The Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing many important duties, including the certification of notary publics and the issuance of certified copies of vital records. One of the key responsibilities of the Secretary of State is to issue apostilles, which are official certifications that validate the authenticity of documents for use in foreign countries.
To request an apostille, individuals must submit their documents to the Department of State, along with the appropriate fees and a completed apostille request form. Payment is typically made by credit card or other accepted payment methods.
In order for a document to be eligible for an apostille, it must first be notarized by a qualified notary public. County clerks are often authorized to perform notary services, and their stamp and signature will be required to verify the authenticity of the notarized documents.
If you need to obtain an apostille for a vital record, such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate, you will need to contact the agency that issued the original document. Once you have obtained the necessary certificate, you can submit it to the Secretary of State’s office for certification.
If you require an FBI background check for use in a foreign country, you will need to obtain an apostille for the document as well. The process for obtaining an apostille for an FBI background check is similar to that for other documents, and you will need to submit the document to the Secretary of State’s office along with the appropriate fees and request form.
It is important to note that not all countries are part of the Apostille Convention, which governs the use of apostilles for international document authentication. If you are unsure whether the country where your document will be used accepts apostilles, you should consult with the appropriate authorities before submitting your request.
Once your request has been processed and your document has been certified with an apostille, you will receive a certificate issued by the Secretary of State’s office. This certificate will serve as proof of the authenticity of your document and will allow you to use it in the foreign country where it is needed.