Moving abroad for work or school? Before you pack your bags, there’s one crucial task to tackle: legalizing your birth certificate or diploma. It sounds simple, but without the proper authentication—aka an Apostille—your documents might not be worth the paper they’re printed on. Website!
An Apostille is a certificate that verifies the authenticity of public documents like birth records, academic diplomas, or marriage licenses. It’s only valid in countries that are part of the Hague Convention. Heading to Spain, Japan, or France? You’re in Apostille territory. Canada or Nigeria? Different rules apply—they’ll require embassy or consular legalization instead.
Step one: get a certified copy of your document from the proper authority. That might mean visiting a registrar’s office for your birth certificate or contacting your university for diploma re-issuance. Not just any printout will cut it—make sure it’s an official version accepted for Apostille processing.
Next, figure out where to send it. In the U.S., your state’s Secretary of State usually handles state-issued documents. For anything federal—like FBI background checks—you’ll need to go through the U.S. Department of State. In other countries like the UK, Apostilles are handled by the Legalisation Office.
Before submitting anything, check the exact requirements of your destination country. Some want the original document Apostilled. Others accept notarized copies. Some demand certified translations attached after Apostille, not before. Miss a step, and you risk rejection or costly delays.
Costs range from \$10 to \$40 per document, depending on your state. Processing time? Anywhere from 24 hours to four weeks. Avoid peak times like June, when schools and international relocations flood the system.
Bottom line: legalizing your documents with an Apostille isn’t hard—but it’s definitely not something to leave until the last minute. Plan ahead, follow directions closely, and double-check with your destination country’s requirements before you ship anything out.