An Apostille, pronounced “AH-puh-STEEL,” is a term rooted in French, signifying official certification.
An Apostille is a certificate issued by authorized government officials to authenticate documents for international use. In the United States, all 50 states and the federal government, via the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C., are empowered to issue Apostilles.
This certificate is securely attached to your original document, verifying its authenticity so it is accepted in countries that participate in the Hague Apostille Convention.
What exactly is the Hague Apostille Convention?
In 1961, a group of nations convened to create a simplified system for validating documents among different countries. Known as the Hague Convention (or Apostille Convention), this agreement established the apostille as a universally recognized certificate for member countries.
Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been a signatory to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.
The Apostille Convention mandates that each Apostille carries a unique, sequential number for tracking purposes.
Based in New York State, our online Apostille service offers a convenient way to obtain your Apostille. New York provides a specialized verification system to confirm the authenticity of your apostille. With our user-friendly online platform, you can submit documents and receive your apostille efficiently, all without leaving your home.