Public documents, which include passports,
birth and death certificates, patents and more, are crucially important for
individuals to have access to in their country of residence. However, often a public document is needed
abroad for use in countries where they were not originally issued. A type of certificate called an Apostille has
thus been created which serves to validate foreign public documents in
countries that are a part of the Hague Convention, also known as the Apostille
Convention. These countries have a
mutual agreement that an Apostille will suffice as authentication for public
documents within countries that are party to the Hague Convention. As a result, Apostilles facilitate the easy
flow of public documents within participating countries making it easy for
individuals to utilize these important official papers abroad.
The purpose of an Apostille is ultimately
to verify the origin of the public document in question. However, they do not validate the information
contained within the public document. A
valid Apostille certificate has a box shaped outline within which it is
identified using the title “Apostille”; there are 10 standard numbered pieces
of information and there is inclusion of the Convention’s French title in short
form which reads “Convention de La Haye du 5 octubre 1961.” Other information may also be included in an
Apostille such as supplementary information regarding the public document and a
reminder that it is invalid for use in the country of issuance. However, all supplementary information must
remain outside of the box shaped outline in order to uphold the validity of the
certificate.
An Apostille only serves for public
documents in countries party to the Apostille Convention. The laws in the country of issuance deem
whether or not a document qualifies as a public document. In each country party to the Hague
Convention, there are “Competent Authorities” which are the dedicated
authorities certified to issue Apostilles.
The cost of an Apostille varies amongst countries and even different
Competent Authorities within countries.
When issued, Apostilles are either affixed directly on to the document
or can be attached on an allonge, which is a separate page, through the use of a
stamp, sticker or other form of adhesive.
They can typically be issued quickly and one day turnarounds are common.
In applying for and using an Apostille, the
final step in the process required before submitting all relevant information
to the requesting authority in the country the document will be used in is
having a certified translator or sworn translator translate the text to the
language of that country. The country of
issuance will already have provided the Apostille stamp, however the new
country will require conversion of the Apostille to their language through a
certified translation. It is absolutely
vital that the translation is completed by an accredited translator in order to
reliably substantiate the accuracy of the translated text. It is important to find a properly certified
or sworn translator to complete this last component in the process to ensure
that the documents will be accepted and understood in the country where they
are to be used.
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