What is an Apostille Stamp and Why You Might Need One

With so many legal documents being signed not just in government circles but also in the corporate world, the validity of these documents need to be clearly defined. This happens through a certification process. Most people are well aware of a seal that is offered by a notary. Similar to documents that need to be stamped by a notary, there are many documents need to be verified and certified through what is known as an apostille stamp. This type of certification verifies the authenticity which could be extremely valuable when you’re talking about legal documents whether it’s for a government, corporation or an individual.

Most people of heard of a notary and understand the significance of having a document notarized but many people haven’t heard of an apostille stamp. Not only does this validate and certify a legally binding document, it also allows that document to be transferred from one country to another. Pursuant to the Hague Convention of 1961, 95 countries signed an agreement recognizing the authority of this type of stamp to validate, authenticate and certify public as well as legal documents. This means if you have corporate papers from America, getting an Apostille seal for these documents will mean that they are also legally binding and authorized documents in the United Kingdom.

If you find that your business-related documents or personal documents need an apostille stamp, you might be asking yourself how to go about getting one. While different countries d set up different organizations and authorities to handle this, in the United States the duty has been placed upon the Secretary of State. In order to get a stamp for your document, you will need to contact your Secretary of State to get the proper paperwork and eventually to get the stamp your documents need.

When you’re doing business around the world, you need to take every precaution that any legal documents for corporate documents are authenticated and certified. The best way to do this and to cover all your bases is to request a apostille stamp. Having your documents certified by the stamp alleviates any issues that the documents, once taken to another country, could be considered invalid. With the proper certification an Apostille seal, your documents will be legally binding and accepted in many nations around the world.

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