Before apostille a translation of any documents, you'll need to get this translation notarized first.
1. What is notarization?
In the US, a notary public commissioned by the state government certifies the authenticity of any signatures appended to a document. Notaries act as government agents to verify the signer's ID, and ensure the signer's willingness to sign without duress or intimidation and the signer's awareness of the document's contents. This notarization process guarantees the authenticity of the signature and helps deter fraud.
In this case, the translator will bring the translation to a local notary. When seeking notarization, the translators need to sign their names on a self-prepared certificate of translation(click to see the sample), stating that they are competent in both languages and assuring the accuracy of the translation. The notary will verify the translator's identity, witness the signature, fill in the notarial wording, and sign and affix his or her seal on the document.
Click here to learn how to ensure your document is properly notarized.
2. What is an apostille?
An "Apostille" is a form of authentication issued to documents for use in countries that participate in the Hague Convention of 1961. If the country of intended use does not participate in the Hague Convention, documents being sent to that country can obtain a Certificate of "Authentication".
An Apostille is a simplified form of Authentication and usually needs only one competent authority to be involved. Yet Authentication may go through a multi-step process to get the certificate from those foreign embassies or consulates in the US.
3. Apostille or Authentication Process
As mentioned before, the destination country of your document will decide which certificate you should obtain.
If the destination country is a Hague Apostille country/region (such as Germany, Spain, France, etc.):
Get an Apostille from the Secretary of State's office. No further certification is needed.
If the destination country is NOT a Hague Apostille country/region :
Get an Authentication from the Secretary of State in your state.
Get an Authentication from the U.S. Department of State. (if required)
Get a Legalization from the Embassy.
Simply place an order based on your situation and mail us the original notarized translation of a document. We will contact the right people and departments to complete the process.
The apostille and authentication process can be complicated. If you don't want to spend a lot of time and energy getting into it, your best bet is to let a professional do it for you. Once we receive your order and document, it'll be processed as soon as possible.
Besides translations, we also provide apostille, authentication, and embassy legalization services for other personal documents and corporate documents issued in 50 states and DC.
American Notary Service Center Inc. provides fair, fast, confidential, and professional document notarization and certification services for our clients. We also provide various assistance services to small businesses led by socially and economically disadvantaged groups. Our service helps small businesses obtain federal government contracts, gain a foothold in the market, and boost their sales. For more information, please visit our website at www.usnotarycenter.com, and contact us by calling 202-599-0777 or by email at info@usnotarycenter.com.