Underwriting Q&A | What is an Apostille?

Q: What is an Apostille?

A: An Apostille is a certificate issued by a designated authority in a country which is a member of the Hague Convention of 1961 to authenticate the seals and signatures of notary acknowledgments (and other purposes but title insurance is interested primarily in only those documents pertinent to real estate located in the USA) so that such notarized documents can be recognized in foreign countries (that are also members of the Convention).

If a document for use in the state where the property is located is not notarized at the United States Embassy or Consulate but the service of a notary public in that foreign country is engaged and utilized, an apostille is needed; remember that the country must first be a member of the Hague Convention and the certificate (apostille) must be issued by a designated “competent authority”.

For more information on countries that are members of the Hague Convention of 1961, the competent authorities in the respective countries that can issue an apostille, an example of an apostille, and significant other information, this link may be helpful:     https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/specialised-sections/apostille.