Swift Mobile Notary

Apostille

An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document (a birth, marriage or death certificate, a judgment, a notarial attestation, etc.). Apostilles can only be issued for documents issued in one country party to the Hague Apostille Convention and that are to be used in another country which is so a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Apostilles are strictly for the use of pubic documents abroad.

An Apostille must be placed directly on the public document or on a separate attached page. Apostilles may be affixed by various means, including rubber stamps, impressed seals, glue, staples, ribbons, etc.

An Apostille only certifies the origin of the public document to which it relates: it certifies the authenticity of the signature or seal of the person or authority that signed or sealed the public document and the capacity in which this was done. An Apostille does not certify the content of the public document to which it relates.

Apostille issued in accordance with the requirements of the Hauge Apostille Convention must be recognized in the country where they are to be used.

The ABCs of Apostilles. HCCH, 2010

Notary Publics are representatives of the Department of State for the state in which they operate. And because there are numerous notaries throughout the nation, the apostille serves as a second validation for documents that are being sent for official uses outside the United States. In effect, the apostille validates and endorses the right of the Notary Public's action.

The apostille process in California is accomplished completely with the Office of the Secretary of State. The State's website on notary authentication provides complete instructions and fees.

The procedure instructs consumers to mail documents to the Office of the Secretary of State in Sacramento. For those who are geographically in southern California, you may also contact the Los Angeles Regional Office of the Secretary of State for the State of California (300 South Spring Street, Room 12513, Los Angeles, CA 90013) for assistance.

If you need the documents notarized by Swift Mobile Notary to be authenticated and you don’t have time to mail these documents to the Sacramento Office of the Secretary of State or to go to the Los Angeles Regional Office, you can contact me to handle that part of the process for you.

If you need the documents notarized by Swift Mobile Notary to be authenticated and you don’t have time to mail them to the Sacramento Office of the Secretary of State or to go to the Los Angeles Regional Office, you can contact me to handle that part of the process for you.