What is an "Apostille" or "Authentication?"

An apostille is an internationally recognized form of authentication. The sole function of the apostille is to identity any stamp or seal affixed to an official document; certify the authenticity of the signature on the document, and the capacity in which the person signing the document acted.

The use of the apostille was first instituted at the 1961 Hague Convention which did away with the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. Under the Hague Convention, participating countries have agreed to recognize public documents issued by other signatory countries if those public documents are authenticated by the apostille. The apostille guarantees that public documents issued in one signatory country will be recognized as valid in another signatory country.

Israeli government offices require original documents of status (i.e. marriage, divorce, or adoption papers) to have an apostille stamp. Please note that if you are Israeli or have previously held an A-1 visa, an apostille stamp is absolutely necessary.

When applying for the apostille, make sure to enclose the proper fee, made payable to “The Secretary of State” and stipulate that the APOSTILLE is required for use in the State of Israel.

For a complete list of authorities in the United States please refer to the following website:  

www.shirleylaw.com/en/resources/apostille_usa.htm

UK – London

Legalisation Section, Foreign & Commonwealth office,
Old Admiralty Building, Whitehall, London SW1A2LG
Telephone number: 02070081111

Canada: Authentication and Legalization

The process of obtaining international recognition for Canadian documents differs slightly as Canada did not sign at the 1961 Hague Convention When documents are notarized in Canada for use abroad, such documents must go through a process of "authentication" and "legalization" in order for them to be internationally valid. This process of "authentication" and "legalization" is the Canadian equivalent of apostille certificates issued in other countries that are signatories to The Hague Convention.

The purpose of authentication is to remove the burden on foreign authorities and courts of proving the legitimacy of documents produced outside of their countries. In Canada, both provincial authentication and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) have the power to authenticate a specific document. Advice should be sought from the recipient country's embassy or consulate on whether DFAIT and the provincial authentication authority are both required to authenticate a document.

Through the system of authentication, the registration of a notary public as well as the notary's seal and signature are verified.  DFAIT and/or the provincial authentication authority checks its records to confirm that the notary is registered and compares the seal and signature on the document being submitted against records it holds of the notary's seal and signature. Once the notary's authority, signature and seal are confirmed, the document to be authenticated will then receive a stamp (DFAIT) or in some cases, an additional seal together with a statement from the provincial authentication authority to the effect that the notary is "known to be in good standing". Nothing may be added to or removed from the document after this point.
Once the document has been authenticated, the next step is legalization. Legalization occurs when the document is presented to the consulate of the foreign country for certification.