If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you’re in need of an apostille from the Secretary of State to fulfill some sort of legal need. An apostille is defined specifically as a document or group of documents meant to prove your identity, and it is typically approved by some sort of official before it is cleared for use. The documents included in an apostille from the Secretary of State can be a mixture of commercial and personal items, depending on your needs. Before you request an apostille, it may first help to know under which situations an apostille may be most advantageous.
You Plan to Move to Another Country
Packing up and moving to a brand new location isn’t as simple as taking your luggage and passport to the airport and heading off. Rather, you’ll need to prepare a set of documents to be approved beforehand. This is simply proper procedure from both legal and security-based perspectives. For the most part, you will only need to prepare an apostille from the Secretary of State if you’re moving to a country that is affiliated with the Hague Convention, like the Dominican Republic or Australia, to name a few. In this case, you will need to supply several basic citizenship documents, such as a birth certificate.
You Are Marrying a Citizen of Another Country
Likewise, marrying the love of your life requires more than rings and a marriage certificate if you’re planning to wed (and live with) someone from a different country. It’s worth noting that a marriage certificate is one document that can become an apostille from the Secretary of State. The purpose of your apostille is to simply verify your identity, so your legal transition into moving to and living in a country outside of the US can go much more smoothly.
If you’re in need of an apostille from the Secretary of State, contact US Authentication Services by calling 1-703-971-7226 or visiting their website.