In recent times, traveling around the world has become more about seeking greener pastures than just tourism. Individuals in countries with high unemployment rates have sought better odds abroad. This has led to a massive emigration index in the past few decades. Countries have sought to make this process a lot easier and more legitimate. Two main ways by which people emigrate to a new country are either through Apostilles or Attestation.

For countries belonging to the 1961 Hague convention, traveling has become a lot simpler for people looking to explore other options through the use of Apostilles. One such country is the United States. The US offers this unique opportunity to individuals who can meet several detailed requirements. If you haven’t utilized an Apostille before and you intend to travel to countries like the US, you must ensure you are well versed in its requirements. But first, why do you need an Apostille document?

Why do you need an Apostille document?

As you may already know, Apostilles have for a long time been accepted by countries belonging to the 1961 Hague Convention. In total, about 117 countries of the Hague convention approve Apostilles as a legal seal that shows the authenticity and legitimacy of your document. The US government recognizes these documents as one that is:

• Properly certified by an American consul or a foreign consul
• Issued by any federal agency

This offers individuals seeking residence abroad a chance to provide generally authenticated documents and increase their chances of acceptance. This is one of the most important reasons why you must get an apostille in New Jersey. This gives you a fair shot at any of the member countries in the Hague Convention. While you may not fully understand the intricacies of Apostilles, you must get a firm grasp on its requirements. You must understand all that is needed of you to get your Apostille approved.

Requirements for an Apostille 

Before you kick start the process of application, you are required by the US government to ensure all your documents have been notarized in the presence of a commissioned notary public. You must follow two distinct processes depending on who commissioned the notary public whether a country or a state.

1. Country: For country commissioned notaries, the clerk of court based in the country must first approve the documents before they can be certified by the Secretary of State.
2. State: In the case of state-commissioned notaries, the certification is only done by the Secretary of State. If for instance, your documents were notarized in the state of New Jersey, you only need the certification from the New Jersey Secretary.

You must fulfill all the requirements set by the US Government to get the Apostille. It is impossible to apply or send a request without first receiving the proper notarization. And so, if you are one of those earnestly planning to work in a Hague convention member state, you must ensure you go through the process of authenticating your Apostille Document first.

Both apostilles and certifications are used via overseas governments to check the authenticity of an legit signature on a document; the ability in which the character signing the file acted; and the identification of any stamp or seal affixed to the document. When the Department of State authenticates a file with an apostille or certification, the branch verifies that the man or woman who signed the record is a Pennsylvania reliable and the Secretary of the Commonwealth has given “full trust and credit” to the official’s seal and signature.

Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been phase of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. The Convention affords for the simplified certification of public (including notarized) archives to be used in international locations that have joined the Convention.

Final Words

Under the Hague Convention, signatory international locations have agreed to understand public archives issued with the aid of different signatory nations if these public archives are authenticated by way of the attachment of an internationally diagnosed shape of authentication recognized as an “apostille.” The apostille ensures that public archives issued in one signatory USA . will be diagnosed as legitimate in every other signatory country. Apostilles require no similarly diplomatic or consular legalization.