Do you need a Apostille for your Certificate of Free Sale?
Foreign governments who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention require a “Certificate of Free Sale”, when companies export products to them. The certificate of free sale is evidence that goods, such as food items and/or cosmetics, are legally sold or distributed in the open market, freely without restriction, and approved by the regulatory authorities in the country of origin.
A local Chamber of Commerce can issue a Certificate of Free Sale for products legally sold in the United States. A Certificate of Free Sale states that the company selling the products has submitted evidence that the products listed on the certificate are freely sold in the United States.
Note: A Certificate of Free Sale can be issued by the Chamber of Commerce, State, and the Federal Government (FDA).
A Certificate of Free Sale will first need to be notarized before its eligible for an Apostille. You can visit a local notary or schedule a notary to your location. The Chamber of Commerce will also have a notary to notarize the signature of the official at the Chamber. Once the signer acknowledges their signature on the document, the notary will attach a document called an “Acknowledgment” to the signed page. In some States, the signature of the notary and a seal is sufficient. In other States, the notarial wording must be added.
It’s important to find a notary who will follow their State’s laws. If the notary makes a mistake, the State will reject the document costing you time and money.
Apostilles 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!
Please click on the map below to view the processing time and cost for each U.S. State. Please Contact Us with any questions you may have.
We can process documents from all 50 U.S. States including the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., the Secretary of the District of Columbia (D.C.), and select Consulate / Embassy offices in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, CA.
*Excluding Saturday, Sunday, Major Holidays, and International Delivery.
There is an additional shipping fee for international delivery. Thank you.
