Apostilles are necessary when a public or government document will need to be recognized by a foreign country. Documents issued in the United States are not automatically accepted in other countries, so having them authenticated prior to submitting them to foreign governments or agencies can streamline the process for international travelers or residents. Without having an apostille, it can be challenging to prove a document is legitimate, which can cause a whole host of problems.

The Hague Convention established this system for certifying documents for legal purposes. The intention was that this would create a universally accepted method to prove the authenticity of documents originating from foreign countries. Member countries include Mexico, Belgium, South Korea, Australia, Namibia, Greece, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Chile, among many others, as there are currently 117 countries that are members of the Hague Convention. Nonmember countries are issued notarial certificates instead of apostilles. Our Florida apostille company can help you determine what the requirements are for your destination country.