Legalizations involve a series of official authentications of the document. As a result, many nations consented to streamline the procedure, leading to the creation of the 1961 Hague Convention eliminating the need of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. It is a certificate of authentication (also known as an apostille) given by a body recognized by the nation where the document was issued. Apostilles are granted by the Maryland Secretary of State's office in Annapolis.
You should confirm with the pertinent government agencies in that state, as each state has its apostille and legalization rules. The apostille process and complete guidelines about legalization process for documents issued in International Notary Apostille are covered in this article.
Apostille Documents Must Adhere To The Enumerated Conditions:
- Documents that have been notarized must be certified by the County Circuit clerk in the county where the notary is registered. They must include the notary's signature certifying the signer's identification.
- A Maryland Circuit Court clerk must certify divorce judgments and other court documents submitted for apostille.
- Copies of school records, such as transcripts or diplomas from universities in Maryland, such as Johns Hopkins University, Towson University, University of Baltimore, and others, must be made and certified by the county clerk after being notarized.
Find Out The Specific Apostille Or Authentication Procedure
You should verify with the relevant authorities there. The majority of state secretaries of state's websites list their jurisdiction-specific apostille requirements.
Apostille Process for State or County Documents
A designated authority, typically the state Secretary of State's office, may authenticate or apostille papers issued by the state or a county.
- Obtain a certified copy or original document from the state or county department that issued the document. The seal and approved signature of the issuing department are required for the document to be certified.
- The document must next be sent or submitted in person to the Annapolis-based Secretary of State's Office for authentication or apostille.
- The document must next be mailed or personally delivered to the United States for final legalization. Washington, D.C. office of the Department of State's authentications. in order to authenticate.
- The document must then be send through e-mail or handover to the consulate office of the foreign nation for the document's final verification. Depending on the consulate, there are differences in fees, conditions, and addresses.
Apostille Process For Private Documents
- A Maryland notary must notarize the paper.
- The county clerk for the circuit court then checks the notary’s signature where they were commissioned. The seal of the notary public bears the name of the country.
- The document must next be sent or submitted in person to the Annapolis-based Secretary of State's Office for authentication or apostille.
- It is the last step if the document requires an apostille.
Conclusion
When you contact Wcs, we first hear about your travel requirements before going over your case. We will then disclose the type of documents you require to you. We will gather the necessary paperwork, including passport images, and ship it to the appropriate organizations for certification.
Our Maryland Apostille Process is becoming ever more efficient because everything is done from one spot. This strategy cuts down on time needed to travel between government offices in search of various services.
