When certain public documents are to be used in a foreign country, they must be certified. To use some official documents in certain foreign countries, the documents must be certified by the Secretary of State's Office. This certification, also called an authentication or apostille, validates official signatures.
Notarization often serves as the first step in the document authentication process. A lawyer or notary public authenticates a document by adding their signature and stamp. Typically, notarized copies of documents are authenticated rather than the original documents to prevent loss, damage, or modification.
Authentication involves having the documents in question notarized (a sealed certificate that confirms the authority of a public official, usually a notary public), reviewed by state or county officials, then certified by State Department officials.
An Apostille is a certification form set out in The Hague Convention abolishing the requirement of legalization for foreign public documents (1961). An Apostille may be obtained to transmit public documents executed in one signatory country to another signatory country in which the documents need to be produced.
How long will it take to process my request for an Apostille or Certificate of Authentication? Mailed requests for apostilles are processed in two to three days.
Get an authentication certificate if your document is signed by the following officials: U.S. federal official. U.S. consular officer. Foreign consul registered with the U.S. Department of State's Office of Protocol. Military notary or judge advocate.
To use some official documents in certain foreign countries, the documents must be certified by the Secretary of State's Office. This certification, also called an authentication or apostille, validates official signatures. Apostilles and Authentications - Ohio Secretary of State.
Apostilles and authentication certificates verify signatures, stamps, or seals on important documents. These documents can include court orders, contracts, vital records, educational diplomas, and more.
Dear Recipient's Name, I, Your Full Name, hereby authorize Authorized Person's Full Name to act on my behalf to collect Specify the Document from Location or office where the document is held. This authorization is valid from Starting Date until Ending Date, unless otherwise revoked by me.
The format of an authorization letter should include the date, the name of the person to whom it is addressed, details about the person who has been authorized (such as name and identity proof), the reason for his absence, the duration of the authorized letter, and the action to be performed by another person.