Did you Know that These Legal Documents may require an Apostille Certificate?

If you plan something in another country, it is possible that you will need to provide the authorities with some legal documents that can certify your identity, your educational background or your marital status. Below, we will indicate some of the documents that may require an apostille certificate.

When do you need an Apostille Document?

A legal document needs to be apostilled when it is required by a foreign country. However, this applies only to states that adhere to the Hague Convention. If that is not the case, the document will need to be legalized instead. The apostille process is meant to certify the authenticity of a legal document by attaching an apostille certificate to it, which is usually a separate document. It's important to know that the requirements for apostille certification will vary according to the country where the document will be required. Therefore, it is better to enquire directly with the appropriate authorities first.

The best way to acquire such documents is to go through a processing entity, such as this Virginia apostilles services. It can be quite confusing for someone who has never acquired an apostille to know precisely which governmental Agency or Department it needs to talk to. Also, if a demand is sent without all the documents necessary for the process to happen, it will be returned to the sender. This could mean long delays, which are often a serious issue when you need to provide an apostille document at a given date. Here is a look at some of the documents that may require an apostille.

Birth Certificate

In the case of birth certificates, an apostille may be required if you are traveling abroad with a child and need to prove their identity, citizenship or age. It can also be asked by the authorities of the country if you are applying for a passport or registering them in a school located in a foreign country. For an adult, an apostille birth certificate may be required if he wants to immigrate, work in another country or if he wants to adopt a child from abroad.

Marriage Certificate

Apostilled marriage certificates may be required for individuals who are planning to get married in a foreign country. It is meant to prove that the person is not already wed to another. It can also serve to prove marital status for legal or administrative purposes in another country.

Death Certificate

In regards to death certificates, an apostille may be required to settle legal or financial matters related to a deceased individual in a foreign country. It may be used to prove the cause of death, but also to transfer ownership of property or assets and to settle any outstanding debts the person deceased may have contracted before he passed away.

Although the three certificates above are the ones that most often require an apostille, they are not the only ones. Education documents, business and corporate ones, as well as court orders and judgments may also need to go through the same process. When documents need to go abroad, it is always better to ask for if authorities in said country require them to be apostilled.