Difference between legalization and apostille service

International Certification in the United States

If you want to work, live or study abroad, you will need to certify your documents in order to be valid for use abroad.  Depending on your destination country, you might need “Apostille” or “embassy legalization”. This post will display the key information to know the difference between apostille and legalization. We will also show you how you can certify your document easily, timely and above all, with the best available price.

Difference between Apostille and Legalization:

In The Hague, Netherland, 1961, the apostille treaty was signed and approved to abolish document legalization requirements and replace it with a unified sample of the “Apostille Stamp”. Countries that have signed the treaty are no longer require document legalization from the embassy of the destination country in Washington Dc and replace it with only an Apostille that can be obtained from the local Secretary of State or from the US Department of State in Washington DC for federally issued documents.

On the other hand, there are many countries that didn’t join the Apostille treaty and still require the legalization of its embassy on any U.S. document to recognize its validity. Document issued in the United States and destined for use in a non-Hague country require certification from the Local Secretary of State, authentication from the US Department of State and finally legalization from the embassy of the destination country in Washington DC.

How to apostille U.S. documents?

To apostille a document is much easier than legalizing it. The Apostille is a one-step only and then you are done. While document legalization requires two steps before you can even go to the embassy for the final step. How can you obtain your Apostille by yourself?  Here is how:

What is the type of your document? If you have a state-issued document, then, you can get your apostille from the local Secretary of State office in 50 States.

If you have a document issued by one of the federal agencies in the United States such as FDA, FBI, USPTO, USDA, EPA, US Homeland Security, it will require an apostille from the US Department of State in Washington DC.

Note: Documents signed by state officials such as birth, death, marriage, article of incorporation do not require a prior notarization. If you have a document signed by an individual, such as a power of Attorney, Affidavits, diplomas, then it will require being notarized in front of a notary public in the same State that issued the document.

How to legalize a US document?

If you are going to use your document in a non-Hague country, it will need to be legalized first. The document needs to be certified by the Local Secretary of State office, authenticated from the US department of State and legalized from the embassy of the destination country in Washington DC.

Legalization and Apostille Services

You can use the help of a legalization and Apostille service providers in the United States. One day apostille offers the lowest apostille and legalisation fee in the United States. Choose your destination country ( Apostille Countries or Legalization Countries ) to know fees, procedures and turnaround time. 

Source: http://www.onedayapostille.com/difference-between-apostille-legalization/