Do you need to apostille a Power of Attorney – POA?
A power of attorney signed and notarized within the United States must be apostilled by the State the document was notarized in. For example, if your documents were notarized in New York, the document must also be apostilled from the State of New York.
Countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention will receive an apostille while countries who are not members will receive State certification. For countries who are not members, your documents will also require Embassy or Consulate legalization.
We recommend that a power of attorney be drafted by a professional from the country requesting it. For example, if you need a power of attorney for Germany, we recommend that an attorney in Germany draft the power of attorney. This helps eliminate potential errors and redo’s.
If your power of attorney is written in a foreign language (Example: Polish), an English translation may be required. Most States will accept a document written in a foreign language as long as the document has been signed and notarized with proper English notarial wording.
We recommend that you contact us before mailing in your documents in order to avoid any delays or additional cost. Some States will also require County Clerk authentication of the notary’s seal and signature prior to the apostille.
The very first step is to take your power of attorney to a local notary public. The notary must notaries your document and use proper State notarial wording in English.
Obtaining an apostille on your power of attorney can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the authentication 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 to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.
