Are you an American who wants to teach abroad? Part of the process is getting an Apostille stamp to certify documents needed to apply for a visa to live and teach abroad. In this guest blog post, Kristina Butler, the owner of My Georgia Notary and Apostille explains the process.
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What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is a form of authentication that seeks to simplify the process of legalizing and authenticating documents so that they can be recognized internationally in foreign countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.
Documents are authenticated with an apostille (French for certificate) issued by your Secretary of State’s office or by other authorities such as U.S. Federal Court Clerks or the U. S. Department of State Office of Authentications.
If the country is a Hague Convention Treaty Member, Apostilled documents don’t typically require the need for additional certification or legalization by the embassy or consulate of the foreign country where a business intends to operate.
If they DO NOT participate in the Hague Convention, Authentication or Legalization is required and that involves having the documents in question notarized (a sealed certificate that confirms the authority of a public official, usually a notary public), reviewed by state and/or county officials, certified by U. S. State Department officials and then legalized by the Embassy or Consulate.
Apostilles and authentication procedures take time (in some instances processing times can take several weeks) and require in-person visits to consulates and embassies. Understanding the requirements of the country into which you’re expanding is essential.
Avoid the headache of getting an apostille or legalization of your documents on your own. When you need to use your credentials overseas, it’s best to hire an agent to do it for you. It’s a complex process, you don’t want to waste your valuable time and your hard-earned money on if mistakes are made.
Seeking an Apostille involves obtaining authentication from a series of officials in both the country where the document was issued and with an official residence, such as embassy or consulate, of the country where the document will be used.
Apostille Agent Service
How does My Georgia Notary & Apostille Service help Americans who are planning on teaching abroad?
- Completing the required Apostille order forms
- Processing the document(s) for mailing OR in-person delivery to your Secretary of State, US State Department or Embassy
- Assisting with Legalization and Authentication, if applicable
- Receiving the processed documents to deliver back to you.
My Georgia Notary and Apostille is a national Notary Signing Service and we have 100+ Commissioned Notaries on call to hand deliver your documents to your Secretary of State, Embassy or Consulate. You don’t need to be living in or a resident of Georgia – we can help you in all 50 states.
- You can book online at mygeorgianotary.com
- We offer translation and certified translations as well
- Referrals from ESL Teacher 365 will be granted a 20% discount using the code: JAMIE_ESLTEACHER365
Types of documents that require an Apostille, Authentication, or Legalization
Translation of these documents may be required and it depends on the country:
- TESOL or TEFL Certification
- Birth Certificate
- Driver’s License
- Reference Letter(s)
- School Transcripts
- Degree or Diploma
- Passport (original and in some cases a certified copy)
- FBI Background Check
- Medical Forms
- Work Visa
- Any document can be requested (to Apostille you must provide an affidavit, notarize it and submit for Apostille or Legalization)
About My Georgia Notary and Apostille
Guest Post Written by Kristina Butler, Owner and President of My Georgia Notary and Apostille
A National Notary Public and Apostille Signing Service
Website: https://mygeorgianotary.com/
Phone: +1-770-329-9700
Email: info@mygeorgianotary.com
We have notaries in all 50 states within 5 miles of each Secretary of State
State processing time average: 1 day – 2 weeks
Federal Processing time: 4 weeks per the U. S. Department of State
Embassy or Consulate Processing time: Depends on the country
We offer Certified Translations of documents for a minimal fee
Referrals from ESL Teacher 365 will be granted a 20% discount using the code:
Discount Code: JAMIE_ESLTEACHER365
