An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the signature and seal of a public officer on a document. It is used to verify the authenticity of documents that are to be used in another country. Apostille Agents at Jim the Notary and Apostille are experts in processing Apostilles quickly and efficiently. Call or click for an appointment today!

You may need an Apostille if you are planning to use a public document in another country. For example, if you are planning to study or work abroad, you may need to have your academic transcripts or diploma Apostilled.

An Apostille is a certificate that verifies the authenticity of a public document issued in one country for use in another. The Apostille is issued by the government of the country where the document was issued.

Not all documents can be Apostilled. The following are some of the documents that can be Apostilled:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Divorce decrees
• Police records
• School transcripts
• Medical records
• Powers of attorney
• Affidavits

The above is only a very short list of the documents that may be Apostilled or Authenticated. Please call our office at (213) 400-7622 for more information.

Our Apostille Request Form can be downloaded from our website [see FORMS tab] or you may request it by email: [email protected]. In order to save you time and expense, scan or take a picture of your document(s) [both sides] that clearly shows the official’s signature and seal (stamp), and email it us. We can then provide you an estimate of the cost to Apostille and/or Authenticate your document(s) and the approximate amount of time required to process the document(s). Please do not send your original document(s) to our office before obtaining an estimate.

Notarization is the act of a public officer, such as a notary public, witnessing the signing of a document and then signing and sealing the document to verify that the signing took place.

Notarization is often required for documents such as health care directives, powers of attorney, and affidavits.

For more information, please contact us.

Documents are notarized to verify the identity of the person signing the document and to ensure that the document is genuine. This is important for documents such as health care directives, powers of attorney, and contracts, as it helps to prevent fraud.

Notarization is also required for some legal documents, such as those related to property ownership or business transactions. In these cases, the notary public serves as a witness to the signing of the document and ensures that all parties involved understand the terms of the agreement.

For more information or to book an appointment, please click the "Call Us" button or use the "Contact Us" form, and we will respond quickly.

The short answer is no, notarization does not make a document legal. However, it does add an extra layer of credibility to the document. When a document is notarized, it means that the person signing it has identified themselves to the notary public and that they have signed the document voluntarily. This can be helpful in cases where there is a dispute about the authenticity of a document.

The fee for a notarization is set by the State at $15 per signature notarized. We offer a $5 discount per document for Veterans (with valid Veteran ID).

The fees vary with Apostilles and Authentications, depending on the country where the document will be used (Hague or Non-Hague Country), the number of documents to be Apostilled or Authenticated, etc. Our estimate includes all government fees (Embassy/Consulate fees vary greatly and are extra), and return domestic shipping to you via FedEx/UPS/DHL.

Notaries public are public officials who are authorized to perform certain legal functions, such as witnessing signatures on documents and verifying the identity of the signers. In order to ensure that they are not being used to commit fraud, notaries public are required to verify the identity of the people who sign documents in front of them.

One way that notaries public verify identity is by asking for proof of identification. This can include a driver's license, passport, or other government-issued ID. Notaries public may also ask for proof of address, such as a utility bill or bank statement. This is to ensure that the person signing the document is actually the person who lives at the address on the document.