Apostille and Certificate of Authentication

 

If you are submitting documents to be used in a foreign country, it may be necessary for them to be certified or legalized. Authentication certificates and apostille are ways of certifying signatures, stamps, or seals on important documents such as court orders, contracts, marriage licenses, birth or death certificates, diplomas, and more. Which type of certification you need depends on the country where the document will be used and whether or not that country is a member of the 1961 Hague Convention.

When a apostille documents is destined for use in a country that is part of the Hague Convention, an apostille (or certificate of authentication) may be sufficient to certify a document. This is because the process of authenticating documents in accordance with the Hague Convention is much simpler than if a document was to be used in a country that does not participate in the convention.

Navigating the Apostille USA Federal Process: A Beginner’s Guide

To obtain an apostille, a document must be certified by the county clerk in which it originated. The county clerk will usually stamp or notarize the document before issuing the apostille. If a document contains multiple signatures, each signatory must present the original document to be authenticated.

The GSCCCA also provides an “Apostille/Certificate of Authentication” walk-in service for those who are visiting the Twin Cities for business or pleasure and need a document authenticated for use abroad. Authentication services are available for most public records originating in Minnesota. Please visit our Authentication Service webpage for more information and for instructions on how to prepare your documents to be apostilled.