3 Useful Tips When Getting An Apostille For The First Time
If you're sending an important document to a different country, such as a birth certificate, it will need an apostille. This is seal showing the document is legitimate. If you're needing one for the first time, these tips will help you out.
Provide an Explanation
The department that handles apostilles -- usually the Secretary of State's office -- receives a lot of apostille requests each day. Some of these requests are not legitimate and thus waste time and resources.
For this reason, you need to take some time to write an official letter explaining why you need an apostille for the document you're sending to another country. In this letter, make sure you're to the point and clear with your requests. Then, your chances of getting approved for the apostille the first time drastically go up, and you can move forward accordingly.
Make Sure Document Has Been Notarized
Whatever document you're trying to get an apostille for, it must be notarized first. Without this notarization, you won't get far in the apostille process. There are several ways you can have an important document notarized.
Either you can visit a department that offers these services regularly or you may wish to send this document off in the mail. If you take this route, make sure the notary service is legitimate. You wouldn't want such an important document getting lost or ending up in the wrong hands. Once you get the proper notarization, you can proceed with confidence.
Pay the Required Fees
Getting an apostille for a particular document isn't free. You will have to pay for this form of authentication. It should be noted that these fees vary from state to state.
Thus, it's beneficial to research your particular state's apostille fees. This way, you know exactly how much to pay and can avoid further confusion. It's also a good idea to see what forms of payment are accepted. This can also vary from state to state.
Once your apostille request is approved and you've paid the necessary dues, the apostille will be attached to the documents you're sending off.
Apostilles are necessary for important documents being shipped off to another country. If you need one and are not familiar with this process, take some time to research what it involves. Then, you'll know exactly what precautions to take and can thus avoid a lot of future complications down the road.
For more information, contact a company like Russian Divorce.
Share