any of the major carriers or we can send you a
shipping label to ship your documents. Our rates could save you an abundant of money.

Q. How long does World Legalization take to process my documents and have them
authenticated?
A. Processing time of documents will depend on the documents type and the
authentication/certification request type. Our website will soon have an approximate time
for most documents processing times. Please email us or call us to check on the length of time
will take to process your documents.