Most small business owners set a goal to grow their businesses. Those looking to expand their operations in a foreign country will need to obtain it.
What is an Apostille? If you’re new to this term, here’s what small business owners need to know before they can take their businesses to new places.
What’s An Apostille?
An Apostille certifies the authenticity of a document for international use. If a small business owner is issued a public document in one country, an Apostille recognizes this document as valid in another country.
Before the Apostille, public documents needed to authenticate their origins. This could be an incredibly time-consuming process depending on the jurisdiction. The Hague Apostille Convention drafted a multilateral treaty which abolished the requirement of legalization for foreign public documents (1961). The Convention began enforcing the process in 1965. Some of the first ratifying states to adopt Apostilles included the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong.
Under the terms, The Convention covers public documents. These include:
- Court documents
- An administrative document
- A notarial act
- Other official certificates
What Documents Can An Apostille Authenticate?
An Apostille certificate can authenticate the following public documents of a foreign origin:
- Certificates of Incorporation
- Certificates of Good Standing
- Adoption Certificates
- Affidavits
- Agreements & Mandates
- Awards & Degrees
- Baptism & Confirmation Certificates
- Bills of Sale & Proof of Ownership
- Birth Certificates
- Confirmation Judgments & Edicts
- Death Certificates
- Deeds
- Diplomas & Transcripts
- Executor of Will
- Marriage Certificates
- Notary Oaths
- National Identification Certificates
- Passports
- Permits
- Powers of Attorney
- Wills
Who Issues An Apostille?
Small business owners can work alongside their local Secretary of State to issue an Apostille or an Authentication.
These business owners may also enlist the assistance of third-party filing organizations, like MyCorporation. In the event you don’t have time to certify documents or need extra help, our Apostille service makes it easy to authenticate any necessary public documents. Then you may use these documents in a foreign country.
Why Should I File For An Apostille Certificate?
By filing for this certificate, the foreign country where you wish to conduct business will recognize your company’s charter. This is important for international banking and registration purposes.
Small businesses which are slowly growing or do not plan to grow to another country may decide to wait to file. However, small businesses significantly growing in one country which wish to expand into another country find this certificate to be beneficial. Obtaining this certificate will ensure your public documents are recognized and certified abroad.
Start certifying your documents with our Apostille service today. Contact MyCorporation at mycorporation.com or give us a call at 877-692-6772.