State Apostille

How to Apostille Your Driver’s License for a South Korean License: A Step-by-Step Guide

September 21, 2024 by admin

Step-by-Step guild on how to apostille your driver’s license for a South Korean License.

If you’re looking to exchange your driver’s license for a South Korean driver’s license, it’s essential to follow a specific process that includes notarizing and apostilling your documents. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the exchange:

1. Confirm Your Eligibility

To begin the process, ensure you meet the following criteria:

Valid Driver’s License: You must possess a valid driver’s license from your home country.
Residency Requirements: You should hold legal residency or a long-term visa in South Korea, such as an Alien Registration Card (ARC).

2. Gather Required Documents

To successfully apostille your driver’s license, follow these steps:

Notarize a Color Copy of Your Driver’s License:
- Create a color copy of your driver’s license and have it notarized in the state where the license was issued. For instance, if your license is from California, the notarization must occur in California.
- If you’re currently in South Korea, enlist the help of a family member or friend for notarization. Note that some states allow a notary to copy-certify a color copy on your behalf.
Apostille the Notarized Copy:
- Obtain an apostille for your notarized color copy. Download the appropriate order forms from your home state’s website, then mail the notarized copy along with the forms for processing.
Translation Services:
- South Korean authorities require that the apostille and notarized copy be translated into Korean. Be sure to complete the translation request form included with the order forms.

In addition to the apostilled documents, you may also need to provide:

Passport: Bring your passport (original and copies of the ID page).
Alien Registration Card (ARC): Ensure you have a valid ARC if residing in South Korea.
Passport Photo: Usually 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm (check specific district requirements).
Application Fee: Prepare approximately ₩12,500 (around $10) in cash.

3. Visit a Driver’s License Agency

Go to the Driver’s License Examination Office (운전면허시험장) in South Korea. Some police stations handle these exchanges, so it’s best to verify which location serves your area.

4. Submit Your Documents

Present all necessary documents, including your apostilled and translated driver’s license, at the office.

5. Complete a Health Check

Depending on the location, you might be required to undergo a simple health check (vision test) at the Driver’s License Office, which is usually quick.

6. Surrender Your Driver’s License

As part of the exchange, you will typically need to surrender your foreign driver’s license. The South Korean office may keep it until you leave the country.

7. Obtain Your South Korean License

Once all documents are accepted and the process is complete, you will receive your South Korean driver’s license.

Important Considerations:

Reciprocity Agreement: The United States and South Korea have a reciprocal agreement, so you won’t need to take a driving test when exchanging your license.
License Validity: Your South Korean driver’s license may be valid for up to 10 years for residents. If you’re on a short-term visa, the validity may align with your visa duration.

Always check with your local Driver’s License Office in South Korea for any updates on procedures or document requirements specific to your situation.

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

Obtaining an apostille on your Driver’s License for South Korea 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.

NYC Birth Certificate Apostille: How to Order a New York City Birth Certificate with Exemplification Letter

September 8, 2024 by admin

NYC Birth Certificate Apostille: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Need to apostille a New York City birth certificate? This guide will show you how to order a new long-form NYC birth certificate with the required exemplification letter from the New York City Health Department.

This process applies to those born in any of New York City’s five boroughs:

Bronx – Bronx County Clerk
Brooklyn – Brooklyn County Clerk
Manhattan – New York County Clerk
Queens – Queens County Clerk
Staten Island – Richmond County Clerk

For birth certificates issued outside NYC, contact the County Clerk’s office where your birth certificate was issued to obtain a certified copy. Exemplification letters are not needed for certificates outside NYC.

Step 1: Ordering a Long-Form NYC Birth Certificate with Exemplification Letter
To get started, order a long-form NYC birth certificate and exemplification letter through VitalChek.com. The long-form version is recommended for apostille requests, and you can find detailed instructions on the New York City Health Department website.

Step 2: Submit Your Documents for Apostille Service
After receiving your birth certificate and exemplification letter, submit them along with our New York order forms for processing. For the latest updates on processing times, please call or email us.

If we have any questions after receiving your documents, we’ll contact you via phone or email. Otherwise, we’ll proceed with the process. Please note that NYC birth certificates require County Clerk authentication before the New York Department of State can issue an apostille—a two-step procedure.

If you’re missing the exemplification letter or are unsure of what documents you need, feel free to email us for assistance.

Office Hours: 8am – 7pm Monday – Saturday
Customer Support: 1-888-810-4054
Email: NewYork@internationalapostille.com
Download our order forms:
New York Apostille Order Form

Obtaining an apostille on a New York City birth certificate 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.

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.

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.