What is an Apostille / Authentication Certificate? A certificate from a government official that validates the Notary's commission on a document sent abroad.
- If the country you are submitting the document to is a party to the Hague Convention, an apostille is required.
- If the country is not part of the Hague Convention, then a Certificate of Authentication is required.
Major Member Countries (Hague Convention)
Countries NOT Party to the Convention: Notable countries that do not accept Apostilles (requiring traditional legalization) include:
- Europe: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
- Americas: Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.
- Asia-Pacific: Australia, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea (South), Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Palau, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Tajikistan, Tonga, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu.
- Africa & Middle East: Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela.
Countries NOT Party to the Convention: Notable countries that do not accept Apostilles (requiring traditional legalization) include:
- Algeria (Note: One source lists Algeria as joining in 2025, but most current lists exclude it; verify specific document requirements).
- Arab States: Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman (joined 2012/2013), Qatar, Syria, UAE, Yemen.
- Asia: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam.
- Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda (joined 2024), Senegal (joined 2023), Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa (joined 1995), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia (joined 2018), Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
- Europe: Belarus (joined 1992), Russia (joined 1992), Ukraine (joined 2003), Turkey (joined 1985). Correction: Russia and Turkey are members. Non-members include most of Eastern Europe, which is outside the convention list.
- Americas: Cuba, Haiti.
- Other: North Korea, Taiwan.
Federal Apostille vs. State Apostille
A federal apostille is issued by the U.S. Department of State for documents from federal agencies (FBI, USCIS, federal courts, military, USPTO, SSA, IRS). A state apostille is issued by a state Secretary of State for state-level documents (birth certificates, marriage licenses, diplomas). Submitting a federal document to a state office — or vice versa — will result in rejection.
During this process, you can ask for the FBI to forward your background check to the State Department for the Apostille
How to Get an FBI Background Check:
The Florida Secretary of State’s Division of Corporations office is open for walk-in apostille services Monday through Friday, 8 am – 5 pm, excluding state holidays.
A federal apostille is issued by the U.S. Department of State for documents from federal agencies (FBI, USCIS, federal courts, military, USPTO, SSA, IRS). A state apostille is issued by a state Secretary of State for state-level documents (birth certificates, marriage licenses, diplomas). Submitting a federal document to a state office — or vice versa — will result in rejection.
During this process, you can ask for the FBI to forward your background check to the State Department for the Apostille
How to Get an FBI Background Check:
The Florida Secretary of State’s Division of Corporations office is open for walk-in apostille services Monday through Friday, 8 am – 5 pm, excluding state holidays.
