Is it a passport? Please verify. Booking a flight? Please verify. What is a visa? Most likely already planned. Where do you stand with those dull documents, like your diploma or birth certificate, that you vowed you’d never look at again? Your entire foreign plan could quickly come to a halt if they are not apostille – get the facts about this topic!
Presumably, you are now prepared to attend graduate school in Paris or start a new career in Tokyo. Just when you thought you were ready for anything, an official from immigration or human resources says, “Do you have an apostilled version of this document?” Bring on the fear. There is no magic spell involved. Legal recognition in over a hundred nations can be achieved by the use of an apostille, which is a certified stamp.
Background checks, apostilled transcripts, and diplomas are common requirements for students. That place in class may be filled by someone else if they weren’t there. Leaving for a job overseas? Your degree or medical documents may be requested by your company to be validated. Yes, that does spell out apostille.
People make the mistake of waiting for too long. Depending on the time of year and your state, processing some documents could take a number of weeks. Because her apostille birth certificate was one week late in arriving, a friend of mine nearly had her scholarship revoked. Avoid being that individual. Prepare ahead of time.
Be sure to verify all prerequisites as well. Apostilles are required by certain nations for documents such as marriage licenses, medical records, and adoption decrees. Make advance arrangements with the school or embassy. Assumptions can leave you with a stack of unstamped paper that is useless.
Scan everything. It’s pro advice. You should have a backup copy on hand in case the originals become mixed up.
Apostille documents aren’t exactly the cherry on top of the essentials when it comes to preparing for life abroad. If you master these, you will be able to navigate international offices with ease. If you fail to see them, not even the most exciting journey can get past the beginning.