If you are looking into getting an apostille certification on your paperwork, you may be wondering, "What does an apostille certify?" Even if you already understand where the apostille came from and why it was implemented as a form of internationally-recognized verification, understanding what it certifies may prove to be more difficult.
When answering what does an apostille certify, the first concept to understand is what the certification means. An apostille does not certify that the information in the paperwork is correct. The apostille acts as a form of international notary. This means that the apostille will verify the signatures on the paperwork. In addition, the apostille also certifies that any copies of paperwork are legitimate copies of the originals that they purport to represent.
This is an important distinction to make. An apostille will not verify the validity of a document's information, but it will verify the document's validity itself. Now, what types of documents need an apostille? The apostille is applied to public documents. This means that the document is coming from an authority recognized by the state. In other words, private documents are not considered to need an apostille certification.
However, if a company overseas, such as a Swiss bank, needs official documents to prove your identity, such as a copy of your birth certificate, then you will need an apostille certification attached to that copy of your birth certificate. The same holds true of death certificates and marriage certificates. If this is a legal matter, you may need to provide patents or court rulings. These also will need to be verified by an apostille. You may even need to have this certification on a diploma, depending on your situation.
However, this certification cannot be applied to diplomas issued by private institutions. Rather, they would be needed on diplomas issued by public universities. Again, this does not validate the diploma itself, but rather the authenticity of it. It cannot verify the standards of the diploma, but it can validate the copy that it was officially issued by the institution.
Understanding what does an apostille certify is key if you are involved in any international matters. The apostille will carry much weight, especially in countries that are members of the Hague Convention, which formally recognized the apostille as a simplified form of international verification of documents. Keep this in mind and do your research before submitting documents internationally to confirm whether or not you will need the apostille to continue. Especially in certain legal and financial matters, you likely will need this certification to move along the process in the other country. Otherwise, you might experience significant delays. Understanding the apostille is what will help you move through the process. Know more details by clicking on Apostille company.
