Apostille of documents in the United States

We solve your doubts about the apostille of documents in the United States.

What is an apostille?

An “apostille” is a form of authentication issued to documents for use in countries participating in the 1961 Hague Convention, i.e. the apostille process used to certify the authenticity of the signature of public officials or diplomatic agents in the exercise of their functions and the capacity in which they have acted, so that the document is valid and has legal effect in another member country of the 1961 Hague Convention.

In the United States “The Office of the Secretary of State” or the department of state office in each city provides apostille and authentication services to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals on documents to be used abroad. Types of documents include corporate documents such as company bylaws and articles of incorporation, power of attorney, diplomas, transcripts, letters relating to titles, marital status, job references and certifications, home studies, deeds of assignment, distribution agreements, documents for adoption purposes, etc.

How do I apostille documents in the United States?

To apostille a document in the United States, you must contact the office of State of the respective city where you wish to apostille virtually through its web portal or in person. There you must send the following information:

– Original document to be notarized or certified copy to be notarized including the original certification.

– Apostille or Certificate of Authentication Application Form, which includes:

• The name of the country requesting the documents. (Different countries require different certifications and the document cannot be authenticated without this information).
• A daytime phone number for questions.
• Information on where documents should be sent after processing

If the documents are for a minor, you must use the name of the person making the request.

How to apostille from Colombia?

You can carry out the procedure yourself without the need for intermediaries or prior appointment virtually on the Foreign Ministry‘s web page.

There you must follow the instructions indicated on the page according to the type of document to be apostilled.

Your Apostille or Legalization will be sent to your email and once your request has been approved you have 30 calendar days to verify the data of your document, request corrections if necessary and proceed with the payment generating a unique reference.

Cybergraphy:

Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website

https://www.cancilleria.gov.co

Website of the U.S. Embassy in Bogota:

https://co.usembassy.gov/es/services-es/notarials-es/