California Residents: How to certify Documents
Whether you plan to get married in another country and move there or you want to open a business on foreign soil, you will probably need to have some documents certified, so that the authorities in the country where this will happen can confirm some information relating to you. To do so, you will need to either certify them through an apostille certificate or by legalizing them. Here is what you need to know.
Who can certify a Document?
Only government offices and agencies can certify documents. However, it can be quite difficult to know which one to turn to, when you find yourself in need of a particular document. That is why it is best to find a company that offers apostille services in California to handle the task for you. This is the only way to make sure that you don’t waste any time, searching for information online which can often be wrong, simply because they haven’t been updated lately. Very rapidly, this task can become stressful and leave even the most patient person in a difficult place.
When you call upon a firm specializing in apostille services, you are guaranteed to get results fast. Depending on which documents you require, and which level of service that you use, you can expect your certified copy to arrive at your place within 24 hours, 3 days or a few weeks at most. This process is a secured way to ensure that you will find yourself with the required documents, in the lapse of time that you have to deposit them in the hands of whoever may need them, in the country of your choice.
Which Documents may need to be certified?
There are three categories of documents which can require an apostille certificate, which are: personal (and family), corporate or academic. In the first instance, it can be used to prove a status (single or married), to confirm the existence of a family member (birth certificate) or the passing of one (death certificate). It can also be used for a power of attorney, a will and even criminal records, in order to prove that you haven’t one. Any notarized document can be certified through apostille services.
Doing business in another country may require that you prove certain information about your company. In this case, a few documents can be certified in order to confirm that what you say is true. Here are a few that can be used: Certificates of good standing, certificates of incorporation, certificates of origin, hiring documents and company invoices. As for academic documents, they will be helpful to enter into a university based in another country, or to come as an extra proof by joining them to your CV. Depending on what is requested of you, you could have your high school or college diploma certified. Even report cards can be stamped with an apostille certificate.
In conclusion, you should always check if your document needs an apostille certificate or if it needs to be legalized. It will be the first option in any country that took part in the signing of the Hague Convention. If you don’t want to get it wrong, call upon apostille professional services.