Apostille Requirements For Documents

If a public apostille for New York documents is to be used in another country, the receiving country may require the original to have been authenticated. An apostille is a certificate that certifies the authenticity of the signature and the capacity in which the person signed the document. The Department of State authenticates only public documents that have been issued or executed in New York and that bear the seal or signature of a County Clerk or State official. Examples of such documents include birth, marriage and death certificates.

Countries have agreed to simplify the certification of public documents for use abroad through a process known as the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. This convention reduces the complicated legalization process to only a single authentication, known as an apostille. The requirements for documents vary by country.

Federal Apostille for Adoption Papers

The first step is to determine what type of document you have. Private documents (individual or corporate) and State/County-issued documents must be authenticated by a designated authority, generally the Secretary of State’s office. Federal documents must be certified by the agency that issued them. The Department of State Authentication Office lists the competent authorities and their contact information.

If you are unable to attend an Apostille Pop-Up Shop, a friend, family member or other trusted individual can take your documents to the Secretary of State’s Authentication Office and submit them on your behalf. You will still need to present your original documents and your request form.