Apostille
An apostille is a legal certificate that officially verifies or certifies documents in states or countries that accept the apostille stamp. Your documents will need an apostille when moving into a country for personal or business purposes.
Countries within the Hague Convention List will accept your documents and allow you to use them legally without requiring further legalization. For instance, the Visa documentation process requires proper authentication, attestation, or apostille of your documents from departments, including State Government (Florida), Embassy, HRD, MEA, or Notary.
Bear in mind that an apostille is the final and official seal from the department, enabling you to use the documents in a Hague Convention member country. Most people find it challenging to get a Florida apostille. Today’s article will explain the step-by-step procedure to help you streamline the entire process and achieve your goals. Read on!
Determine the Country within the Hague Convention List
The Hague Convention was Held in the Netherlands on October 5, 1961. Participating countries acknowledged and agreed to create the apostille during the meeting, allowing authentication of documents for international validity.
The objective of the Hague Convention was to facilitate people traveling aboard and ensure an efficient, reliable, and fast document authentication. For instance, numerous countries in Europe, Latin America, and North America are members of the Hague Convention agreement.
So, you can leverage a more streamlined and efficient document legalization process. In contrast, South Africa and the United States have been treaty partners under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction Convention (Hague Abduction Convention) since November 1, 1997. Therefore, determining the country where you want to move or use your documents is critical. You can find the member countries list on the official HCCH website.
Confirm Your Document(s) Eligibility
An apostille in Florida is a specific page attached to your document. The page is attached to your papers/documents by a staple in the upper left corner. Besides, you can see the seal on various Florida apostilles, including:
- Birth Certificate
- Death Certificate
- Marriage/Divorce
- Power of Attorney
- Corporate documents
o Minutes
o Resolutions
o Incorporation articles
o Good-Standing certificates
- Court Judgments
- Consents
- Criminal records
Simply put, documents certified or notarized by a Florida Notary Public are true copies and qualify for the state’s apostilles. For example, birth and death certificates signed by Ken Jones, the current State Registrar, are eligible for Florida apostille. However, you must obtain these certificates from Jacksonville’s Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Remember, Birth Records prior to 2004 contain limited information. Please contact the consulate or embassy to verify these records will be acceptable. Other acceptable documents are vehicle titles authenticated by the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, corporation documents signed by the Florida Secretary of State, and documents verified by Deputy the Clerk or Deputy Clerk of Circuit Court from all Florida counties.
Although you can submit documents written in a foreign language for verification, the notarial statement must be in English. Obtaining a proper notarial statement is mandatory in Florida because a document signed and stamped by a notary must have the proper verbiage for the apostille.
Documents bound for jurisdiction within the U.S or non-member countries of the Hague Convention are unacceptable and won’t get an apostille. However, it can receive a certificate of notarial authority.
Furthermore, these documents require additional verifications by various authorities, including the U.S Department of State. The certificate of a notarial officer verifies a notary’s seal, signature, and authority to act as the notary on the date.
Complete the Apostille or Notarial Request Form
Once you have authenticated your documents, it is time to file and complete Florida’s apostle and notarial request form. You can access the form at the official website of the Florida Department of State.
It is crucial to gather notarized documents you want to certify or authenticate. Enclose the Florida apostille and notarial certificate request form stating the country’s name you wish to use the documents. Adding the country’s name is critical to verify the document correctly, whether by apostille or certificate of notarial authority.
According to the Florida Department of State, you must provide the original certified document copy because the authority does not accept a photocopy. Ensure your documents has a notarial statement with the original signature, stamp, and seal. Next, enclose the required payment by check or money order.
The authentication of a standard notarized document is $10 per item and $20.00 per item, for documents certified by any Clerk of the Court for any county in Florida. Returning your documents requires you to insert a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Next, mail your verified/notarized documents, the Florida apostille and notarial certificate request form, and self-addressed stamped envelope with payment to the Florida Secretary of State.
Use FedEx or UPS
FedEx and UPS are the most popular shipping companies with extensive networks across the globe. Instead of using a regular mail service, we recommend using FedEx or UPS to accelerate the process.
An Air Bill, also called a FedEx tracking number, contains your envelope information and a 12-digit number, allowing you to track your mail or shipment. FedEx is famous for its quick delivery services, allowing you to send a pre-paid air bill. Thus, you can avoid the hassle, streamline the mailing process, and achieve your goals.
Final Words
There are numerous reasons to obtain an apostille on your important documents, such as your birth certificate. For example, when planning to get married aboard, obtain dual citizenship for Germany or U.K., or inherit property in a foreign country, an apostille is an official/legal certificate that enables you to use your documents in another state or country.
However, most people find it challenging to streamline the process because it requires a step-by-step approach. You can use the steps explained in this article or hire a professional service like “OnlineFloridaApostille.com” to get the job done quickly without hassle.
OnlineFloridaApostille.com offers a wide range of services for personal and business documents. We are a reliable, efficient, and fast service to expedite the process, especially when time is of the essence. We authenticate your documents correctly. Contact us today at 954-228-8585 to discuss your requirements, or visit our site for more information on our Florida Apostille Services.
