When you’re using an official U.S. document overseas, you’ll need proof that the document’s certifications and seals are valid. There are two main ways to provide that proof:
Apostille, a certificate attached by a Competent Authority (often the Secretary of State) that states the signatures and stamps of the government officials on your documents are valid. This simpler method is currently accepted by more than 110 countries and was agreed upon in the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents of 5 October 1961.
Authentication of the signatures on your documents by the originating jurisdiction, followed by Legalisation at the consulate or embassy of the destination country. U.S. Department of State Authentication is also often a necessary step in this process.
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Examples of documents requiring legalisation include:
- Corporate documents.
- Notarised contracts.
- Court judgments.
- IRS Good Standing Certificates.
- Certificates of listing on a foreign exchange.
- Trademark registrations.
- Trademark assignments.
- Copyright registrations.
- Copyright assignments.
- Patent registrations.
- Patent assignments.
- Other intellectual property documents.
Find out more about the process you need to go through to legalise documents in the U.S., the growing acceptance of remote notary, and more in our webinar: Legalisation and Authentication in a Global Economy.
