Apostille / Legalization
In California, many types of documents can be Apostilled for use in countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention. These documents generally fall into three categories: Personal, Business, and Academic. Federal Documents may be Apostilled or Authenticated based on the type and country of Destination. Below is a breakdown of common documents that can be Apostilled and Authenticated.
1. Personal Documents
These documents are typically needed for personal matters such as marriage, adoption, or dual citizenship.
- Birth Certificates: Must be a certified copy issued by the California Department of Public Health or County Clerk's office.
- Marriage Certificates: Must be a certified copy from the County Clerk where the marriage was registered.
- Death Certificates: Must be a certified copy from the County Clerk or California Department of Public Health.
- Divorce Decrees: Issued by a State court, must be certified copy
- Medical Records: Signed by Licensed Medical Practitioner and notarized.
- Affidavits: These need to be notarized before submission for an Apostille.
- Power of Attorney (POA): Must be notarized.
- Adoption Papers: Must be certified copies from the court or notarized if applicable.
2. Business Documents
These documents are often needed for international business dealings, contract enforcement, or intellectual property protection.
- Articles of Incorporation: Certified by the California Secretary of State.
- Certificate of Formation: Certified by the California Secretary of State.
- Corporate Resolutions: Notarized by a California notary.
- Contracts/Agreements: Notarized by a California notary for authenticity.
- Certificates of Good Standing: Issued by the California Secretary of State.
- Trademarks or Patent Assignments: Certified by the Secretary of State or U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
3. Academic Documents
Documents related to education are often Apostilled for international study or employment.
- Diplomas: Must be notarized by a school official or registrar and then notarized.
- Transcripts: Must be certified or notarized by the educational institution’s registrar.
- Degree Certificates: Notarized by school official or registrar from educational institutions.
- TEFL Certificates: Notarized and then Apostilled for teaching abroad.
Federal Documents (Must be certified copy issued by the relevant authority)
- Background Checks (issued by the FBI).
- Court Orders, e.g. Judgments or Decrees issued by a U.S. Federal Court
- Social Security Administration Documents
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Documents
- U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Documents
- Certificates of Naturalization issued by USCIS (must be certified copy)
- IRS Documents such as income tax returns or IRS certification of U.S. residency.
- Certificates or permits issued by the FDA
- Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) issued by U.S. consulates for children born to U.S. citizens abroad.
- U.S. Department of State (USDOS) Documents
- Certificate to Foreign Country: Issued by Department of Agriculture.
- Medical Records: Notarized by a licensed medical practitioner.
Key Points:
- Notarization: For many documents, notarization is required before they can be Apostilled.
- Certified Copies: Government-issued documents like birth, death, and marriage certificates must be certified copies, notarization is not required.
- Federal Documents: Certain documents issued by different Federal Agencies, like FBI background checks, Federal Court Documents require authentication from the U.S. Department of State, not an Apostille from California. These documents don't need to be notarized.
Make sure the document is properly notarized or certified by the issuing authority to ensure a smooth Apostille / Authentication process. Call us if you have questions on some specific documents that needs to be apostilled or authenticated.
Pricing
Needing your CA documents Apostilled, Authenticated or Embassy Legalized for International Use? We hand-walk your documents to the Secretary of State’s Los Angeles Office so that Apostille can be ready in as little as 24 hours upon receipt.
We offer Commercial Clients Bulk Discounts depending on package size and location of pickup. Please call us for quotes.
Standard Apostille
$175 for 1st Document
$75 for each additional document
Notarized and Government-issued Certified True Copy Documents.Ready in 3-5 business days
24 Hours Apostille
$250 for 1st Document
$75 for each additional document
Ready within 24 hours
Federal Apostille/Authentication
$280 for 1st document
$140 for each additional document
Ready in 4 to 6 weeks