Notarized certificates are often used in countries that have signed the 1961 Hague Convention. In order to be recognized in those countries, the document may need to have an apostille attached. The apostille certifies that the signatures on the document are authentic and legal and the seal/stamp has been properly applied. The apostille can be issued only by a “competent authority” in a country that has signed the Convention. This includes the Secretary of State or the Department of State for the United States. Learn more :https://apostille-usa.com/apostille-documents/

Apostille for Notarized Certificates: Why It’s Important for Global Use

A notary is an individual that guarantees the legal validity of a document’s signatures by verifying that they have been executed according to local state law. An apostille is a certificate that verifies the authenticity of the signatures on a public document for international use. It can only be affixed to a document that has been certified (notarized) by the competent authority, such as the Secretary of State or the Department of State in the United States, for documents going to other countries that are signatories of the Convention.

Documents that need an apostille include birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates. Corporate documents such as Articles of Incorporation, Certificates of Good Standing or corporate resolutions may also need an apostille. All of these documents must be certified by a notary that has been commissioned by the Secretary of State or qualified in the county in which they have been commissioned. Additionally, any document submitted to the New York Department of State for an apostille or a Certificate of Authentication must bear a letter of exemplification.