International Apostille – Blog

How to Attest Your Marriage Certificate through the UAE Embassy in Washington DC: Step-by-Step Guide

August 20, 2024 by admin

Do you need to attest your marriage certificate through the UAE Embassy?

Are you planning to live in the UAE with your wife?

Attesting your marriage certificate through the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC, is essential if you’re planning to use this document in the United Arab Emirates. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process:

Step 1: Obtain a Certified Copy of Your Marriage Certificate

Source the Document: Start by obtaining a certified copy of your marriage certificate from the state where your marriage was registered. The document must be an official, certified copy, not just a photocopy. We recommend that you contact the County Clerk’s office for instructions on how to obtain a new certified copy.

Step 2: State-Level Authentication

Authenticate at the State Level: Before the UAE Embassy can attest your marriage certificate, it must first be authenticated by the Secretary of State’s office in the state where the marriage certificate was issued. This process verifies the authenticity of the document’s signature.

Step 3: U.S. Department of State Authentication

Federal Authentication: After state-level authentication, the document needs to be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC. Our office in Washington, D.C. can process your documents through the Department of State.

Step 4: UAE Embassy Attestation

Submit to the UAE Embassy: Once the document has been authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, it can be submitted to the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC, for attestation. This is the final step that validates the document for use in the UAE.

Step 5: Processing Time

Processing Time: The UAE Embassy typically takes two weeks to process the attestation. However, this may vary, so it’s advisable to check with us for the most current processing times.

Here is an illustration to help explain the process:

Please contact our office so we can email you the most up-to-date processing time and availability.

Office Hours: 8am – 7pm Monday – Saturday
Customer Support: 1-888-810-4054
Email: UAE@internationalapostille.com

Legalizing and attesting documents for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can be complicated and time-consuming. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the legalization process and the unique requirements of this country. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-888-810-4054.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

How to Authenticate and Legalize Your Diploma for Kuwait: Step-by-Step Guide

August 14, 2024 by admin

Are you looking to have your diploma authenticated for use in Kuwait? If you plan to work there and need help attesting your college or university diploma, here’s what you need to know.

As of the date of this article, Kuwait is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention (Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents). Therefore, documents originating from the USA and intended for use in Kuwait must go through a multi-step process known as the “Legalization Process.” These steps are essential for Kuwait to accept your documents.

The process of authenticating your diploma for Kuwait may also be called certification, legalization, or attestation. While the terms may vary, the procedure remains the same.

To legalize your diploma for Kuwait, it must first be signed and notarized by your university’s Registrar. Once notarized, you can send it to our office along with the required supporting documents.

In addition to your notarized diploma signed by the university’s Registrar, the Embassy of Kuwait will also require the following:

A cover letter from the applicant stating the purpose of authentication and providing contact information.
A copy of the applicant’s passport.
Official sealed transcripts.
Verification of the diploma from www.studentclearinghouse.org.

Please note that these four items, along with your notarized university diploma, must be submitted together with our order forms. Contact us for the most up-to-date instructions and order forms.

Please Note: We can help you with documents originating from or notarized within the United States and for Kuwait. If your documents originated from Kuwait (Example: Birth, marriage, death, divorce, etc..), you will need to contact the correct competent authority to assist you in that country.

Office Hours: 8am – 7pm Monday – Saturday
Customer Support: 1-888-810-4054
Email: Kuwait@internationalapostille.com

Legalizing and attesting documents for Kuwait can be complicated and time-consuming. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the legalization process and the unique requirements of this country. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-888-810-4054.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Special Power of Attorney Apostille for the Philippines – SPA

July 23, 2024 by admin

Need to apostille a special power of attorney or general power of attorney for the Philippines?

Since May 14, 2019, when the Philippines joined the Hague Apostille Convention, documents bound for the Philippines no longer require the red ribbon from the Philippine Embassy or Consulate. An apostille issued by the Secretary of State is sufficient for the special power of attorney to be accepted in the Philippines.

Common documents we apostille for the Philippines include:

Special Power of Attorney (SPA)
General Power of Attorney
Revocation of Special Power of Attorney

According to the Philippines Consulate in San Francisco:

Both the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America are parties to the Apostille Convention, so public documents issued by both countries are recognized in each other’s jurisdiction based on the Apostille authenticating the document’s origin.

Apostilled documents no longer need additional authentication by the Philippine Consulate General. Once apostilled, the documents can be used in the Philippines and have legal effect.

To apostille a special power of attorney:

Have it signed and notarized by a local notary public.
Ensure the notarized document includes proper notarial wording, the notary’s seal and signature, and the venue (State and County) with the jurat/acknowledgment statement. All signatures must be original and the notarial wording in English.
Mail the signed and notarized document to our office for processing.

We can apostille documents signed and notarized in every US state.

Here is an example of a Special Power of Attorney for the Philippines provided by the Philippines Consulate in San Francisco:

Obtaining an apostille on your Special Power of Attorney for the Philippines can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-888-810-4054.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Happy Holidays 2023

December 21, 2023 by admin

As the year draws to a close, we wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and trust in our services. It has been a pleasure serving you, and we truly appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your journey.

This holiday season, we want to extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. May your days be filled with joy, laughter, and the warmth of cherished moments. We hope this festive season brings you peace, happiness, and the company of those who matter most.

Thank you for being a valued part of our community. Your satisfaction and success drive us to continually improve and strive for excellence. We look forward to serving you in the coming year and beyond.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

We will be closed the following days:

December 25, 2023, December 26, 2023, January 1, 2024, and January 2, 2024.

How to Apostille Your FBI Background Check

December 14, 2023 by admin

How to Apostille Your FBI Background Check

One of the easiest ways to apostille your FBI background check is to contact an FBI Channeler and submit your fingerprints at a local live scan (fingerprint) location. Results are typically provided within 1-2 business days and can be sent to you by email in PDF format or by regular mail. The only downside to the FBI background check is the lengthy processing time at the US Department of State in Washington DC.

Yes, after almost four years since the pandemic started, the US Department of State is still taking up to twelve weeks to complete most US federal documents. For the FBI background check, it’s currently about six weeks but it can take longer depending on how busy they get!

So in once sense it’s easy to obtain the FBI background check (even if you’re in an foreign country) but on the other hand you have to wait quite a bit of time for the FBI background check to receive the apostille through the Department of State in DC. As of this article, the estimated processing time is six weeks. We have seen it done sooner than six weeks as as long as 12 weeks. Prior to the pandemic, the processing time was only four business days. Next March, and four years later after the start of the pandemic, the US Department of State is still struggling to catch up to a reasonable processing time and there is no time-frame on when they plan to open their counter desk for walk in service (even after making promises to do so over and over again). Therefore, we expect delays to continue into 2024.

If you plan to mail in your FBI background check directly to the U.S. Department of State, please note that they no longer answer their phone nor respond to emails anymore. Don’t bother completing their online form – they don’t respond. In fact, they removed their support line from their website mid-2023 during the busiest time of the year. We experienced this first hand when they stopped responding to our emails in mid-2023. Also, countless customers have expressed their concerns in reaching a live person since mid-2023. If you do mail in your documents to the Department of State, please note that they can take up to twelve weeks. As their saying goes, “you’ll know your documents are done when you receive them”.

Countries like Spain, Portugal, Ukraine, Israel, and China will ask for you to obtain a background check from the FBI. Some countries might make an exception and accept a background check from the local Police, Sheriff, State, etc.. More details here: Background Check Apostille. Please note that an FBI background check does not expire. Most countries will accept an FBI background check with the apostille if received within six months of issue. Please double check!

We recommend that you first check with your contact in the foreign country to find out what is acceptable before you get started. When ready, contact our office for the most up-to-date estimated processing time and cost.

Office Hours: Monday – Saturday 9am – 6pm
Toll-Free: 1-888-810-4054
Int’l Callers: 771-888-1448
FBI@internationalapostille.com

Obtaining an apostille on your FBI background check can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-888-810-4054.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.