About Apostille Services For Documents

Some foreign countries require a special certification of public documents for use in their country. This certificate is called an apostille or authentication certificate. This article explains the difference between these two types of certificates and when one is required.

Apostille:

If the country you North Carolina apostille service to use the document in is part of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, an apostille is required. The apostille validates the signatures and seals of public documents that are notarized or signed by a state official, and it enables those documents to be used in any of the signatory countries.

Authentication Certificate:

The authenticity certificate, which is a form of an apostille, certifies the signatures and stamps of public documents that are notarized, signed by a state official or the Department of State, and certified by the county clerk. This certificate is required for a variety of documents like diplomas, official transcripts and enrollment/graduation verification letters that will be used in non-Hague Convention countries.