About Apostille Services
When you want to use a notarized American document in a foreign country, you might be asked to get an apostille to authenticate the document. Apostilles authenticate the seals and signatures of officials on public documents such as birth certificates, court orders, or any other document issued by a public authority so that they can be recognized in foreign countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.
The U.S. Department of State only issues apostilles for federal documents to use in countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention. Many states, including the state of California, provide apostille for vital records such as birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates as well as any notarized documents including the Power of Attorney.