As you have recently been hired and will be working in a foreign country, your employer will require your documents to be Apostilled from the Secretary of State. The Apostille process involves certifying the documents so they are recognized by a foreign country. This process ensures your documents are valid so you won’t run into any issues.
What Documents Can Be Submitted?
If you are a United States citizen looking for an apostille from the Secretary of State, the common documents submitted for apostille service are:
- Marriage certificates
- Death certificates
- Birth certificates
- Divorce decrees
- School transcripts
- Diplomas
- Authorization letters
- Travel consent letters
For business, there are also these documents that can be submitted for apostille service:
- Articles of Incorporation
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Certification of Free Sale
- Certification of Origin
- Corporate Power of Attorney
- Commercial Invoices
How Long Does This Process Take?
The Secretary of State receives hundreds (sometimes thousands) of requests to certify documents a week. They are very knowledgeable about which certificate needs to be issued. The Secretary of State office will affix the Apostille certificate to each document you submit. Normally, if all of the documents are turned in together and are properly sent, the process can take a few minutes or a few weeks. Each Secretary of State office has their own processing time.
To learn more about obtaining an apostille from the Secretary of State, go to theUS Authentication Services website.