Certifications, Apostilles And Authentication Of Documents
Documents Filed With The Secretary Of State
Whenever an apostille is requested for documents that have been filed with the Secretary of State, each document must be certified separately. Documents that have been certified under a one-cover certification are not acceptable for the issuance of the apostille.
Notarized Documents
When a Delaware notary public notarizes a document that will be filed in another state or country, the notary may be asked for proof of his or her appointment. This verification, depending upon the requirements of the particular state or country, may be obtained from the Delaware Secretary of State, Division of Corporations. The individual for whom the notarization was completed should check with the state or country for their requirements.
Please note: Any document that is in a foreign language must have the English translation attached to it. The English version must be notarized.
Official Signatures
The Delaware Secretary of State, Division of Corporations also provides authentication of Delaware public officials’ signatures on documents. If the document is to be used outside the United States, the country of destination determines whether the certification is an apostille or authentication.
This documentation can be processed on an Expedited Basis for an additional fee. List of Expedited fees.
Effective August 1, 2009 – Fees for apostille and authentication are changed effective August 1, 2009. The Apostille and other verifications are prepared by the Delaware Secretary of State, Division of Corporations for a fee of $30.00 per document for Commercial use or for Personal use (i.e. adoption, birth/death certificates, etc…) $30.00 for all documents submitted on the request.
List of countries and territories – note, clicking this link will send you to the Hague Convention website.
A certificate of authentication is affixed to documents intended for countries that are not party to the Hague Convention. Apostilles require no further diplomatic or consular legalization, while certificates of authentication must first be processed by the U.S. Department of State before being sent to countries that are not party to the Hague Convention