California Apostille Services Agency Blog

We are now presenting our Guide to Acceptable Documents, which details how to check your California Birth Certificate for acceptability for Apostille, please view and download here:

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Our dropoff and mail/express courier delivery point in San Francisco is able to process all types of document authentications, from Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates, to Powers of Attorney, Adoption dossiers, Notarized letters, School documents and Background checks. This location can often provide the fastest turnaround times. Please check our agency homepage for the most Current System Status, to meet your needs, at http://www.californiaapostilles.com/welcome.htm.  Located in Downtown San Francisco at 580 California Street, 16th floor. Please bring your photo ID for security check at the lobby.

We are pleased to announce the opening of our agency’s newest office in Southern California, which will become our regional headquarters for in-person dropoffs, and reception of mail and courier deliveries, at 10100 Santa Monica Blvd, 3rd floor, in Los Angeles (Century City). The office was ready for processing on July 1st 2008. Visitors to this building need to show identification to the security guards upon arrival.

We are pleased to be serving an increased number of both individuals and businesses in the Silicon Valley region, from our office in downtown Palo Alto, located at 228 Hamilton Ave, 3rd floor. For Apostille authentication of personal certificates (such as Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Death Certificates, Powers of Attorney and Divorce Decrees) and business documents such as Powers of Attorney, and notarized affidavits, statements, superior court documents, copies of business documents and more. This location also serves as our Accounting Department office.

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In 1961, many of the world’s countries met in The Hague ( the City in the Netherlands). The purpose was to create an international agreement on simplifying the acceptance of documents such as Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Notarized Powers of Attorney, etc. as being authentic and valid, on an international basis.

The countries which signed that treaty in 1961 named their international certification an Apostille. If an Apostille from one Hague Convention member country is attached to a person’s Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Power of Attorney etc, and that person presents it to another country (that also is a member of the Hague Convention), then no futher certification or legalization would be required. The document and it’s signature is accepted as legitimate and valid.

This is the basis of an Apostille. All Apostilles and all countries of the world which have signed the Hague Convention Treaty of 1961 accept each other’s documents.

Nearly all Westernized countries of the world are signers to the Hague Convention.

All Apostilles are Hague Convention Apostilles. There are no other types of Apostilles. When you request an Apostille on a document, it automatically states that it is of the Convention of the Hague 1961. All documents submitted to California Apostille Services for an Apostille receive a Hague Convention 1961 Apostille.

Below is a sample scanned image of an actual Apostille from California. Bear in mind that an Apostille is not a “stamp” or a “seal”, but rather a complete certificate 8 1/2 x 11″ page which is permanently attached and stapled to your document submitted.

The image on the left is an original document before any Apostille , and on the right, the Apostille is attached. The Apostille is an official document in itself, with specific wording contained, as well as a seal from the CA Secretary of State in gold, and a red seal on the right, which overlaps and overlays onto several pages below.

This format of the Apostille from California will always appear this way, regardless of what the document to be certified is, and regardless of what country it will be used for.

Available at all 3 centers. We are increasing the services we provide for Apostille on Criminal Background Checks. This includes the international authentication of California State Department of Justice letters, County Criminal Background checks, searches by City Police Departments, and local/school/university police and crime report background letters.

All such types of background checks can receive an Apostille, which is often required for overseas employment. Please visit www.californiaapostilles.com for exact service description and fees.