If you need to use California documents in a foreign country, or if you're bringing foreign documents into the United States for legal purposes, you may need an apostille or other form of document authentication. Our Bay Area notaries can help with the notarization step in this process.
What Is an Apostille?
An apostille (pronounced "ah-poh-STEEL") is a certificate issued by a government authority that authenticates the origin and validity of a public document for use in another country. The apostille system was established by the 1961 Hague Convention and is recognized by over 120 member countries.
In California, apostilles are issued exclusively by the California Secretary of State. Notaries cannot issue apostilles — but in most cases, a document must be notarized before the Secretary of State will issue an apostille.
Documents Commonly Requiring Apostille
- Birth, death, and marriage certificates
- Educational diplomas, transcripts, and degrees
- Business documents (articles of incorporation, corporate resolutions, good standing certificates)
- Powers of attorney for use abroad
- Background check documents (FBI, DOJ, local police)
- Medical records and certifications
- Affidavits and sworn statements
The Apostille Process in California
- Obtain the document — Get the original document or certified copy from the issuing authority
- Notarization (if required) — Many documents must be notarized by a California notary before submission. We can help with this step.
- Submit to the California Secretary of State — The document is submitted in person at a Secretary of State office, or by mail. Current processing times and fees are available at sos.ca.gov
- Receive the apostille — The Secretary of State attaches or issues the apostille certificate
- Send to destination country — The apostilled document is ready for use in Hague Convention member countries
Non-Hague Countries
If the destination country is not a member of the Hague Convention (examples: Canada, UAE, Saudi Arabia for certain document types), you'll need embassy legalization instead of an apostille. This typically involves:
- Notarization by a California notary
- Authentication by the California Secretary of State
- Authentication by the U.S. Department of State
- Legalization by the destination country's embassy or consulate
How We Can Help
Our role in the apostille process is to:
- Notarize documents that require notarization before apostille issuance
- Certify copies of documents (where applicable under California law)
- Provide guidance on the notarization requirements for your specific situation
We cannot issue apostilles ourselves, but we can make sure your documents are properly notarized and ready for submission to the Secretary of State.
Need a Notary in the Bay Area?
Our team is available 7 days a week. Same-day appointments available throughout the Bay Area.