Single Status Affidavit – Apostille

April 4, 2014 by

If you are planning to get married in another country who is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, you’ll be asked to provide a document called a Single Status Affidavit.

Some countries may also refer to this document as:

No Record of Marriage
Certificate of Freedom to Marry
Certificate of No Impediment for Marriage
Certificate of No Record – Marriage

Many foreign countries require a document for proof of No Record of Marriage before you are allowed to get married in their country. If you are currently in the United States, you need to make a request at the local County Clerk’s office. If your County Clerk is unable to assist you, please Contact Us.

Check with the proper authorities (Foreign Country) regarding what type of documentation will be required from you. Please be sure to clearly specify to the County Clerk that you need a verification of no Record of Marriage Letter. Also, many countries for you to have additional documents authenticated.  For example: Birth Certificates, Divorce Decree, etc… Be sure you obtain a list of all documents requested by the foreign country in order to avoid any delays and additional fees.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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Apostille Corporate Documents

April 4, 2014 by

The only way to Apostille internal corporate documents for international use is to have them notarized (Note: Certified documents issued by the State or Federal Government do not require a notary). The signer of the documents must physically appear before a local notary who will notarize the signature on the documents.  For example: You need to provide a Power of Attorney for an attorney in Mexico.  The attorney has requested for you to draft a document on a company letter and have the signature notarized and Apostilled.

Once the company executive meets with the notary, the documents can then be mailed to our office for processing.  It’s extremely important that the notary provides correct notarial wording for their state.  Even though these documents are destined for another country, the notary must notarize the documents using the correct notarial wording.  If there are any errors, your documents will be rejected.  If the documents does not have proper notarial wording, the notary will attach an acknowledgment or jurat.  Copy certification documents can also be used.  Your local professional notary will be able to assist you.

Common corporate documents we receive are:

  • Power of Attorney
  • Affidavits
  • Invoices
  • Corporate Forms
  • Joint Venture Forms
  • Business Letter of Invitation
  • Authorization Letters
  • Merger Agreements

and more!

List of Documents for an Apostille

Certified documents from the Secretary of State or the Federal Government do not require notarization. You can mail these original documents to our office for fast processing.  In California, we provide fast same-day California Apostille services.  Depending on the State, we can authenticate your documents in a couple of days.  Some States may take longer.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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Apostille USA Documents

March 28, 2014 by

We can process documents for all 50 US States, the US Department of State in DC, and the Secretary of the District of Columbia.  With so many States, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Government, the United States issues 52 different Apostilles.

Not every Apostille issued will have a gold seal.  For example, in the State of California, the Apostille does not include a gold seal but a red seal.  Here is an example of a California Apostille.

An Apostille issued by the US Department of State also does not include a gold seal.  Here is an example of an Apostille from the US Department of State.  The Secretary of the District of Columbia issues an Apostille and a certificate with a gold seal.

There is a misconception that all Apostilles must have a gold seal.  This misconseption is incorrect.  This may seem difficult to comprehend, but the Secretary of State decides how they overall layout of the Apostille and the certificate will look.

An Apostille is simply the name for a specialized certificate, issued by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the District of Columbia or the US Department of State in Washington, DC.  This document is affixed to the original or certified document.

Here is typically what’s included in an 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]

Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been part of the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.

The Apostille Convention provides for the simplified certification of public (including notarized) documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention.  Documents destined for use in participating countries and their territories should be certified by one of the officials in the jurisdiction in which the document has been executed.

Click here to view a list of Members of the Hague Apostille Convention

The Apostille Convention requires that all Apostille’s be numbered consecutively, with individual numbers applied to each Apostille issued. The recognized standard Apostille contains a seal and 10 mandatory references: name of country from which the document emanates, name of person signing the document, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted, in the case of unsigned documents, the name of the authority that has affixed the seal or stamp, place of certification date of certification, the authority issuing the certificate, number of certificate, seal or stamp of authority issuing certificate and signature of authority issuing certificate.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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Do I need an Apostille?

March 21, 2014 by

Do I need an Apostille

Have you been told you need an Apostille? If you plan to live, work, travel, get married in,  sell a home, buy a home, conduct business, etc… you will be asked to Apostille your documents for acceptance in the other country.  Countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention will require you to authenticate your legal documents prior to being sent to them.

Documents mailed without an Apostille will be rejected by countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.  If the country is not a member, a certificate will be attached by the Secretary of State.  In the United States, every States’ Secretary of State can issue an Apostille and a Certificate.  The Secretary of the District of Columbia issues Apostilles for documents originating in the DC area.

The U.S. Department of State also issued Apostilles.  These documents are typically issued by the Federal Government (Example: FBI Apostille, Certification of Naturalization, FDA Documents).  Countries who are not members of the Hague Apostille convention may also request that your documents to be authenticated by the US Department of State prior to Embassy / Consul legalization.

Common documents we Apostille are: Birth Certificates, Death Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Divorce Decree, Single Status Affidavit, Power of Attorney, and more.

It’s important to provide the receiving country the requested documents in order to avoid any delays.  Some documents can take a few weeks to complete.  For example, documents authenticated by the US Department of State can take up to eight business days to complete.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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School Diploma and Transcript Apostille

March 10, 2014 by

We provide fast Apostille Service for School Diplomas and Transcripts.  If you attended a school (High School, College, University, Trade School, etc..) in the United States and plan to work in another country, the requesting country will ask that your records be authenticated by the School Registrar prior to being Apostilled by the Secretary of State.

If the requesting country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents only require notarization and the Apostille from the Secretary of State.  To keep things simple, we’ve provided the steps you should take below.  Please note: You do not need to be at the school or the State’s office.  We will professionally handle your documents once they arrive at our office.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Contact the schools Registrar and inform the official there that you need your diploma and transcripts copy certified.  If the school does not have a notary on staff, you will need to find a traveling notary to meet with the school Registrar.  If the school is not able to order your diploma quickly, you can mail your original diploma to the school to help speed up the process.  Remember, you can always order new Diplomas and Transcripts.

Step 2: Once the documents have been copy certified by the local notary and school registrar, they are now eligible for the Apostille.  We recommend that your documents be delivered to our office for fast processing with the Secretary of State.

That’s it!  In order to save time, we recommend that you download our Apostille Order Form and Credit Card Authorization form and email it to us.  We’ll keep it on file and process your order once your documents arrive.  Remember, you don’t need to be present for your documents to be authenticated by the school or the Secretary of State.  We can facilitate the process saving you time and money.In certain rare occasions, your documents may also require authentication by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.  This type of request is usually handled for documents being sent to countries who are NOT members of the Hague Apostille Convention.  Unless specifically told your documents require US Department of State Authentication, the Apostille is sufficient enough.We process Diplomas and Transcripts from all major Schools, Colleges, and Universities.  Please Contact Us with any questions you may have.  Thank you.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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US Passport Apostille

March 1, 2014 by

Do you need  an Apostille on your US Passport?  If you are located in the United States, you’ll need to meet with a local notary who will copy certify a color copy of your Passport and attach a document called a Copy Certification.  Another option and the fastest processing time is to mail-in your original US Passport to our office in Los Angeles.  If you decide to take this route please send your original US Passport by UPS/FedEx/DHL and always obtain a tracking number.

We’ll copy certify your Passport the same-day it’s received by our California notary.  The certified copy of your passport will then be hand delivered to the California Secretary of State’s office in Downtown Los Angeles who will attach the Apostille.  Once complete, we’ll overnight your document back to you for next business morning delivery.  We can also ship your Passport anywhere in the world.  Additional international shipping rates apply.

Please keep in mind that if you copy certify your passport from any state other than California or the District of Columbia, the processing time will be 7-10 business days.  For faster processing please mail-in your original Passport to our Los Angeles office (Burbank).

International Apostille Services, Inc. is the largest and most trusted Apostille service in the United States.  We process thousands of documents every year through all 50 US States, the District of Columbia (Washington DC Apostille), and The US Department of State in Washington, DC. We also provide document legalization through Embassy and Consul office in Washington, DC and Los Angeles.  Please Contact Us with any questions you may have.  We have the experience and knowledge to get it done right the first time.  Thank you.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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Certificate of Naturalization Apostille

February 15, 2014 by

We provide fast 1-4 business day Apostille service for your Certificate of Naturalization.  The Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550) is a Federal Document which requires authentication by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC for countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.  If the receiving country is not a member, a Certificate will be attached.

If you do not have your Certificate of Naturalization, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security here: http://www.uscis.gov/

Step 1: You will need to mail-in your original Certificate of Naturalization document to our office.  Depending on your location, you can either mail your document to our Los Angeles office or our Washington, D.C. office.  There is no difference in the cost.  You might save one business day by mailing your document to our office in the District of Columbia (D.C.).  Be sure to include our Order Form.

Step 2: We will verify and process your document through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.  Turn around time is 1-4 business days.  Please keep in mind that the U.S. Department of State is closed on weekends, major holidays, and when there is adverse weather conditions.  Please allow additional time for UPS overnight shipping to and from the D.C. area.

Step 3: Once complete, your document will be picked-up from the U.S. Department of State and dropped off at the UPS shipping facility.  Your documents will arrive within 1-2 business days (Excluding: Saturday, Sunday, Major Holidays, & International Shipping).  We can ship your documents anywhere in the world.  International shipping rates apply.

We are experts in the Apostille process.  We can Apostille documents from all 50 U.S. States including legalizing your documents from select Embassy / Consul office in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, California.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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Las Vegas Apostille – Nevada

January 20, 2014 by

Did you get married in Las Vegas, Nevada and need an Apostille on your Marriage certificate?  We provide FAST Las Vegas apostille service for documents being sent to countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.

You’ll need to mail us the original or a certified copy issued by the Clark County Clerk.  You can also order one online by visiting this link: https://www.vitalchek.com/

Once we receive your document, we’ll process it quickly through the Nevada Secretary of State’s office and return it to you within 2-5 business days (Rush service).  Overnight domestic shipping is included with your order.  We also provide international shipping for FAST delivery anywhere in the world.  Additional shipping rates apply.

Here is an example of an Apostille issued by the Nevada Secretary of State’s office.

For more information, visit: Nevada Apostille Services

We also provide document authentication by the US Department of State in Washington, DC and Embassy/Consul legalization.  Please call us for verification before mailing in your document.

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!

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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FBI Background Check Apostille

January 12, 2014 by

Every month we receive dozens of letters signed by the Criminal Justice Information Services (Biometric Services Division) signed by the Section Chief Kimberly J. Del Greco for an Apostille.

If you’re planning to live, work, adopt, or travel to a foreign country who is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, you maybe asked to provide an Apostille on a FBI Criminal Background Check.

** Note: Some countries may ask you to provide a background check from your State’s Department of Justice (DOJ) or the local police station.  Be sure you provide what is requested in order to avoid any delays.

The fastest way to obtain your background check and the authentication letter is to contact an FBI Channeler.

The two most popular we’ve seen most people use are (We are not affiliated with these companies):

Accurate Biometrics
www.accuratebiometrics.com
(773) 685-5699

National Background Check, Inc.
www.nationalbackgroundcheck.com
(877) 932-2435

You will first need to contact one of these companies in order to start the process.  They will instruct you on what steps you should take in order to obtain your FBI Background Check results.  You will also need to request a letter  signed by the Criminal Justice Information Services (Biometric Services Division) signed by the Section Chief Kimberly J. Del Greco.

** Note: If you go through a local Live Scan service, it will delay the process.  Use an FBI Channeler only.

Here is an example of this letter:

Be sure an original letter signed by the Section Chief Kimberly J. Del Greco is mailed to your address.  Some companies will e-mail you this letter which is not acceptable.  An emailed letter is not an original and will be rejected.  Note: If you make a copy of the original, the copy will display the words “Copy Unauthorized” or “Copy” in reverse.  Please send us the original you received from the Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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Embassy / Consul Document Legalization

October 23, 2013 by

Embassy / Consul Document Legalization is a process of authenticating documents for use in a country who is and who is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. This is a more complex process than the simple Apostille or Certification issued by the Secretary of State or the US Department of State in Washington, DC.

Apostilles are issued for countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. If the destination country is not a member, then a certification will be attached.  All US States including the US Department of State (Federal Government) follow the Apostille convention.

The chart to your right helps clarify the steps involved. Please keep in mind that not all documents require notarization and not every country will ask you to complete all the steps displayed.  Please Contact Us if you are unsure of what steps the other country is requesting that you take.

Once your documents have been authenticated at the State level, the next step is to have your documents certified at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Our affiliate office is located in this district allowing us to process your documents quickly (1-3 business days).

If your document requires legalization by the Embassy / Consul in Washington, DC, we’ll hand deliver your documents and pick-them up as son as they are complete.  Please keep in mind any fees associated with legalizing your documents at the Embassy / Consul office is an additional fee.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

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